Short answer: a standard Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) includes a 24-hour helpline answered by qualified counsellors, short-term counselling, practical help with legal, financial and family matters, a support line for managers, and reporting for HR. Wellness coaching, training and onsite support are usually optional extras.

The table below shows what a typical package for a UAE employer contains. It is based on real proposals we arrange for companies in the region, with anything confidential removed.

What a standard EAP package includes

Area	What is included	Standard or optional
How people reach it	24-hour phone line answered directly by a qualified counsellor	Standard
	Mobile app with call, video, text chat and appointment booking	Standard
	Member website with live chat, articles, videos and self-assessments	Standard
Counselling and mental health	Immediate support on the first call, with no waiting list	Standard
	Short-term counselling by phone, video or face to face	Standard. The number of sessions depends on the plan.
	A guided mindfulness programme over several weeks	Standard
	Self-guided online programme based on cognitive behavioural therapy	Standard
Everyday life support	Life coaching for career, time management and life changes	Standard
	Researched answers on childcare, elder care, relocation and daily living	Standard
	Guidance on money and legal questions, such as budgeting, debt, tenancy and family law	Standard
Health and wellness	Wellness coaching for sleep, nutrition, fitness, stress and stopping smoking	Usually optional
	Online wellbeing questionnaire with personal results	Usually optional
Support for managers and HR	Unlimited advice line for managers handling a difficult situation in their team	Standard
	Training for leaders on spotting and responding to stress and anxiety	Optional
Launch and reporting	A structured launch over about 60 days, with orientation sessions for staff and managers	Standard
	Posters, emails and other promotion materials in the languages you need	Standard
	A named account manager and an anonymised usage dashboard	Standard

Common optional extras

• Extra counselling sessions bought in advance for people who need more than the plan allows.
• Longer clinical programmes for employees with significant anxiety or depression.
• Critical incident support, onsite or virtual, after an accident, a death or another crisis.
• Onsite days with a dedicated wellbeing specialist.
• Expatriate support before and during an international assignment.
• Return to work support for new parents.

The wellness side has grown

An EAP used to mean counselling plus a few lifestyle articles. Newer programmes pair the counselling service with a full digital wellbeing app: personalised content, team challenges, therapist-guided online programmes and certified wellness coaches. For employers this matters because most staff will never need a counsellor, but nearly everyone can use help with sleep, stress, fitness or food.

What an EAP is not

• It is not an emergency medical service. In a medical emergency in the UAE, call 998.
• It is not long-term psychiatric care. Counsellors will refer on when someone needs it.
• It is not a disciplinary tool. What an employee says stays confidential, and the employer only sees anonymised totals.

A quick checklist for comparing providers

• Does a counsellor answer the first call, or a call centre?
• How many sessions per person, per issue?
• Is there an app, and can staff use chat if they have no private place to talk?
• Is there a line for managers as well as employees?
• What does the launch include, and who is our account manager?

For pricing, see how much an EAP costs in the UAE. For how staff use the service, see how employees access an EAP.

Frequently asked questions

How many counselling sessions does an EAP include?

It depends on the plan. Short-term counselling is normally a set number of sessions per person, per issue, and extra sessions can be bought in advance.

Can family members use the EAP?

Many plans extend to immediate family. Ask for this to be written into your proposal.

Does an EAP include legal and financial advice?

Yes. Most programmes include guidance and information on money and legal questions. It is guidance, not representation.

What does HR see?

Anonymised figures only: how many people used the service and the broad types of issue. Never names or details.

See what a package would look like for your company

Tell us your headcount and where your people work, and we will send a proposal that sets out exactly what is included. Call or WhatsApp +971 52 699 3955 or email tim@eapdubai.com.