Your employees are one of your most valuable resources.  You can maximize the abilities of your employees if you help them deal with issues like substance abuse, family difficulties, financial troubles, or emotional dsitress.  To do so, many companies have incorporated Employee Assistance Programs (EAP).

 

Why?

• Employees are vital to your business 
• They will care more about you if you care for them 
• To decrease turnover and hiring costs 
• It is better to offer assistance rather than discipline or fire them 
• Recovering employees will become more productive and effective

EAPs prove to be cost effective as they reduce accidents, absenteeism, turnover, rehiring costs, and they increase employee productivity, effectiveness, moral, and feelings of ownership

 

EAPs Can Help Employees By

• Identifying problems 
• Helping resolve problems through 
  • Confidential, short-term counseling 
  • Referrals 
  • Follow-up services

An EAP may also offer programs in supervisory training, education and prevention programs, and health promotion activities.

 

Getting Started

 

Determine the kind of program you need .   Both large and small companies can start EAPs so you may talk with other companies in your region or industry that have EAPs.  There are many different ways that you can get this process started.

 

Options in starting an EAP

• Establish a program at or near the worksite 
• Buy EAP services from an outside EAP provider 
• Join together in a consortium to offer EAP services (good for small companies) 
• Work with a trade or local business association to start an EAP (good for small companies too)

More Tips

 

Contact DrugFree Workplace for model programs and guidance in setting up an EAP.  Also check your community for resources for referral programs and services.  Looking at the yellow, blue, and community pages in your telephone directory for assistance in regards to Alcohol/Drug Abuse Information, Treatment, or Counseling can prove helpful as well.

Behavioral health care is prevention. An Employee Assistance Program is a primary vehicle for delivering effective, timely and low cost counseling and referral services to employees and their immediate families. The overall benefits include:

• Absenteeism and accidents are reduced
• Health plan costs associated with stress-related illnesses decrease
• Inappropriate and expensive treatments are avoided
• Morale among supervisors and managers improves
• Employee turnover decreases
• Employee recruitment is more effective

An added benefit of our Gold Standard Program is 24-hour access to www.bpahealth.com which provides behavioral resource links, work/life resource links, supervisor support and EAP benefits and process information.

Benefits for the employee and their immediate family include:

• 24-hour toll free telephone access
• Individual assessment and brief problem intervention
• Referral to a counselor or community resource
• Program promotion 

Benefits for the company include:

• Employee orientation sessions
• Supervisor training
• Consultation for management and supervisors when problems arise
• Critical Incident Stress Management services