euro Workplace Options

LONDON — Accor Services (www.accorservices.com) and Workplace Options announce that Employee Advisory Resource (EAR), (www.ear.co.uk) one of the UK’s leading providers of Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) and Work-Life services, will join forces with Workplace Options (WPO), the largest provider of Work-Life employee benefits in the United States and a current partner of Accor Services.

This strategic partnership will allow EAR’s growing portfolio of global clients to quickly and effectively extend coverage of their employee benefits outside the UK. It will allow WPO’s EAP clients to expand their work-life services internationally and will provide them with access to an extensive network of behavioral health providers throughout Europe. These combined forces will now be able to share ideas and investments, in order to bring innovative new products to the two most dynamic marketplaces for work-life and employee support services.

The partnership reinforces Accor Services’ global EAP/Work-Life strategy, which seeks to leverage shared quality/service standards and technology platforms with a strong local presence. Accor Services currently has EAP/Work-Life subsidiaries in the UK, the US, Australia and France. In addition, its rapidly expanding international network of affiliate partners enables Accor Services to provide EAP coverage in more than 35 countries and to reaffirm its leadership in the global HR benefit market.

Laurent Delmas, Managing Director of Accor Services UK, said: “Our portfolio of international Blue Chip clients is increasingly telling us they need innovative products and services of the highest quality which are consistent across the geographies in which they operate. This is exactly what this partnership will deliver to our clients and their employees.”

Workplace Options’ Chief Executive Officer Dean Debnam said: “This is an exciting development for both existing and prospective clients of Employee Advisory Resource and Workplace Options. Through this innovative partnership, leading global businesses will get the benefits of one contract to cover their employees in more than 35 countries.”

“We are delighted to offer a truly international work-life service to our clients in the U.S.,” said Alan King, president of WPO. “This also allows us to expand our emindhealth network to include mental health professionals in 12 European countries.” For further information please contact: Sandy Egan, Director of Service Promotion at (919)834-6506 x2161

Accor Services designs, develops and manages innovative solutions which combine personal aspirations of employee with employer’s productivity objectives. Over 340,000 organizations and 21 million employees in 35 countries use our services. Accor Services belongs to the Accor Group, a public company with more than £5 billion revenues worldwide.

Employee Advisory Resource (EAR) is the pioneer of EAP in Europe, established in 1981. EAR’s integrated approach to EAP includes a wide portfolio of services, including counseling, information services, management consulting, training and coaching. EAR has a track record of service innovation, including ManagerAssist™ and EAPDirect™, the UK’s leading Internet based EAP and Work-Life service. Over 300 organisations across Europe take advantage of EAR’s services.

Workplace Options (WPO) is America’s largest provider of Work-Life services and software that help EAPs and other third parties run their business more profitably and efficiently. Founded in 1982 and servicing nearly 15 million employees and their families, WPO is recognized for its innovative web delivery capabilities, flexibility and affordable pricing models.