From hurricanes to hardships: 4 ways EAFs stepped up in 2024

In 2024 the world faced significant challenges. From powerful storms that devastated cities to escalating geopolitical conflicts that displaced millions, hardship reached unprecedented levels. With no indication that these hardships will subside, the need for support will only continue to grow. Given this high level of need, companies are stepping up like never before — launching new and activating existing Employee Assistance Funds (EAFs).

EAFs are corporate-sponsored funds that provide critical financial support and relief to employees and their families during these trying times. These programs have become a vital part of employee engagement initiatives in recent years, helping companies retain and support their workforce. Since the onset of COVID-19, the scope of EAFs has expanded significantly, now covering hardship areas beyond disaster coverage.

At Global Impact, we work closely with companies to design customized EAFs that address the unique needs of their workforces. These funds have become an invaluable resource, enabling companies to deliver timely financial support to their employees who face personal or community-wide hardships. This year we distributed millions of dollars to support individuals around the world. As employees continue to navigate ongoing challenges, it is essential for companies to understand how EAFs can help address these hardships and support their workforce’s well-being. By anticipating the types of challenges employees are likely to face in the coming year, employers can better prepare to provide timely, effective support.  Here are the top four events that impacted our clients in 2024.

1. Hurricane Helene
This fall, the U.S. southeast was hit by multiple devastating storms, including five hurricanes. Among these was Hurricane Helene, which made landfall on the evening of Sept. 26 in Florida as a Category 4 storm. The impact of the storm stretched across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Louisiana, Texas, and Kentucky, producing deadly flooding, severely damaging structures, and leaving millions without power. Other natural disasters that impacted our clients in 2024 included winter storms in Oregon, flooding in Brazil, and severe storms in Arkansas. In response, we saw an average grant of $1,436 across clients for natural disaster support.

Natural disaster assistance is a key component of EAFs, as storms like Hurricane Helene have a widespread and devastating impact on communities. Having an EAF in place enables companies to respond quickly to such disasters, offering critical support to employees in need. For instance, 90% of our clients activated their programs in the wake of Hurricane Helene, allowing their employees to apply for support within days of the storm. Our clients’ assistance grants aided employees with evacuation costs, food and water needs, and home repairs. In total, over half a million dollars were distributed to our clients’ employees who were impacted by Hurricane Helene.

2. Unexpected Illness or Injury
Many of our clients offer personal hardship assistance to support employees year-round. In 2024, the most frequently submitted personal hardship requests were for assistance related to illness or injury (33%). With rising medical costs worldwide, employees facing unexpected illnesses or injuries often find themselves struggling financially. Monetary grants have helped cover emergency treatments, medications, and other necessary expenses, allowing employees to focus on their recovery without the added stress of medical bills. Additionally, many of our clients extend support to employees’ immediate family members, recognizing that often the employee bears the responsibility of their loved ones’ medical costs.

In 2024, grants provided by our clients for personal hardship support averaged $1,598, and ranged up to $5,000, delivering essential financial relief to employees and their families. While natural disasters and global crises often make the headlines, personal hardships continue to place significant strain on employees. As such, we encourage all our clients to consider adding illness or injury assistance to their EAFs. Although not all our clients currently offer this support, it has become increasingly clear that it is crucial to address the financial challenges employees face during unexpected health crises.

3. Lebanon Crisis
Lebanon has been marked by ongoing political and economic instability, coupled with rising social unrest and the escalation of regional conflicts. Continuous airstrikes have displaced over a million people within the county. In light of this crisis and other similar global emergencies, our clients have turned to the “crisis” category of their programs to provide much-needed support to their employees during these challenging times.

Through their EAFs, our clients provided assistance grants to cover evacuation expenses such as temporary housing, transportation, food, and clothing. Additionally, employees who incurred costs from hosting evacuees in their homes were also supported through these funds. Global crises are often unpredictable and can escalate suddenly, impacting communities almost immediately. Companies can effectively respond to these unforeseen challenges through their EAFs, offering vital financial and emotional support to help employees navigate such overwhelming circumstances and regain stability. Overall, our clients provided an average of $853 in crisis assistance to employees in 2024.

4. Bangladesh Crisis
This year, massive student protests erupted across universities in Bangladesh in response to the reinstatement of the country’s job quota system, which has long been a source of tension due to concerns about fairness and merit. These protests escalated in July, leading to government lockdowns and curfews, broadening to encompass a wide range of political, economic, and social concerns held by the Bangladeshi public. Reports indicate over 197 confirmed deaths and thousands injured across Bangladesh. Amid this social unrest, the country has also been grappling with high inflation, leaving thousands of citizens struggling to meet their daily expenses.

In such challenging times, where entire populations face widespread hardship, we offer our clients group-assistance distributions. For example, one client with a large workforce in Bangladesh used group-assistance to easily support all employees impacted by the ongoing crisis, assisting 1,477 employees in total. Group-assistance is a form of support in which all employees at a specific work location receive the same monetary grant in response to a shared hardship. We have recently introduced this new form of assistance as it streamlines the distribution process, ensuring companies can quickly deliver aid while minimizing administrative responsibilities for employees during times of crisis.

Are you prepared to support your employees in 2025?
As we look toward 2025, it is clear that communities worldwide will continue to face a wide range of challenges that are unpredictable in nature but will assuredly impact employees. Companies of all sizes are incorporating EAFs into their employee engagement strategies to both retain staff and provide crucial support during times of need. The growth of EAFs at Global Impact continues as we launch two new client programs in 2025, and Global Impact is here to help your company too. With nearly 70 years of experience in distributing funds and ensuring they reach those in need, Global Impact seamlessly processes assistance funding, offering non-taxable income to employees and tax-deductible contributions to the fund. By investing in an adaptable and customizable EAF, companies can ensure they are ready to support their employees through any hardships the future may bring. We encourage you to talk to your leadership today about establishing an EAF to support your workforce in the year ahead. Get in touch with us!