There’s a reason why employee assistance programs (EAPs) have become such a popular part of benefits packages for employers and employees alike. (According to the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) 2019 Employee Benefits Survey, 79 percent of employers reported offering an EAP.) Show
An EAP can give your employees efficient, confidential access to tailored resources, which makes them a great way to help employees stay at work and remain productive. After all, no one exists in a vacuum. Your employees will inevitably face distracting personal problems and responsibilities during their tenure at your company. And while you may wish that employees could just ignore these things once they enter the office, that’s not always possible. What is an employee assistance program?An EAP provides:
EAPs support employees dealing with varying degrees of challenges:
Employee assistance program benefitsFor employers, EAPs reduce stress and personal distractions within their workforce, which can contribute to:
Additionally, EAPs can significantly reduce medical costs arising from early identification and treatment of individual mental-health and substance-abuse issues. For employees, EAPs also deliver powerful benefits:
How an employee assistance program worksTypically, EAPs plans are subsidized entirely by employers. The cost of EAPs are usually based on either:
In a typical EAP arrangement, employees enjoy telephone and online support with clinicians that is:
Additionally, employees often are allotted a few face-to-face counseling sessions (per individual, per issue, per year) at a private, off-site location. In certain circumstances, such as a tragedy connected to the workplace, EAP counselors may be available on-site to employees for as long as employers deem appropriate. For minor medical issues, EAPs often provide 24-hour nurse assistance. For personal emergencies, such as a domestic-violence situation in which someone needs to leave their home environment quickly, EAPs can also help. For employees in need of more than short-term counseling or sporadic assistance, EAPs serve as a gateway for accessing further, longer-term resources in accordance with individual needs. In these instances, employees will often receive a selection of (at least three) vetted, local referrals for comparison within their area of concern. At this point, contact with referrals can take place either over the phone, online or in person, depending on the employee’s needs and the preferences of the resource. This is where an employee’s contact with the EAP ends. EAP-provided referrals are free to employees, but continued services with some referred professionals could involve an initial consultation fee or discounted ongoing rates. Usage of employee assistance programsYour EAP provider should give you regular usage reports covering a specified time period – each month, quarter or year, for example. This is important so you can determine whether your company is getting its money’s worth from the program. Because EAPs keep identities confidential, usage reports will never tell you who, specifically, is using the program. Instead, these reports show you how many employees are taking advantage of your program and how, generally, they’re using it. Communicating with your staff about an employee assistance programTypically, EAP providers give employers pamphlets and posters that help their employees understand the benefits and options associated with the program. Many EAPs will also send a representative to your office to participate in a benefits open-enrollment information session or a wellness fair to talk to your employees about the program. In some cases, an EAP may even offer the option of sending a counselor for regular on-site visits so that your employees can easily take advantage of these services. Additionally, highlight your EAP in your employee handbook. Legal obligations to watch out forIf you choose to offer an EAP, you’ll be responsible for complying with related privacy laws. If an employer has sufficient reason to mandate that an employee seek assistance through an EAP, there are parameters to adhere to. This is a very careful process in place for specific reasons and, if used inappropriately, can introduce significant risk to a company. Any employer that determines a need to conduct a mandatory EAP referral should seek outside counsel to ensure they follow the appropriate steps. Certain EAPs may also be considered group health plans, which could make them subject to COBRA and other federal laws applicable to group health plans. Finding an employee assistance program providerIf you join a professional employer organization (PEO), your employees get access to extensive benefit options, which often include an EAP. If you use a benefits broker, your broker should be able to help you select a quality EAP provider. In addition, EAPs are sometimes offered as a piece of the overall benefits package or health insurance plan you select. Human resources trade groups, such as the SHRM may be able to offer recommendations. Many of these same trade groups offer helpful EAP buyer guides that enable you to view lists of potential EAP providers and compare them. Of course, you’ll want to ensure that any EAP you select is reputable and delivers services that are useful to your employees. How do you determine whether an EAP provider is reputable? Red flags to watch out for include:
Summing it all upFor many compelling reasons that appeal to employers and employees alike, an employee assistance program (EAP) is a powerful workplace benefit. Once you select a reputable EAP provider and implement your program, make sure that you’re:
For more information on how a PEO can make the selection and implementation of an EAP – among other benefits – efficient and hassle free for your company, download our free e-book: HR outsourcing: A step-by-step guide to professional employer organizations (PEOs). |