Employee Advisory Resource (EAR) has launched the first employee assistance programme (EAP) geared specifically for small and medium-sized businesses.

The EAP will offer SME employees relevant and targeted support and advice on stress, wellbeing, finance, legal, childcare and eldercare issues.

Alan King, managing director of EAR, said: "The credit crunch has put employers under even greater pressure to support their people and nowhere is this more the case than in small businesses. Very often SMEs do not have access to HR departments or resources and therefore they need to think creatively about how they can source and deliver this."