Marketing strategies during the developmental and implementation phases of an employee assistance programme in the public service (Gauteng)

Abstract

EAP, as part of the organizational Human Resource Management services, assists employees in dealing with challenges that affect their productivity at work. It is offered according to different approaches, depending on the size, availability of resources and nature of the organization. Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) provide services designed to help employees, managers and organizations meet life challenges and remain healthy, engaged, and productive. However, the services that an EAP offers in an organization need to be marketed to its users. This allows the users, who are the employees of that particular organization, to understand and familiarize themselves with those services. Various strategies are used to market EAP. However its influence differs from one organization to another. The study was conducted in the public service to determine the effect of marketing strategies by EAPs during the developmental and implementation phases. More importantly, this study seeks to examine the most effective strategies for EAP marketing in the public service by means of the following objectives:- • A description of marketing strategies for EAPs from a theoretical point of view; • An exploration of marketing strategies which have been applied in the public service by means of an empirical study. • Formation of guidelines on marketing strategies that may ensure effective marketing during the developmental and implementation phases of EAP. The literature study outlines the processes and guidelines for implementation of the EAP during the developmental phases. This includes needs assessment, management consultation, EAP mainstreaming and EAP launch and management training. There is a direct link between the implementation plan for EAP and the marketing strategies to be employed. The main reason for conducting this study is vi therefore to try to align the implementation plan for the EAP with the relevant strategies to be employed, for the benefit of the public service. The empirical findings obtained from a sample of EAP practitioners and EAP heads in the public service have established the main purpose of the study, which will be conducted by following the mixed method research approach. The researcher applied the mixed method approach to find the general understanding by EAP practitioners of the subject being investigated and to verify such information with EAP heads in the public service. Data were presented by means of exact figures gained from precise measurement and the themes in chapter 3. This methodology was aimed at exploring the effective marketing strategies for EAP during the developmental and implementation phases in the public service (Gauteng). The findings of the study and the analysis revealed the effective strategies that should be employed by practitioners when EAP is introduced into a specific public service department to ensure effective and efficient use of its services. The study also formulated guidelines on the effective use of the EAP in the public service. The research conclusions and recommendations served as a basis for the development of a guideline to effectively market the EAP services in the public service during the developmental and implementation phases.