The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a confidential service offered by employers to help employees resolve personal problems that could affect their lives both at home and at work. It provides evaluation, short-term counseling, referral, management consultation and training services to federal employees, and is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Depending on the situation, employees can access certain services from the security and privacy of their own home. EAPs are becoming increasingly popular among businesses of all sizes.
Companies like eBay and Uber have enlisted the help of Lyra Health, a leader in mental health services for businesses, which reports that 83% of its members recover. CuraLinc Healthcare is another well-known name in the employee care and behavioral health industry, offering assistance with addictive behaviors, substance abuse, work-life balance and more. Cascade Centers provides advisory services with a focus on personal finance, as well as an online mental health assessment tool called “WholeLife Directions” that can recommend EAP services based on the user's level of risk. Ulliance offers one of the most comprehensive employee support programs, focused on harnessing the power of content.
Known as Life Advisor (EAP), it states that about 94% of participants were able to overcome their problems through their short-term counseling sessions. Magellan Healthcare specializes in a wide range of health services and has an average customer retention rate of 93%, while BHS offers one of the strongest and most comprehensive employee assistance programs with a 99% customer retention rate and a response time of 7 seconds. Employee assistance programs are generally provided as part of a broader benefits package and can help manage long-term costs by providing advice, support and resources that employees need to be physically and mentally healthier, reducing their requests for health care. An EAP can also reduce the risk of workplace violence, attract competent profiles, and then experience an increase in performance levels.
Organizations typically offer employee assistance programs at little or no cost to employees. There are many promising options available; it all depends on what you hope to achieve with your employee assistance program. Your staff can take advantage of an EAP to help them find ways to keep their stress levels under control, even in these difficult times. Organizations should find out if their EAP referrals actually help employees and adjust the program as needed.
New York City offers its employees and dependents a helping hand through a network of employee assistance programs. Providing employees with support for issues that affect their well-being will improve the effectiveness of your drug-free work program. The right employee assistance programs can be a cost-effective way to add value and improve employee retention.
