October 2003   In This Issue...   Front Page   Argentina   Canada   Europe   Finland   Hong Kong   Ireland   South Africa Regulatory   Update Research   Review Interact   Survey Questions   Member Exchange     Forum Feedback	Argentina: Crisis and Recovery Add New Reasons for EAPs Eduardo Lambardi, Program Manager, EAP de Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina Andrea Lardani, Clinical Manager, EAP de Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina After one of the most significant economic, political, and social crises in its history, Argentina is in a phase of recovery. This period of crisis and recovery has affected EAPs on two different levels: in their acceptance by the business community and in the characteristics of the services an EAP must offer in Argentina. We intend to discuss both aspects briefly in this article. As recently as 1996, EAPs did not exist in Argentina. By 2000, several EAP providers and groups of professionals offering similar services started to appear. By 2002, the economic crisis accelerated the process of launching EAPs to market, though some were not ready and failed. Nevertheless, many survived, and more are starting to open. Today, those of us who lead the EAP market in Argentina must consolidate our identity as professional resources for the improvement of productivity. The crisis and recovery have added new reasons for consulting EAPs, reasons that demand specific type of interventions to help individual clients solve problems. Following are the most common reasons for employees to contact EAPs today: * Family problems caused by work overload, staying at work after hours, fear of losing jobs, restructuring, etc. (A lack of time, many times caused by staying after hours at work, reduces employees’ availability to schedule face-to-face interviews with EA professionals.) * Psychological trauma produced by kidnappings and violent assaults * Excessive worry for unemployed family members (consultations are frequently made by family members who are worried about their loved ones) * Interpersonal problems, including stress, lack of time, and financial problems, that negatively affect relationships * Legal and financial problems These issues are compounded by a shortage of available resources, thus forcing EA professionals to increase their flexibility and creativity. For example, the lack of efficient measures taken by the government to solve the city’s insecurity doesn’t help when treating a traumatized client. Likewise, the very low rate of jobs offered nowadays generally worsens a client’s pessimism and/or depression. And because the financial crisis has extinguished the possibility of obtaining bank loans and other payment options, financial counselors must update their information constantly and be prepared to inform their clients that their problem cannot be solved. Meanwhile, managers and supervisors are facing similar situations: they are stressed and busy with urgent concerns. This sometimes leads to employees receiving less support from their employers toward EAP interventions. How are EAPs responding to these problems? They are conducting workshops on topics such as learned optimism, preservation of the family, stress management, and addressing legal and financial concerns. They are offering counseling during company closures and layoffs. They are joining with professionals in other areas (psychological, legal and financial) to address situations in which employees have been affected psychologically by a financial or legal problem. And they are conducting joint interventions with experts in stress management techniques. In conclusion, we can say that EAPs in Argentina have gained a foothold with businesses, but the future is uncertain and difficult. Our experience tells us that only EAPs that focus on being proactive and preventative will be able to survive in this environment. Only in this way can EAPs become a necessary tool for a company’s measures and procedures. DISCUSSION (Member Exchange Forum)   Back Issues   Top of Page   Contact EAPA   © 2003 Exhange On-Line is a publication of the Employee Assistance Professionals Association, Inc. (EAPA). Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is expressly prohibited. Publication of bylined articles does not constitute endorsement of personal views of authors. Appearance of paid advertisements does not constitute endorsement by EAPA.	Vol. 1    No. 2