As a people-first organization that is continuously striving to improve for all the clients we serve, it’s important for us to regularly take stock of how we’re doing.
To this end, we engage an independent research firm, Workreach Lab, to continuously measure and track the quality of our client experiences, identify emerging issues and areas of improvement and highlight service delivery factors that impact outcomes for our clients. One of the ways Workreach Lab does this is through the delivery of anonymous, voluntary surveys conducted once clients access the Arete Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and again after their file has been closed.
The surveys completed in 2021 have been assessed and we’re very pleased with the results. Here’s what we learned:
Intake Experience
- 83% immediately reached an Arete intake coordinator, with the remaining 17% within 24 hours
- 99% reported positive experiences with Arete intake staff (89% provided the highest possible rating)
- 98% reported experiencing positive feelings (feeling reassured/understood) after speaking with an Arete intake coordinator
Counsellor Experience
- 97% reported a timely and convenient booking experience with their counsellor
- 80% of users had their first appointment with a counsellor within 2-7 days of their intake call
- 89% reported their counsellor focused on finding concrete solutions to their presenting problem(s)
- This year, the research firm also assessed the success of the therapeutic alliance between the program user and the counsellor they were matched with for service (high therapeutic alliance scores indicate a well-implemented and impactful EAP). In 2021, the average therapeutic alliance score reported by clients was very high, at 4.64 out of 6
- Advanced analyses revealed that the degree of client satisfaction with the counsellor was the strongest predictor of work improvement, and why we continue to focus resources on the client/counsellor match to ensure it’s the best it can be for every client
Client Outcomes
- The vast majority (93%) reported some problem resolution
- Although only 76% of respondents reported their problem was affecting their performance at work (at intake), 87% reported in the post-counselling survey that counselling did contribute to improvements at work
- Of those who had been on disability or absent from work when counselling began (11%) and returned to work during or shortly after using the services (65%), 100% reported that counselling helped in their return to work
Client Satisfaction
- 95% reported that they were satisfied with the EAP and would use the service again
It’s so important to us that our clients have the best possible experience with every touchpoint at Arete—from their first call to their final appointment and follow-up survey. As a means to achieve that goal, we share these results with our internal teams and our extensive professional network to ensure we’re working together to continuously improve our services, processes and approaches for our clients. It’s the people we serve that win in the end, and that’s the only result that matters.