Employee assistance program: why your workplace should have one

It’s not an exaggeration to say that happy employees are more productive, and these kinds of employees translate to a more positive workplace. Such an environment also makes for a more profitable business.

How then, can companies improve employees’ happiness and well-being and reap the benefits? One of the ways to achieve this can be summed up in three words: employee assistance program.

If you’re a human resources manager, office manager, or business owner, this article might be of great interest to you and your company. Benefits and Pensions Monitor gives you crucial information about the employee assistance program and why it can be good for your employees and your company.

What is an employee assistance program?

An employee assistance program (EAP) is a short-term counseling service for employees going through personal difficulties. These may be serious enough that they can negatively impact their work performance. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) recommends that the EAP be part of a company’s larger effort to promote and maintain employee wellness.

An employee assistance program within your company should include:

• written policies
• mental health strategies
• employee training
• supervisor training
• an approved drug testing program, if applicable

Due to the sensitivity of the issues that an employee may have, access to an employee assistance program is completely confidential.

Types of services offered by employee assistance programs

Employee assistance programs offer a wide range of support services to help employees deal with a variety of personal problems.  An EAP provider typically helps employees with issues like:

• personal difficulties
• balancing work and family time
• bereavement due to separation and loss
• eldercare, childcare, parenting difficulties
• harassment
• job stress
• relationship difficulties
• substance abuse
• financial or legal issues
• family violence

In addition to these issues, some EAP providers offer other services like assistance with retirement, layoffs, and health and fitness.

Other EAPs may go as far as offering assistance for long-term illnesses, some disabilities, counseling for crises, or even providing advice to managers and supervisors on dealing with difficult situations.

Who can access employee assistance programs?

Staff and their families (immediate family members) can access the employee assistance program provided by their employer.

Is the employee assistance program free of charge?

It’s free for employees. Whether employers cover the costs depends on the type of employer. The standard practice for most federal departments and agencies is to get their EAP services through Health Canada.

#GC colleagues: Remember that the #EmployeeAssistanceProgram (EAP) offers free psychological support to you and your immediate family. Find your EAP: https://t.co/yMjLcT4tvN#MHW pic.twitter.com/u9umyRFYW7

— Employee Assistance Services d'aide aux employés (@HC_EAS_SAE_SC) May 10, 2024

Private-sector companies would have to provide this service from a department set up by the company or hire third-party providers or consultants.

Why offer an employee assistance program?

An employee assistance program (EAP) provides your employees with the support they need but might not have access to in resolving their problems or difficulties. Such problems may be harmful to their well-being and affect their performance at work.

These difficulties do not have to be caused by workplace issues for employees to access the employee assistance program. Employee assistance programs are meant to help staff overcome their difficulties regardless of the source, whether it is at the workplace or at home.

Although most EAPs are designed to offer a wide range of services, they can refer employees to other professionals or agencies who can offer them more care.

More employers in Canada are discovering that the most sought-after employee benefits include those that look after mental health and well-being of their workforce.

Benefits like employee assistance programs can also decrease employee turnover rates.  

How can I set up an employee assistance program in my organization?

In many instances, employees don’t know what’s included in their company’s employee assistance program (EAP) – assuming they are even aware of its existence. Key to implementing an EAP properly is finding the right EAP provider.

How can you ensure that employees know about your EAP, know how to access it, and realize how it can help them with their personal difficulties? Here are some ways:

1. Implement the EAP efficiently to ensure employee adoption and usage.

The first step is to partner with an EAP provider whose employee engagement initiatives can help increase use of the service and generate a high ROI. Choosing the right provider that assists you in getting your company EAP up and running quickly will build awareness and trust among employees.

2. Make sure that the onboarding is efficient and relevant.

A successful onboarding process is one that is simple, efficient, customized to fit employee needs, and supported by your EAP provider every step of the way.

3. Provide effective communication before, during, and after the initial rollout.

Be sure to provide regular information on the EAP, including personalized emails, webinars, and educational content that’s shared regularly throughout your organization.

How important is it to inform employees about the company’s EAP? According to a 2023 study, one of the biggest barriers to using the EAP was confusion about the available services. With constant communication, employees avoid a lack of visibility, and they are reminded of the tools and solutions available to them.

Joe Blomeley, EVP at GreenShield, emphasizes the urgent need for a robust mental health strategy in Canada. While progress has been made, gaps in funding and accessibility persist. https://t.co/RtRVN3F7ZZ#healthcare #employeebenefits

— Benefits and Pensions Monitor (@bpmonitor_ca) May 23, 2024

Hiring EAP providers: what to consider

Unlike federal government agencies and offices that can easily find their assigned EAP provider, your company will have to do the legwork and find an EAP provider from the private sector. They may be a company or private consultants. When looking for a provider, do your due diligence and check their credentials.

You can also prepare your own list of questions to determine if the prospective EAP provider is right for you. Below are some sample questions you can use to gauge their viability. Feel free to add or remove those important to you, with your company's and employees’ needs in mind.

Questions to ask a prospective EAP provider

1. What is your experience?

Other questions to ask: how many years have you worked as an EAP provider? Do you have a list of references? What sort of companies did you provide your services to?

2. Where are your offices?

As trivial as this may sound, a local provider is preferable since they would be more familiar with the local community and the available resources. Also, a local provider is easier for employees to access for their needs.

3. What is your scope of services?

This can vary from provider to provider and can include:

• job stress management
• childcare or elder care
• wellness programs
• advising managers/supervisors to deal with difficult situations
• counseling for crisis situations (e.g. workplace injuries or fatalities)

4. How would you provide your services to our employees?

This is a question on how the provider would deliver their services. For example, providers can:

• have a toll-free number for employees to contact
• offer online counselling services via an app
• use their referral network
• take up offices at the company

5. What is your policy on returning calls?

This is a query about how long an employee would have to wait before getting a call back. Try to get a specific timeframe. A reasonable time would be 24 to 48 hours at the most.

6. How do you decide who to refer clients to?

Find out about their list of referral sources – how often is it updated?

7. When are you available?

You can raise additional questions such as: how many staff members are available during business hours, and at times beyond business hours? It would also be helpful to ask which services are still available during odd hours, and if they have any nightshift or swing-shift workers manning the phones.

8. How many counselors or health professionals are provided per worker?

Ask the potential provider the backgrounds of each of their counselors. What are their qualifications, average years of service, and areas of expertise?

9. Does your organization provide education or training for your workplace?

If this is the case, what type of training do you supply?

10. What kinds of return-to-work, aftercare, or support services are offered?

Do you have a referral network for caregivers, clinicians, or other health professionals?

11. What is the fee structure?

Ask if the provider charges a flat fee or based on average usage statistics and number of employees. These figures are crucial to determine your company’s ROI on supplying these benefits to their workers.

12. What types of data or reports can we as an employer expect?

Find out whether the provider can supply you with relevant data, such as the number of referrals they made, what types of services were used, any after-care results, etc.

An employee assistance program offers confidential support, so you cannot ask which of your employees requested counseling for whatever reason.

Boosting EAP usage and engagement

In many cases, employee assistance programs (EAPs) have faced low usage rates and high costs. For your company to see a return on their EAP, communicating its relevance and effectiveness to employees is crucial. The EAP must align with your members’ needs and be available to them in the most accessible way possible.

Here’s where your employees’ needs and your requirements for a good EAP provider may intersect:

• clear, concise information about what the EAP benefits are and how to access them
• if possible, a digital or virtual solution that employees can access via a mobile or web app, any time of the day
• centralized services from a digital platform to reduce confusion
• a service solution that seamlessly integrates with other wellness programs
• flexible booking options, such as an app that allows for convenient appointment scheduling
• regular communications to inform employees about new program announcements

Internal EAP promotion campaigns could also boost engagement and usage, but since you are the EAP provider’s client, you shouldn’t do all the work. The most effective way to increase visibility on the solutions available to plan members is through regular communication via customized emails, webinars, or ongoing educational content.  

This video stresses the importance of communication to ensure awareness and usage of the EAP. The presenter reminds viewers on why many employees prefer not to use the EAP; there is the stigma attached to using EAP services, particularly those dealing with mental health issues.

A great provider will assist you in getting your EAP up and running quickly. This can include implementing employee campaigns, while assisting you and training staff in the long run. Your EAP and its benefits should be regularly communicated to your employees to remind them of the resources readily available to them.

Maximizing use of employee assistance programs

Employee assistance programs have been around since the 1940s. Ideally, your company should already have an EAP in place. This is vital, as 40 percent of Canadian employees are usually unaware of their existence and try to find the wellness services (like therapy) they need by themselves. Worse, workers who don’t have or aren’t aware of their EAP cannot pay for the assistance they need because they cannot afford it, or some therapists don’t accept payment from health insurance.

While having an EAP may seem counterintuitive and costly, this is only true if employees do not use the services due to a lack of awareness or confusion. Given how employee happiness is tied to productivity, an EAP can have a positive impact on company profitability and even employee loyalty. After all, if a birthday cake can boost employee morale and retention, imagine what an EAP can do.

Find out the different employee mental health programs in Canada here.

Does your organization have a good employee assistance program in place? Tell us about it in the comments