For business owners, directors & finance leads

How Manager Support Line Works

A modern, pay-as-you-go alternative to traditional Employee Assistance Programmes.

Support your managers. Protect your staff. Control your costs.

Why Businesses Choose MSL Instead of a Traditional EAP

Most EAPs charge you per employee whether they use the service or not. MSL turns that model on its head.

Traditional EAPs: Paying for People Who Never Use the Service

Typical Employee Assistance Programmes charge around £12–£25 per employee per year. For a team of 50 staff, that can mean £600–£1,250 every year — even if only a handful of people ever reach out.

Illustrative usage: many employers report that fewer than 10–15% of staff ever access their EAP in a given year, which means businesses are often funding support for 85–90% of staff who never use it at all.

MSL: A Pay-As-You-Go EAP Alternative

You only subscribe the managers you want to support.
Staff and dependants only use counselling when they genuinely need it.
No blanket workforce fees, no payment for unused cover.

MSL keeps your wellbeing spend closely tied to real usage, not guesswork.

What You Unlock When You Subscribe

1. Manager support (guidance, not therapy)

Short 20-minute calls with qualified counsellors

Your subscribed managers have access to focused, 20-minute support calls with qualified counsellors. These calls help them think clearly, stay calm and handle difficult situations safely.

Difficult or emotional conversations with staff
Supporting grief, bereavement or trauma in the workplace
Conflict and performance concerns tied to wellbeing
Boundaries, confidentiality and safeguarding
Managing their own stress, overload and burnout risk

The focus is on guidance, options and listening skills — not therapy for the manager or the employee.

2. Counselling access for staff and dependants

Therapy when it is actually needed

Even if you only subscribe one manager, your wider staff team and eligible dependants can access counselling through MSL.

Telephone or online counselling with qualified therapists
£33 per session, used only when needed
No requirement to fund a full-population EAP

This lets you offer real therapeutic support without committing to a large, fixed EAP spend every year.

3. You control the contribution level

Choose how much your business contributes

As the owner, director or finance lead, you decide how much your organisation contributes towards counselling sessions.

Choose any contribution level from 0% to 100%.
Apply different levels for managers, staff and dependants if you wish.
Change the policy as your business and budget evolve.

MSL is built to protect both your people and your budget — you stay fully in control of how much the business funds.

Included: Listening Skills & Manager Training

Every subscribed manager gains access to practical learning designed and delivered by real therapists.

On-demand learning for managers

Listening and communication skills
Responding to distress and disclosures safely
Boundaries & emotional protection for managers
Handling grief and trauma in the workplace
De-escalating conflict and tension
Knowing when to escalate to HR or safeguarding

Live virtual courses run by therapists

We also host live online sessions where managers can bring questions, hear real examples and practise new skills in a safe space.

Courses are designed to be practical, down-to-earth and immediately useful in real conversations with staff.

The Hidden Cost of Unhappy Managers & Staff

Across the UK, stress, burnout and disengagement cost businesses billions of pounds every year through absence, presenteeism and staff turnover.

Even one struggling manager can quietly cost a business £7,000–£15,000 per year in lost productivity, team conflict and churn.

MSL is designed to intervene early — giving managers a confidential space to think, before problems turn into grievances, long-term sickness or resignations.

How It Works — At a Glance

A simple four-step process that you can explain in one breath to your board or finance team.

Step 1

Choose your manager plan

£321 manager · 2 calls

£552 managers · 4 calls

£753 managers · 6 calls

£1156 managers · 12 calls

All calls are 20 minutes with a qualified counsellor, focused on guidance and decision support.

Step 2

Set your contribution policy

Decide how much your business contributes towards counselling for:

Managers
Staff
Dependants

You can choose any level from 0% to 100%, and adjust it as your needs change.

Step 3

Managers use support as needed

Subscribed managers can book guidance calls, access the MSL AI assistant (if enabled) and attend courses to build their confidence in difficult situations.

Step 4

Staff access counselling when it matters

Staff and eligible dependants can book counselling sessions at £33, with or without a business contribution. You only fund what is actually used.

What MSL Is — and What It Is Not

MSL is:

A manager guidance and support line
Access to counselling for staff and dependants, when needed
A listening-skills and wellbeing training platform
A cost-controlled alternative to traditional EAPs

MSL is not:

An emergency or crisis service
A replacement for NHS care or safeguarding procedures
A diagnostic or medical service

In an emergency or crisis, individuals should contact 999/112, NHS 111, their GP, local crisis team or their organisation's safeguarding lead.

Smarter support. Less waste. Full control.

With Manager Support Line, you only pay for what your managers and staff actually use — while giving them access to real, qualified support.

View plans Book a call with us