Why Every Business Should Have an EAP & Why Employees REALLY Shouldn't be Afraid to Use It

It's the new year - and among other things - that means flurries of emails are going out across businesses reminding staff to take advantage of their benefits. Including the employee assistance program (EAP).

I used to be an employee assistance program (EAP) counselor.?I spoke to 50-75 clients a week from around the country and across industries.

I would start every call with the confidentiality disclaimer that all sessions were 100% confidential except in cases of harm to self, harm to others, child abuse, elder abuse, or if your records are subpoenaed by a court for legal proceedings (this is all legally binding stuff). An overwhelming majority of my clients, even after hearing this clear disclosure, would ask me, "are you still going to tell my boss or HR that I'm calling?" They would reluctantly believe me after I reassured them, but my heart sank every time they felt they had to double-check that it was 'safe' to call in.

Think of this sad irony, because managers and HR reps WANT people to use the EAP!

I never had the same conversation twice, and I was so appreciative that I could provide this on-call support for employees when it sometimes seemed like they couldn’t get it anywhere else. From the desperation I heard in their voices in the first sentence they spoke, to the sigh of relief after chatting for a little while, it's a process I had gotten used to very quickly.

The very design of an EAP is to protect those who seek help. Despite their long-term existence, there’s still a lot of fear surrounding using them, or really knowing what they’re there for.?

So let's debunk these EAP myths and talk about why they’re a critical workplace mental health resource, and why employees should really use it.

WHAT IS AN EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EAP)?

An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can offer a wide range of services to employees around financial well-being support, legal aid, childcare or eldercare services, and most notably - mental health challenges.?

In most companies, an EAP provides psychological support for those facing mental health issues, usually by telephone. Depending on the contract that an employer has with an EAP provider, employees will have access to a certain number of sessions each year that they can use with the EAP.?

The reason for this setup is that the nature of the program lends itself to short-term counseling for more episode issues, or as a stepping stone for an EAP counselor to refer someone to a long-term therapist or other resources if needed to address mental health concerns.?

Folks can call in for a variety of reasons. Anything from stress to depression, relationship issues, workplace bullying, burnout, grief, to even emergency situations like suicide ideation.?

And in the case of an emergency, an EAP counselor can alert local authorities in that person’s area to go do a wellness check on that person and accompany them to a nearby hospital if needed. I did that more times than I could count - and I was grateful that I could.

WHY DON’T PEOPLE USE THE EAP??

According to the International Employee Assistance Professional Association, about 90 percent of smaller companies (1000-5000 employees) use EAPs. And about 80 percent of larger companies have employee assistance programs.?

That’s a staggering amount of companies utilizing EAP services, so why are employees still not using them?

There are many reasons, but the two big ones are:

1. People don’t know that it exists

• Folks usually miss it in the employee benefits description
• They ignore occasional reminders about the EAP from HR

2. Not understanding what it is:

• Distrust of the program, falsely believing that whatever someone shares with their EAP counselor will eventually reach the ears of their manager or HR representative. Confidentiality is the backbone of any EAP.

3. They called the EAP once and had a BAD experience with a counselor:

• Not all therapists are created equally, unfortunately. Just because someone is licensed to provide counseling doesn't mean they're good at it.

MAXIMIZING THE USE OF AN EAP IN YOUR COMPANY

For an EAP to be successful, it needs to not only be visible, but the function of it really needs to be understood.

Fortunately, many companies realize the benefits of deploying EAPs. But to effectively boost the usage of an EAP in your company, it's important to:

• Address the stigma or misunderstanding of the service: Companies can do more in this regard by creating a culture of transparency and being open about the usage of the EAP, the variety of reasons why people use it, why using it for mental health reasons is nothing to be ashamed of, and that it's healthy and constructive to use the services. There is a big opportunity to communicate more not just about what people use the EAP for, but why it's GOOD to use it. At the same time, I'm very conscious that folks in employee-facing roles constantly have their plates overloaded and are trying to do what they can when they can. So I look at it as when they have the opportunity to communicate about the EAP, making sure they do it a bit differently and more effectively with destigmatization and education in mind. And most importantly, that confidentiality is key. These companies do everything in their power to protect their employees’ privacy because there are actual laws protecting their sensitive information. As I mentioned earlier, legally, a counselor is not allowed to reveal any information to the company about an employee’s counseling sessions.?There are exceptions, like in the case of child or elder abuse, and situations where harm to self or others is evident. But employees can rest assured there are confidentiality clauses for using an EAP.?
• Decrease barriers to access: Many EAP providers, such as Beacon Health, use video-conferencing technology to reach those in need. As a result, they create a more personalized counseling session than over the phone. LifeWorks also uses technology through an app to make bookings anonymously, eliminating some of the fear around mental health stigmatization. Another provider making use of technology is Blunovus. Their counseling takes place via text messages but focuses more on preventative treatment.

IT'S TIME TO GET AN EAP FOR YOUR COMPANY

If your organization doesn't already have an EAP at the company, and you’re in a position to influence this decision (and if the budget is available for it), I truly hope you consider getting one.

There are numerous advantages to a well-implemented EAP.?Of many, here are some of the biggest benefits for both employees and employers:

BENEFITS OF AN EAP FOR EMPLOYEES?

Employees can benefit greatly from a well-designed EAP. Here are some of the biggest benefits:

1. Free therapy: ?it literally costs nothing to call into the EAP - that’s cheaper than a co-pay through health insurance.
2. A listening ear on demand: for many, talking to a professional anytime, day or night, is reassurance enough to help them face another day.
3. Mental health education: for the folks who don’t know as much about mental health, they can learn more about possible conditions they're facing by talking to a licensed counselor.
4. A suite of services: Even if you're not living with a mental health condition, a good EAP can provide other services such as career counseling and financial advice, and offer strategies to deal with short-term and long-term stress.

BENEFITS OF AN EAP FOR EMPLOYERS

1. Lower staff turnover: employees feel appreciated and seen when their mental health needs are met by a company, resulting in an increase in employee retention.
2. An important investment in the well-being of staff: the average cost of an EAP varies from provider to provider, but it can easily be factored into the employee benefits program for as little as 75 cents per member per month. With fewer absent staff, higher productivity, and employee retention, you'll see a return on investment of about $3-$10 for every $1 spent on an EAP.
3. Improved productivity: employees who receive support are more likely to work effectively?
4. Decrease in absenteeism rates: employees who receive the counseling and tools they need to address their mental health struggles are less likely to have mental health impairment that would prevent them from working?
5. Money and time savings: a decrease in absenteeism, workplace injuries, and unproductivity equals to cost savings for the company.?

CONCLUSION

An EAP is a critical support tool that employers can and should provide in their companies. If you feel that your company hasn’t maximized its use among employees, it’s important to try to determine why that is, so it can be addressed through targeted education and engagement.

This isn’t a “nice to have”, underrated service. It’s a critical support tool that every business should have to support their employees’ mental health at work.

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• Note:?A version of this article was originally posted to my blog:?Real Talk. On the blog, I offer tips and tools for you to have successful conversations about mental health with your coworkers, employees, leaders, and staff. Take a peek to learn more.