EAPs are confidential counseling and referral programs offered as an extended health care benefit by many employers. Though EAPs have actually existed for upwards of 20 years, only recently have they become more popular among employers in light of the emerging perspective that employee mental health has a veritable impact on a company’s bottom line.
Mental Health Impacts Work
In years past, employers have failed to recognize that employees bring their personal problems to work, and work problems into their personal lives. This can lead to health and productivity issues, and even a loss of valuable staff members. Research has indicated that there is an actual return-on-investment (ROI) experienced with EAPs. For example, a recent study found that use of EAPs reduced pharmaceutical claims on benefits plans, ultimately saving employers money. There is no doubt that EAPs are beneficial to employees; however, employers actually benefit the most from enhanced productivity and a good work-life balance.
Understanding EAPs
One of the elements that is critical to an effective EAP program is identifying and understanding the groups that are at the most risk. Effectively monitoring EAP data can help to determine which group of workers (ie. By age, department, etc) are using the services most. This allows employers to identify potential organizational problems and deal with them as another stepping stone to prevention. In addition, EAPs can also work directly with a company’s management team to provide training on how to deal with employee mental health issues in both their personal and professional lives.
Integration of EAPS with Work-Life Programs
EAPs are complimentary to Work-Life Programs in that they encourage the overall wellness of employees. Reducing stress in both the work place and at home contributes to a more holistically healthy individual. After all, the name of the game is “prevention, prevention, prevention”.
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