Reaping the Benefits of an Employee Assistance Program

Written By Mike Verano

After 29 years in the mental health profession, I have grown accustomed to the looks I get when I tell people I’m a therapist. Those looks often say, “Yeah, I need one of those,” or “Are you diagnosing me right now?”

What I’m not accustomed to is the look I get when I tell people that I’m an EAP Specialist. That look is more along the lines of “Should that mean something to me?” I have discovered that employee assistance programs (EAPs) are often the best-kept secret in the workplace, even in companies where the EAP professional is on-site and/or providing regular trainings.

It’s time to spread the word about this service that many employers tuck away as a seldom spoken of benefit that’s as hard to find as a 40-hour work week, pensions, and snack machines with only salty and sugary treats. Given the state of our economy, there has never been a time when providing for the mental and emotional health of workers has been more critical and necessary.

Years of research have documented that not only is an EAP good business, it is also good for business.

The 2012 Workplace Survey released by the American Psychological Association suggests many Americans report chronic work-related stress, with 41 percent saying they “feel tense or stressed-out during the workday.” In addition, the World Health Organization estimates stress costs American businesses $300 billion dollars a year. This is why an increasing number of people have stopped saying, “I’m going to work,” and simply say, “I’m going to stress.”

Employee Assistance Programs grew out of the Alcoholics Anonymous movement, when employers realized there was a benefit to offering on-site support to their workers who suffered from alcoholism. Soon, the service expanded to include other mental health and emotional issues, and services moved off-site to improve confidentiality for employees.

Years of research have documented that not only is an EAP good business, it is also good for business. It’s as simple as “A healthy workforce is a productive workforce.” However, the impact goes far beyond the bottom line, as people, who would otherwise be struggling alone, find support and help are available at no cost. Using a brief therapy model of assess, address and/or refer, EAP professionals are equipped to help with marital, family, legal, substance abuse and financial issues, as well as other emotional struggles either through direct work or connecting the worker to an appropriate service provider.

Given their unique position of working with both employees and management, EAP professionals are able to address personal and systemic issues in the workplace. This is one of the things I find most rewarding about this work—not only am I able to assist workers with their problems, I’m able to have an impact on the environment in which they find themselves, which is often the source of so much of their stress. Trainings in the EAP professional’s toolbox that address the big picture include managing change, conflict resolution, workplace bullying, managing multiple priorities, and dealing with diversity, to name just a few.

In addition to helping workers cope with the daily machinations of trying to balance home and work life, EAP professionals are often trained in critical incident stress management (CISM) techniques. This gives management access to first responders who are able to help employees cope with traumatic events in the workplace, or ones that may impact work performance.

A primary reason that such a valuable service is often underutilized is that people are wary of anything associated with mental or behavioral health. Many people have an innate fear that things will only get worse if they slow down long enough to talk to someone about themselves. This is a sad irony, since the more we try to run away from our problems, the more they seem to chase us down. Another concern is the, “You must be crazy if you need to talk to a therapist” syndrome. This is easily overcome by seeing a mental health professional as a life-coach, mentor, or just someone to vent to who is not going to take what you say personally.

If you’re reading this and wondering if you have this service at your job, check in with your benefits administrator. If you know you have this service, but have never used it, why not give it a try? In a world where “There is no such thing as a free lunch,” EAP services are not only free, they offer a smorgasbord of services for the weary and stressed-out worker. If you’re a business owner and think you would like to purchase this service for your worksite, look up local EAP providers, talk with other business owners who utilize a service, or turn to the Employee Assistance Professionals Association, EAPA, at eapassn.org.

Finally, if you’re still wondering if your company can benefit
from an employee assistance program, here’s a quick test: