Why Every Business Should Have an Employee Assistance Program
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It's the new year - and among other things - that means flurries of emails are going out across businesses reminding staff to take advantage of their benefits. Including the employee assistance program (EAP).
I used to be an employee assistance program (EAP) counselor. I spoke to 50-75 clients a week from around the country and across industries.
I would start every call with the confidentiality disclaimer that all sessions were 100% confidential except in cases of self-harm, harm to others, child abuse, or elder abuse (this is legally binding stuff by the way). An overwhelming majority of my clients, even after hearing this disclosure, would ask me, "are you going to tell my boss or HR that I'm calling?" They would reluctantly believe me after I reassured them, but my heart sank every time they felt they had to double-check that it was 'safe' to call in.
Think of this sad irony, because managers and HR reps WANT people to use the EAP!
I never had the same conversation twice, and I was so appreciative that I could provide this on-call support for employees when it sometimes seemed like they couldn’t get it anywhere else. From the desperation I heard in their voices in the first sentence they spoke, to the sigh of relief after chatting for a little while, it's a process I had gotten used to very quickly.
The very design of an EAP is to protect those who seek help. Despite their long-term existence, there’s still a lot of fear surrounding using them, or really knowing what they’re there for.
So let's debunk these EAP myths and talk about why they’re a critical workplace mental health resource, and why employees should really use it.
WHAT IS AN EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EAP)?
An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can offer a wide range of services to employees around financial wellbeing support, legal aid, childcare or eldercare services, and most notably - mental health challenges.
In most companies, an EAP provides psychological support for those facing mental health issues, usually by telephone. Depending on the contract that an employer has with an EAP provider, employees will have access to a certain number of sessions each year that they can use with the EAP.
The reason for this set up is that the nature of the program lends itself to short-term counseling for more episode issues, or as a stepping stone for an EAP counselor to refer someone to a long-term therapist or other resources if needed to address mental health concerns.
Folks can call in for a variety of reasons. Anything from stress, to depression, relationship issues, workplace bullying, burnout, grief, to even emergency situations like suicide ideation.
And in the case of an emergency, an EAP counselor can alert local authorities in that person’s area to go do a wellness check on that person and accompany them to a nearby hospital if needed. I did that more times than I could count - and I was grateful that I could.
WHY DON’T PEOPLE USE THE EAP?
According to the International Employee Assistance Professional Association, about 90 percent of smaller companies (1000-5000 employees) use EAPs. And about 80 percent of larger companies have employee assistance programs.
That’s a staggering amount of companies utilizing EAP services, so why are employees still NOT using them?
There are many reasons, but the two big ones are:
People don’t know that it exists
Folks usually miss it in the employee benefits description
They ignore occasional reminders about the EAP from HR
Not understanding what it is:
Distrust of the program, falsely believing that whatever someone shares with their EAP counselor will eventually reach the ears of their manager or HR representative. Confidentiality is the backbone of any EAP.
IT'S TIME TO GET AN EAP FOR YOUR COMPANY
If your organization doesn't already have an EAP at the company, and you’re in a position to influence this decision, I truly hope you consider getting one.
There are numerous advantages to a well-implemented EAP.
Of many, here are some of the biggest benefits for both staff and employers:
BENEFITS OF AN EAP FOR EMPLOYEES
Employees can benefit greatly from a well-designed EAP. Here are some of the biggest benefits:
Free therapy: it literally costs nothing to call into the EAP - that’s cheaper than a co-pay through health insurance!
A listening ear on demand: for many, talking to a professional anytime, day or night, is reassurance enough to help them face another day.
Mental health education: For the folks who don’t know as much about mental health, they can learn more about possible conditions they're facing by talking to a knowledgeable counselor.
A suite of services: Even if you're not living with a mental health condition, a good EAP can provide other services such as career counseling and financial advice and offer strategies to deal with short-term and long-term stress.
Life support: Having access to all of these services can feel like an extra support structure to just be able to manage ‘life’ and all that comes with it.
BENEFITS OF AN EAP FOR EMPLOYERS
Lower staff turnover: employees feel appreciated and seen when their mental health needs are met by a company, resulting in an increase in employee retention.
An EAP is an important (and easy) investment in the wellbeing of staff: the average cost of an EAP varies from provider to provider, but it can easily be factored into the employee benefits program for as little as 75 cents per member per month. With fewer absent staff, higher productivity, and employee retention, you'll see a return on investment of about $3-$10 for every $1 spent on an EAP.
Improved productivity: employees who receive support are more likely to work effectively
Decrease in absenteeism rates: employees who receive the counseling and tools they need to address their mental health struggles are less likely to have mental health impairment that would prevent them from working
Money and time savings: a decrease in absenteeism, workplace injuries, and unproductivity equal to cost savings for the company.
MAXIMIZING THE USE OF EAPS IN YOUR COMPANY
For an EAP to be successful, it needs to be visible.
Fortunately, many companies realize the benefits of deploying EAPs. But to effectively boost the usage of an EAP in your company, it's important to be inclusive in your offerings - and that means addressing the stigma and decreasing barriers to access.
Many EAP providers, such as Beacon Health, use video-conferencing technology to reach those in need. As a result, they create a more personalized counseling session than over the phone.
LifeWorks also uses technology through an app to make bookings anonymously, eliminating some of the fear around mental health stigmatization.
Another provider making use of technology is Blunovus. Their counseling takes place via text messages but focuses more on preventative treatment.
But no matter which company provides the best EAP, the foundation of an EAP is confidentiality.
These companies do everything in their power to protect their employees’ privacy because there are actual laws protecting their sensitive information. As I mentioned earlier, legally, a counselor is not allowed to reveal any information to the company about an employee’s counseling sessions.
There are exceptions, like in the case of child or elder abuse, and situations where harm to self or others is evident. But employees can rest assured there are confidentiality clauses for using an EAP.
This point is crucial because we need to get rid of the stigma.
Companies can do more in this regard by creating a culture of transparency and to be open about the usage of the EAP, why people use it, and why it’s nothing to be ashamed of. And in fact, that it’s a healthy and constructive action to take when people need it.
CONCLUSION
Mental health should be a priority in all companies, and an EAP assists in achieving this goal.
An EAP is a critical support tool that employers can and should provide in their companies. If you feel that your company hasn’t maximized its use among employees, it’s important to try to determine why that is, so it can be addressed through targeted education and engagement.
This isn’t a “nice to have”, underrated service, it’s a critical support tool that every business should have to support their employees’ mental health at work
Book a session with Melissa to help your staff understand why EAPs are so helpful and how to determine when to use them.
