How is Sonder different from traditional EAPs?

You have 24/7 access to comprehensive support, not just for mental health crises, but for everyday wellbeing, medical concerns, safety and more. You can reach out anytime, for any reason, without worrying about business hours or session limits. Support is fast, personalised and designed to help you before things escalate.

When it comes to supporting your workforce, not all solutions are created equal. With rising psychosocial risks, growing duty-of-care expectations and a workforce that demands more accessible and meaningful support, traditional EAPs are no longer equipped to go far enough.

The difference:

1. Always-on support, not just during business hours

• Sonder: You can reach a trained nurse or care specialist via chat or call 24/7 with an average response time under 15 seconds. No waiting for business hours or delays before an appointment.

• Traditional EAPs: Usually available during regular business hours only. You call an external number, leave a message, and wait days for a callback. If you need help outside of 9-5, you're on your own.

2. Preventative support, not just crisis response

• Sonder: Members are encouraged to reach out early when they notice a concern: anxiety building up, sleep issues starting, workplace stress rising. Early intervention helps prevent escalation. Support is available for any issue, any time.

• Traditional EAPs: Typically position support as crisis response. People usually only reach out when something is already a serious problem. Limited number of sessions means you need to know exactly what you need before you call.

3. Medical, mental health, and safety (all in one place)

• Sonder: You can access support across mental health (counselling, therapy), medical concerns (speaking with a nurse), workplace safety tools (Check on Me, Track My Journey), financial wellbeing, and more. Everything is in one app.

• Traditional EAPs: Primarily focus on short-term mental health counselling only, usually capped at 3 sessions per year. If you need medical advice or safety support, you need to go elsewhere.

4. Clinically-backed triage, not guesswork

• Sonder: When you reach out, a nurse or care specialist uses the Manchester Triage System to assess what you need and route you to the right support. Whether that's self-help resources, a Care Specialist chat, or a referral to a therapist. No guessing about where to start.

• Traditional EAPs: Often unclear how they assess urgency or route people. You might be sent generic resources or waiting lists without understanding the pathway.

5. Safety tools built in

• Sonder: The app includes safety features like Check on Me (for when you're working alone), Track My Journey (location sharing during travel), and discreet Help buttons. You always have support in your pocket.

• Traditional EAPs: No built-in safety functionality. If you need help in an emergency, you still need to make a phone call or reach out separately.

6. Integration with your workplace

• Sonder: Sonder works with your organisation to embed support into onboarding, critical incident response, and team communications. Managers also have access to coaching and support tools. It's part of your workplace culture, not a separate service.

• Traditional EAPs: Operate as a standalone service. Employees need to find out about it themselves, and there's usually minimal integration with workplace processes.