How to Establish An Employee Assistance Program
Up to 68 percent of all workers will — at some time — experience workplace problems severe enough to prevent them from handling day-to-day duties. This course is designed to help businesses establish an employee-assistance program (EAP) to help staff members cope with workplace stress and personal problems that may affect their job performance.
National Restaurant Association How-To Series, October 2000
Topics
Section 1: What Is an EAP?
Section 2: How EAPs Benefit Business
Section 3: Seven Ways an EAP Works for You
Section 4: EAP Resources
Section 1: What Is an EAP?
An EAP is a work-based program designed to assist organizations in addressing productivity issues. EAPs also work with employees and their families in resolving personal, health and financial concerns; alcohol and drug abuse; emotional problems; stress; or any other issue that could potentially affect that employee's job performance.
When an employee is having problems at work, the cause may be unrelated to the job. An EAP can assess and treat the problem, therefore improving the employee's overall work performance.
Section 2: How EAPs Benefit Business
EAPs benefit both employers and employees. For the employer, providing workers with an EAP can be an important cost-saving and morale-boosting benefit. EAPs save the employer money by diverting the utilization of health-insurance dollars for treatment that an EAP could address. EAP experts estimate that 75 percent of employees who use this program don't have to use their health insurance, because the problem is dealt with directly through the EAP.
Employees, too, benefit from EAPs, because the resources are funded by the employer at no cost to the employee or immediate family members. EAPs are professional, confidential and often more liberal than health-insurance benefits, as some EAPs also cover live-in partners.
Section 3: Seven Ways an EAP Works for You
A good EAP is a win-win situation--one that benefits employees, their families and the workplace. Here are seven ways an EAP can work for your business.
1. EAPs provide consultation and training to organization leaders trying to manage employees who are having job-performance problems.
2. EAPs provide confidential assessment, short-term counseling and a referral service to employees and their families.
3. EAPs help employees solve problems before they become an issue in the workplace.
4. EAPs work with a referred employee to resolve problems affecting his or her job performance through short-term counseling or other treatments.
5. EAPs provide consultation back to the organization where the employee works, establishing treatment facilities, resources, and developing and maintaining a network of facilities and resources.
6. EAPs work with an organization to develop appropriate health-insurance plans for those treatment facilities.
7. EAPs help the organization identify the impact EAP services have had on work, on reduction of health-insurance costs and on improved job performance.
Section 4: EAP Resources
EAP organizations help funnel people to resources which have demonstrated productivity, high-quality service and good customer satisfaction. These organizations can provide assistance in setting up your own EAP.
• The Inova Employee Assistance Program furnishes services on a nationwide basis through a network of 800 providers. Call (800) 346-0110 or visit www.inova.com/employer/eap for more information.
• The Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA) offers information on how to start an EAP. The EAPA also has a list of EAPs around the country. Call (703) 387-1000 or visit www.eap-association.com for more information.
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