mentalport vs. Fürstenberg Institute 2026 | 85% vs. 5% usage

Fürstenberg Institute is Germany's oldest EAP provider (founded in 1989 | 9 locations). Core service: telephone-based 1:1 counselling and digital content via MyFürstenberg. Psychosocial risk assessment | Risk assessment and automated measures are not part of it.

Overview: mentalport reference customers
PwC Logo | strategic mentalport partnerLogo City Class Hotels GmbHLogo Purelei mentalport customerLogo mentalport customer/Kunde Medienanstalt RLPLogo of mentalport reference customer arconsisLogo mentalport customer/Kunde Stadtwerke Stade

Summary of the settlement

Fürstenberg Institute is Germany's most established EAP provider. 35+ years of experience. Even so, it has the same structural problem as all classic EAPs: usage below 5% | no psychosocial risk assessment | no risk assessment | no automated measures | no management dashboard. The cost of inaction continues to accrue.

Market comparison: Why are conventional processes reaching their limits?

criterion

Fürstenberg Institute

Mentalport

Generation product category
Generation 1 (reactive EAP benefit)
Generation 2/Wellbeing Manager
Technical anonymity (via GDPR, without re-identification)
Fully
The only technically anonymous | Re-identification impossible on the system side
Real-Time Dashboard
Unclear
yes
Workplace integration (e.g. MS Teams)
Unclear
Yes, for maximum adaptation
ISO 45003 compliance
No
Yes, fully automated
Action automation
No
Yes, completely
Attendance rate
Approx. 3-5% (classic EAP industry average)
52% +80%
HR expenses/month
Low (pure hotline use with no HR steering effort)
<20 min/100 mA
pricing model
On Request (monthly retainer by employee count)
From 45 €/month for long-term legal certainty & impact
From a technical point of view, there is no direct comparison of performance with conventional GBU offerings, as mentalport dissolves the line between analysis and implementation. While traditional methods only cover the survey phase, our infrastructure integrates downstream occupational safety measures directly into the workflow.

By combining legally compliant GBU Psyche (according to GDA Psyche work program) and clinically validated intervention, you ensure the organizational stability of your teams while maintaining maximum capital efficiency & process automation.

What makes mentalport different from other providers?

When is this option worthwhile?

Companies that prefer a proven reactive EAP with long market experience and a personal advisory approach in Germany and fulfil psychosocial risk assessment obligations elsewhere.

Hauptfokus:
EAP/external employee counselling (reactive)

When is mentalport worthwhile?

mentalport reaches 85% participation versus under 5% at Fürstenberg Institute. The reason: Technically guaranteed 100% anonymity creates more trust than a telephone hotline. In addition: psychosocial risk assessment | data-based individual employee support | automated measures and real-time risk steering.

Mental Wellbeing Business Case: The biggest hidden cost factor in companies

Psychological stress costs companies more than they think. Click through the 5 biggest cost factors and find out where your company is already losing money today.

1. Absenteeism

Absences due to psychological stress are constantly increasing. Mental illnesses currently result in an average of 342 sick days per 100 employees per year in Germany.

Case duration of mental illnesses: Ø 33—37 days with average costs per absenteeism of around 400€.

Costs: ~1.500 € per employee/year

Continued payment costs weigh on companies' liquidity by an average of 1.5-2% of total turnover. With mental health as the third most common reason for failure, it is the biggest cash burden.
Sources: Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA, 2023), DAK Psychoreport 2025, Rehadat Statistics
2. Presentism
Present but not efficient: Stress, exhaustion and overwork as well as illness reduce productivity by a factor of 2-3 to absenteeism.

👉 Ø 15-20 days of loss of productivity per employee in a conservative approach.

Costs: ~4.000 € per employee/year
Source: Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA, 2022), Deloitte UK, Mental Health Report 2023
3. Fluctuation
Unprocessed burdens lead to internal dismissal and job changes. 40% of voluntary layoffs are psychologically related and 50% of knowledge workers have already resigned internally (quiet quitting).

👉 Replacement and training costs can amount to up to 200% of salary.

Costs: ~2,400 € per employee/year
Source: Gallup Engagement Index, 2024, Work Happiness Report 2025
4. Culture & Innovation

Psychological uncertainty acts as an invisible brake: less creativity, less innovative power, more conflicts.

👉 Efficiency losses due to weaker collaboration.

Costs: ~700 € per employee/year
Source: Deloitte “Mental Health and Productivity” 2024, WHO (2024)
5. Compliance & ESG

Health insurance & pension insurance are recording increasing spending on rehab & early retirement. Mental illnesses are also the most common cause of disability pensions.

Failure to take measures entails risks: legal consequences, reputational damage and failed ESG standards. D&O insurance companies are also increasingly considering mental health as a risk indicator.

Compliance & average recourse costs as well as ESG opportunity costs are included.

Costs: ~500 € per employee/year
Source: Debeka (2024), DRV (2024), EU-OSHA, ISO 45003 guidelines, 2021
Around 9,000€ per employee and year: The biggest undetected cost block in the company. Do you want to know exactly what the Mental Wellbeing business case looks like in your company? Start the validated ROI check now:
Start ROI check now
Our Conclusion

Fürstenberg Institute is Reactive Crisis Intervention with Heritage. mentalport is proactive risk management with automation. Different concepts | different effectiveness. EAP 1.0 versus EAP 3.0 and psychosocial risk management.

Do you want to promote mental health in your company?

Let's solve your challenges together. Book a non-binding consultation now and find out which individual solutions mentalport has in store for your company:
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Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a PRA survey alone fulfill the legal obligation under national occupational heath & safety acts?

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What makes mentalport different from classic EAP providers?

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What does technically guaranteed anonymity mean at mentalport?

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From what size of company is mentalport worthwhile?

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Can mentalport replace an existing EAP contract or consulting solution?

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