How to choose an EAP that goes beyond being a tick-a-box benefit

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are a workplace must-have, but not all are created equal. With engagement rates for traditional EAPs as low as 3-5%, many organisations are questioning whether their current program is effective, or just a “tick-a-box” benefit. If you’re looking for an EAP that delivers real value, here’s what to consider.

EAPs have a direct impact on employee wellbeing and business performance. Select the right program and you can meaningfully improve your people’s physical and emotional health and wellbeing, leading to productivity and profitability gains. But choose poorly, and you could end up with an underutilised program that fails to support employees or deliver return on investment. An EAP isn’t just about compliance, it can be a strategic tool to foster a healthy, engaged, and resilient workforce. Leaders must ask themselves whether their current EAP is delivering what they really need, or if it’s time for a more comprehensive solution.

What is a traditional EAP?

A traditional EAP program is typically an employer-funded service focused on mental health support (e.g. counselling) for employees and their immediate families. Historically, EAPs have been synonymous with helplines and reactive interventions, supporting employees when they reach a crisis point. This narrow scope means many issues (especially physical or safety-related) fall outside the EAP’s remit, contributing to low engagement. This often leads organisations to onboard other solutions to fill the gaps and employees are left to navigate a complex web of different services.

What is an alternative wellbeing solution?

A modern EAP alternative, like Sonder, provides a more holistic wellbeing model and focuses on prevention, rather than reaction. These offerings integrate mental health, medical, and safety support in one service. More than 80% of employees say it’s important for their employer to offer personal safety support and 39% would swap gym benefits for access to medical professionals. Alternative solutions tend to be more proactive, available 24/7, and offering tools to help users monitor their wellbeing and access self-help resources to build their skills in specific areas, such as sleep, or stress management.

“No disrespect to our prior EAP providers but they aren’t in the 21st century.”

Ten factors to consider when choosing an EAP

Sonder’s research identifies 10 criteria to consider when choosing an employee support program:

Scope of Care – Does it address mental health, physical health, and safety concerns?
Availability & Access – Is it 24/7, on-demand, and easy to use?
Response Times – How quickly do employees receive real-time support?
Utilisation Rates – What % of employees are using the service?
Critical Incident Support – Does it provide immediate crisis response?
Accreditations & Clinical Quality – Is it healthcare accredited, or just industry-affiliated?
Employee Engagement – Does it drive active usage rather than passive awareness?
Data & Insights – Does it provide detailed reporting for HR teams?
Pricing Model – Is it predictable and fixed-fee, or does higher usage drive up costs?
ROI & Business Impact – Can you measure its true organisational impact?

Is your EAP provider delivering the impact they should? Download our EAP provider checklist to benchmark their effectiveness for your organisation.

Traditional EAP vs Sonder’s model

Factor	Traditional EAP	Sonder’s Model (holistic alternative)
Scope of Care	Mental-health-centric (counseling only); little or no support for medical or safety issues.	Holistic coverage of mental health plus physical health and personal safety.
Hours of Care	Often limited to business hours (appointments needed), with a 24/7 crisis line if available.	24/7 on-demand support via app, chat or phone – employees can get help anytime without waiting.
Critical Incidents	Reactive, on-request incident counseling (may involve delays or generic debriefs).	Proactive, real-time critical incident response (checks on employees’ safety during events and provides timely trauma support).
Accreditations	EAP industry association membership (voluntary; limited oversight). Staffed by counselors, but no in-house medical expertise.	Healthcare-grade accreditation and clinical standards. Staffed by accredited nurses, psychologists, etc.
Digital Self-Help	Minimal digital resources; mostly phone-based support with occasional online materials.	Robust digital platform (Sonder app) with self-help resources, AI-driven triage, and preventive wellness content.
Utilisation Rate	Low usage (3-5% of employees) – many employees never engage due to stigma or low awareness.	High usage (often 40%+ of employees) – far more staff engage thanks to broader support options and easy access.
Employee Engagement	Little proactive outreach; relies on employees to remember the service in a crisis.	Active engagement efforts (regular communication and normalization of use) encourage employees to seek help early.
Data & Insights	Basic usage reports; very limited visibility into employee issues (HR often feels “in the dark”).	Rich, anonymized data and insights via dashboards. Reveals trends (e.g. common stressors, out-of-hours usage) for preventive action.
Pricing	Pay-per-use model or capped sessions. Higher usage can trigger extra fees, discouraging promotion.	Simple fixed-fee pricing (unlimited use). No penalties for high utilisation – predictable costs even if more employees get support.
Business Impact	Hard to achieve ROI if uptake is low. Issues may go unresolved, hurting productivity and retention.	Strong, measurable impact as more employees get help. Improved wellbeing leads to less absenteeism and better retention, boosting ROI.

Want the full breakdown? Read Sonder’s EAP comparison guide.

Holistic support with Sonder’s stepped care approach

Central to Sonder’s proactive model is stepped care, an evidence-based framework that matches each employee to the right level of support, at the right time, in the right way. Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach, stepped care is person-centred and dynamic, matching the intensity and type of care to the severity and complexity of the employee’s needs. An advantage of Sonder’s model is its ability to connect employees to the right mix of support for their mental and physical health, and safety concerns. For employers, this holistic, proactive approach offers a safer, more scalable way to care for your people. Importantly, stepped care helps mitigate risk as issues are addressed early, preventing more serious, costly outcomes like absenteeism, injury, or burnout.

“Everybody reacts differently to certain events, where one person may require self-care resources, while another may need a counsellor or psychologist. Stepped care allows for all interactions to be considered and personalised based on individual needs.”

Real-world impact: What Sonder’s customers are saying

Many leaders who have made the choice to move away from a traditional EAP report transformative results. Probe CX, a leading business process outsourcing provider, transitioned from a traditional EAP to Sonder’s proactive model. Before switching, their EAP engagement rate was just 3%—meaning almost none of their 17,000 employees were using it. Within three months of adopting Sonder, that figure skyrocketed to 51%.

“At Probe CX, we recognised the limitations of traditional employee assistance programs, which were often difficult for our employees to access. By partnering with Sonder, we are able to prioritise the care and support our employees deserve. Sonder offers a human connection that is available to our employees when they need it most, without any constraints. We are dedicated to putting our employees first and providing them with the necessary resources to maintain their well-being.”

This dramatic shift highlights the power of a high-engagement model. When employees trust and use a service, it delivers real value to both the workforce and the business.

Making the right choice

Traditional EAPs might tick the box for basic support, but if only a handful of employees use them, their value is minimal. Employees expect comprehensive, on-demand care, and employers who provide it see a healthier, more engaged workforce.

For HR leaders and decision-makers, the goal is to align your support solution with your people’s needs. Assess your current EAP honestly: Are employees actually using it? Does it provide comprehensive wellbeing support (for employees’ safety, and mental and physical health)? If not, consider whether a holistic model like Sonder’s would be a better fit.

Ultimately, the right EAP ensures employees get support when they need it. By moving to a solution employees truly use, you can foster a culture of care that drives results. The outcome is a safer, healthier, and more productive workforce.

Ready to experience a modern approach to employee care? Get in touch with Sonder today to discover how our platform can benefit your organisation.