Leading HR and recruitment specialist Gi Group has announced its temporary workers will now be able to access an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), alongside their permanent colleagues – an investment in people which boldly bucks the trend of widespread cuts to human resources.
Recent data has shown demand for workplace mental health counselling has risen sharply from 45 per cent of workers in 2021 to 57 per cent in 2025, however access to support through schemes like EAPs is falling – from 25 per cent to 22 per cent over the same period indicating that the economic uncertainty across the country has led to many businesses cutting their investment in employee wellbeing initiatives such as EAPs.
Cindy Gunn, People Director at Gi Group, said people are living in increasingly changeable times and with a continuing cost-of-living crisis, it is becoming harder for both temporary and permanent employees to balance income with outgoings – a central and universal challenge which EAPs were created to help navigate.
“We support around 8,000 temporary workers in the UK at Gi Group,” said Gunn, “and among a growing mental health and cost of living crisis, we felt it was vital to develop and introduce a hybrid Employee Assistance Programme to support temporary workers in the same way permanent workers are supported both internally in our business, and which our clients can call on.
“We know it is not always realistic for businesses which rely on temporary workers to offer EAPs,” she continued. “It can be a very transient workforce, and the usage isn’t as high as with a permanent workforce. Yet there is evidence of need for EAPs for temporary workers and at Gi Group, we feel it is important that we’re looking after every single worker in the business, not just permanent employees.
“It doesn’t have to be a costly exercise for more businesses to bridge this gap within the temporary workforce. Employers just need to ensure they are supported and get creative. There’s lots that can be done if businesses think outside the box.”
Gi Group’s new temporary worker EAP consists of specially designed booklets on both financial and mental health advice, signposting to government approved key networks, helplines and expert advice. It has also recently introduced a shopping discount platform for its temporary workers to support the continued rise of the cost-of-living.
Data shows that proactive wellbeing support makes employees more than twice as likely to take no sick leave and eight times more likely to be very or highly productive.
Cindy added: “People can often feel ashamed or insecure about going to formal support networks at work, and while we have an EAP in place for our own permanent staff, we felt there was increasing demand from our temporary workers – and therefore also the temporary workers we place for our customers. Quite often people find it easier to open up to a stranger who’s an expert, rather than somebody they know.”
Gi Group said it is receiving regular feedback from its site and hub managers that the new EAP model has been well received. It has taken an active implementation approach, ensuring regular communication to temporary workers about what is on offer.
“We ensure we update the booklets regularly and we are constantly communicating advice and signposting to keep resources front of people’s minds. If we don’t, it’s all too easy for temporary workers to not realise the support is there or forget,” Cindy added.
