Employers in Ghana have been encouraged to invest in Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) in order to accelerate growth in their companies.

Most workers in Ghana are unable to give off their best due to some level of psychological struggles they go through.

Speaking to Joy Business at the Employees Assistance Programme Africa Summit, Labor Consultant, Austin Gamey, insisted that it is imperative for the EAP to  be factored in every organizational structure to help  grow companies.

“Any employer who wants to see growth and see work and happiness develop in their organizations, in the absence of EAP on the front burner of all their HR programmes must forget that they are in business”, he warned.

He stated that the EAP is a critical and vital component of any business success.

“It should not be seen as a cost at the inception stage, but it should be seen as profitable at the end of the day. In the absence of that, I guarantee you nothing works”.

On her part, Managing Director of Supreme Healthcare Management Services, Patience Osekre said most businesses within the sub-region are struggling to stay afloat because of the inability of employers to invest in the mental wellbeing of their employees.

“We look at productivity from that base-line and try and provide that services. We will see how that translates into productivity”.

Ms. Osekere observed that when the country is productive, it goes into the wealth creation and citizens become prosperous.

“We are missing it in the whole of Africa. EAP is not prevalent just at the southern belt of Africa. EAP, has been in existence since the 1940s,” she said.

She stated that the EAP has helped western world increase productivity to improve economic wellbeing of workers.

“It is not just about performance indicators, meeting target and timelines,” she stressed.

The World Health Organization Representative to Ghana, Dr. Francis Chisaka Kasolo said he is committed to championing the course of promoting good and sound mental health of employees.

“The World Health Organization and the United Nations in general have met the Employers Assistance Programme as part of the way they will work into normal operations protocols,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Employees Assistance Programme Africa Summit 2022, is under the theme, “Redefining Employee Mental-Well Being, Strategy to Accelerate Business Growth and Increase Bottom Line”.