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Aetna International EAP: confidential employee assistance services are your on-demand work-life support service

A comprehensive guide to your convenient, confidential employee support services, how they can help you and your family and how you can access them. 

Successfully managing your life can sometimes feel like a juggling act. You might need help:

  • balancing your career and family life,
  • managing your finances, or
  • transitioning from life in one country or situation to another.

Whatever your life challenges and well-being needs, Aetna International can help you and your family with our Employee Assistance Services (which includes an Employee Assistance Program or EAP).

Aetna International members with employer-provided plans have access to work/life balance support service options – from short-term coaching, guidance and counselling to day-to-day troubleshooting support and direction. If you’d like in-person support, we can help you make a connection with a skilled professional. And, for on-the-go members, there are phone and digital options for access to support, too.

Download the comprehensive Aetna International Employee Assistance Services guide here

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What is an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)?

Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) are employee benefit programs offered by businesses to help employees deal with personal and work-related issues they may have that negatively impact their work performance, health and general well-being. These initiatives usually include assessment, counselling and referral for employees and, often, their immediate family. Access is usually by phone or email.

While EAPs are often associated with mental health and counselling, Aetna International’s confidential employee assistance service includes support for other areas such as physical health and life admin.

What are the benefits of EAP?

Employee assistance programs can help you work out life’s challenges and problems so you and your family can be healthy, happy and productive.

For example, the services can:

  • Ensure you have someone to talk to about any concerns you may have if you’re experiencing emotional distress relating to:
    • health
    • work
    • relationships (personal and professional)
    • grief over the loss of a loved one
    • marital strife
    • substance abuse
  • Connect you with professionals and resources to help you problem solve work and non-work issues
  • Coach you through your challenges, helping you get back on track and ensure that your personal issues don’t impact your work
  • Offer timely access to training, support and information.
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Aetna International’s Employee Assistance Services

Who can use the Employee Assistance Services?

  • All fully insured company plan members and family members can use our employee assistance services.
  • Self-paying members can purchase employee assistance services at an additional cost.

What can Aetna International’s Employee Assistance Services help with?

Family

  • Finding child care
  • Divorce
  • Caring for elderly relatives
  • Parenting issues
  • Family violence
  • Disabled children

Professional

  • Job stress
  • Balancing work and family
  • Career progression
  • Interviewing and networking

Personal

  • Travel and vacation/holiday planning
  • Mental health issues
    • Stress
    • Depression
    • Grief

Legal situation

Life admin

Relationship issues

Harassment

Substance abuse

Separation and loss

Financial or legal

Building healthier lifestyle

  • Fitness
  • Tobacco cessation
  • Weight management
  • Stress management
  • Self-care
Male doctor talking on phone in his office Male doctor talking on phone in his office


What do Aetna International’s confidential, on-demand services include?

Therapeutic counselling

  • What’s it for and what does it do?
    • Feeling overwhelmed or exhausted? We’re here to help you get through a situation that’s causing you stress, anxiety or depression — such as:
      • grief caused by the death of a loved one,
      • marital strife, or
      • a difficult circumstance at work
  • How does it work?
    • Speak with a clinical therapist who will help you determine the best route for therapy, whether you’d like to work with a counsellor in person or on the phone.
  • What can I expect?
    • You will initially speak to a clinician for a 15-45-minute conversation. The clinician can then help determine the next best steps for you and find the right health care provider for your needs
    • Sessions for stress last for up to 50 minutes.
  • Express case study
    • An American CFO contacted us having just moved to Osaka for a three-year assignment. Using iConnectYou, she told the clinician that she felt completely overwhelmed: the pressure of her already demanding role was exacerbated by the challenges of a respectively conservative corporate culture, the language barrier, settling into Japanese life and the relocation of her teenage son. She and the clinician defined a phone-based course of therapy sessions. Finding the sessions highly beneficial, she continues to arrange phone sessions with a therapist to support her as she develops stress-reduction techniques and builds resilience.
Businessman on phone call in back of car Businessman on phone call in back of car


Work-life services

  • What’s it for and what does it do?
    • Have you moved recently and are struggling to find local services? Are you struggling to find suitable local child care? Do you have legal concerns? Do you need help booking a flight or hotel? Whatever you need, think of us as your general information service.
  • How does it work?
    • You’ll be able to explain your needs to someone on the phone. They will do the leg work for you to find trusted service providers, including banks and schools; make travel arrangements for you; or put you in touch with recommended third-party experts.
  • What can I expect?
    • You’ll be asked questions by a trained professional to help you determine the type of service or support you need, the ideal geographic location for the service and a suitable time for the service to be delivered to you.
  • Express case study
    • A lady in Canada was concerned her son might have a learning disability. She called in requesting help in finding someone who could perform an assessment. She was specifically looking for a provider who spoke Russian, as she and her son spoke Russian primarily. A consultant identified a service provider in her area that had a staff member who spoke Russian. The consultant shared the information with the woman, who expressed great appreciation for the help.
Man receiving applause after successful presentation Man receiving applause after successful presentation


Manager assistance services

  • What’s it for and what does it do?
    • Do you have a local or international team to manage? Do you need development coaching to help you manage the everyday challenges of management? We’re here to help you take control of your situation and make progress in your day-to-day work.
  • How does it work?
    • An expert will work with you to develop a schedule of practical support. This could take the form of training, coaching, emotional support or education around one or more of the following: 
      • Time management skills
      • Communication
      • Developing emotional intelligence
      • Business etiquette
      • Resolving issues between employees
      • Delivering bad news
      • Addressing low productivity
      • Providing constructive feedback
      • Motivating individuals or teams    
  • What can I expect? 
    • Managers call in with their request and receive a return call within two business hours.
    • The manager and the referral specialist will define all subsequent communication. 
  • Express case study
    • This was the situation for a company that requested the help of an on-site trauma professional as they prepared for a sensitive performance-management meeting with a vulnerable employee. The trauma professional met with the manager and an additional supervisor to discuss their specific needs and concerns. In addition to discussing the specifics related to the situation, they also discussed applicable services available through the company’s employee assistance services. Following the performance-management meeting, the trauma professional met again with the manager and supervisor to discuss the outcome and offer additional resources.
African-American man meditating in his office African-American man meditating in his office


Mindfulness-based stress reduction service (AWARE)

  • What’s it for and what does it do?
    • Experiencing symptoms of stress or anxiety? Struggling with lightheadedness, trouble concentrating, a pounding heart, trouble relaxing or sleeping and mood swings?
    • Our mindfulness-based stress reduction technique can work alone or in combination with any of the above services.
  • How does it work?
    • We’ll put you in touch with a professional practitioner for one-to-one support. Your practitioner will create a six-week mindfulness plan and help you learn how to put it into practise.  The coaching plan comprises one session per week and will be designed to:
      • Fit in with your schedule
      • Help you develop emotional and mental resiliency
      • Help you develop your concentration and focus skills
      • Help you improve your sense of well-being
      • Guide you through breathwork.
      • Teach you coping mechanisms to manage your stress and live in the present
    • What can I expect?
      • The clinical team will assess your needs. If they find that AWARE would be a good option for you, you’ll be connected with a clinical therapist who can best meet your needs. You’ll have an initial consultation during which you can talk about your current emotional state, your goals and what you’d like to get out of the mindfulness session. You’ll be guided through the development of a personalised plan with impactful weekly mindfulness techniques and exercises.
      • The resulting six sessions with an MBSR-trained health and wellness professional are scheduled for a mutually agreed time between you and a coach.
    • Express case study
      • A British woman living in Singapore called us for help. She had just taken a promotion that involved presenting to senior internal teams, and while generally confident, she was very nervous about public speaking. These nerves led to crippling anxiety, which in turn had started to affect the rest of her work and even led to feelings of depression. Aetna International organised six sessions with an MBSR-trained health and wellness professional who listened to the woman’s concerns, goals and triggers. Together they worked on a plan to tackle the issue that included creating breathing routines and mindfulness to manage stressful moments leading up to and during her presentations. After a few sessions the woman reported reduced anxiety as well as positive feedback from her line manager about her performance.

How do I access the employee assistance services?

Now, more than ever before, you can tell us how we can help you. You’ve got access to confidential, convenient services in person, remotely and on demand. Simply get in touch:

  • By phone
    • Call the phone number on the back of your member ID card.
    • You will be assigned a counselor for your initial consultation receiving their contact information so you can schedule appointments directly.
  • Via Health Hub
    • Log in to Health Hub – your secure member website.
    • For members on a non-U.S. plan, you can access employee assistance services under the heading ‘Discover your health and well-being benefits’ within the Health Hub. From there, you can log in to the employee assistance website, which is available in 27 languages.
    • For U.S. based members, you can access employee assistance services via ‘My Plan Documents’ section of the Health Hub. From there, you can log in to the employee assistance website, which is available in 27 languages.
  • Via iConnectYou
    • If you’re on the move or prefer convenient digital services at your fingertips, the iConnectYou app allows members to get in touch with many of our employee assistance services directly, rather than going through our member services team. You can use the iConnectYou app to connect directly with services by:
      • Phone call
      • Video call
      • Text (SMS)
      • You can also use the in-app instant messaging feature to chat with a specialist.
    • Your confidential data
      • All calls and subsequent services are private and confidential
      • Many users need employee assistance services for sensitive work-related issues, so confidentiality means you can call in knowing that issues remain private — between you and the clinician.

    Read more case studies in our comprehensive print-ready guide to Aetna International’s employee assistance services

    Self-paying members can purchase employee assistance services at an additional cost. To find out more, call one of our expert sales consultants.

    If you’re an employer who would like to see how Aetna International can support your employees while they’re on international assignment, get in touch with one of our specialists today. Click here to find a specialist in your region.

    Members can also explore articles and inspiring, educational materials on stress, anxiety and depression.

    Employee assistance services website is available via the secure member website Health Hub and available in 27 languages.

Male manager talking to employees in office meeting Male manager talking to employees in office meeting


Disclaimer:

Employee assistance services are confidential, except as required by law. Information is not a substitute for professional health care and is not meant to replace the advice of health care professionals. Contact a health care professional with any questions or concerns about specific health care needs. This material is for informational purposes only. It contains only a partial, general description of programs and services and does not constitute a contract. Employee assistance service instructors, educators and network participating providers are independent contractors and are neither agents nor employees of Aetna. Aetna does not direct, manage, oversee or control the individual services provided by these persons and does not assume any responsibility or liability for the services they provide and, therefore, cannot guarantee any results or outcomes. The availability of any particular provider cannot be guaranteed and is subject to change. Information is believed to be accurate as of the production date; however, it is subject to change. For more information about Aetna plans, refer to www.aetnainternational.com.

Aetna International® is a U.S. and European Union registered trademark of Aetna Inc. Aetna® is a trademark of Aetna Inc. and is protected throughout the world by trademark registrations and treaties. Plans and programs are underwritten by Aetna Life & Casualty (Bermuda) Ltd., and administered by Aetna Life & Casualty (Bermuda) Ltd. or Goodhealth Worldwide (Global) Limited.

Aetna® is a trademark of Aetna Inc. and is protected throughout the world by trademark registrations and treaties. The information included here is provided for information purposes only and it is not intended to constitute professional advice or replace consultation with a qualified medical practitioner.

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