case study
05 Jun 2009 - 15:46: Swiss Re
Swiss Re moved its business to PPC in April 2008, from another international Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) provider. As Helena Trachsel, Head of Diversity Management explains, ‘we wanted a supplier who was truly global, and we were impressed with the positive contact we had with PPC throughout the selection process, together with their service and price proposition’.
The Swiss Re organisation had a long tradition of providing support to employees, having offered an internal employee counselling provision up to 2006, so therefore selecting the right supplier was paramount. ‘It was important that Swiss Re continued to be recognised as a leading employer, taking account of social responsibility and supporting employees’ adds Mrs Trachsel.
Global provision…
PPC were selected to provide service for over 3,200 employees based in Switzerland, Luxembourg and South Africa. This covered corporate headquarters in Zurich, which not only had the largest employee population, but also acted as the hub for requests emanating from Swiss Re offices across the globe, such as ad-hoc employee support or rapid responses to critical incidents. PPC picked up these cases and over the course of 2008, dealt with cases in the UK, Spain and the Asia-Pacific region, in a way that Mrs Trachsel describes as ‘fast, simple and easy.’ She adds, ‘we were impressed with how quickly PPC reacted.’
…whilst meeting local needs
In Switzerland, onsite promotion was held at all sites with presentations delivered to employees to explain the EAP, its components and its benefits. PPC employees also manned a stand outside canteen areas at all the Swiss sites, ready to answer specific questions and promote the EAP at an individual level.
Furthermore, the programme was given a great amount of visibility on company’s intranet and integrated within Swiss Re’s wider Health and Wellbeing initiatives, programmes and brand, thus providing a consistent, integrated approach. This was supported by PPC’s provision of local Swiss and regional account management contacts to deliver seamless and rapid support at all levels. Regular review meetings also ensure that PPC is aware of any new corporate requirements, changes, policies or protocols which enable the programme to be fully tailored to Swiss Re’s requirements as well as to those of the local culture, thus providing a relevant, timely, sensitive and appropriate service.
Within the EAP provision, the company wanted to offer specific support to their apprentices and trainees, aged between 15 and 21. PPC designated an experienced psychologist who specialised in the field of young people, to provide tailored assistance to this group, and to ensure the programme is delivered and promoted in a way to engage with young people. This psychologist works in close harmony with the management team of the apprentice programme, thus ensuring full support, integration and a simple, clear referral process, whilst fully respecting the bounds of individual confidentiality. This and the other ongoing activities carried out by Swiss Re and PPC have led to very high levels of programme utilisation and satisfaction.