I have been instructed to look into an employee assistance program (EAP) for our facilities. Do you recommend these programs, and, if so, how should we go about deciding what services to offer and picking a provider? — Rachael, HR Director in Petaluma
You have asked a question I thoroughly enjoy answering, primarily because I believe that an EAP is an exceptionally valuable tool for both employees and employers. On a cost-benefit basis, an EAP is probably one of the most cost-effective and helpful resources that an employer can offer to employees.
Employees can seek confidential help from an EAP for a variety of issues that may affect their lives. The areas of possible help can range widely from the employee’s or family member’s involvement with drugs or alcohol to personal financial counseling or crisis intervention in a domestic abuse situation. It could also include just getting questions answered about personal or private matters the employee does not wish to seek the employer’s assistance for or may not know where else to go.
It is key that the EAP be private and confidential. An employee using an EAP must be able to seek out information without the employer ever knowing such help has been sought. Usually, EAP programs will offer a short-term or crisis intervention or act as a clearinghouse to refer the employee to other places that are appropriate for the employee’s situation. In many cases, the EAP program retained by the employer is familiar with the employer’s insurance programs and benefits so that it can appropriately refer an employee to best use his or her current benefits. Similarly, the EAP may be able to advise employees about how to deal with Section 125 (flexible spending) allowances if they’re available. For example, the employee may want help with funding elective medical procedures.
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As a tool for the employer, the EAP offers an unparalleled value. For the most part, costs are based on a schedule or menu of services available and charged on a per-month, per-employee cost. Oftentimes, the cost can be less than $5 per month per employee.
Talking to Employees About the EAP
One main benefit of an EAP program is that if a supervisor begins to experience a change in behavior or performance level from an employee, rather than trying to delicately ask the employee “what is wrong,” the supervisor can offer the EAP as an option to the employee.
The supervisor can suggest using the EAP to the employee by making a simple statement, such as, “Jack, your performance has changed. You’re not paying attention to what is going on. Your accuracy is down and your attendance has become sporadic. I don’t know what is going on, but let me suggest that you might want to consult the employee assistance program to see if there is anything that would be helpful in dealing with whatever might be affecting your performance.” That way, the supervisor does not have to try to play a combination of counselor, diagnostician, and clergy. The supervisor avoids asking intrusive or perhaps inappropriate questions that may be based on inaccurate (or accurate) assumptions.
Furthermore, if the employee’s performance continues to be negative and the employee has not sought assistance from the EAP or given a viable reason why his or her performance has changed, the supervisor has already begun the counseling/discipline process by defining expectations and accountability and then laying out options for improving performance.
Choosing an EAP
To find the most effective EAP for your employees, start by determining whether the organization needs an EAP that provides assistance in a variety of geographic locations or whether a local one will do. Next, determine the types of services your employees can use and then the services that are available and the potential costs.
Employers may wish to informally (or formally) survey some of their employees to determine the kinds of services they feel would be most valuable to them. Services can also be added at a later point if there should be a change in need or anticipated usage. Beyond the counseling help mentioned above, sometimes an EAP’s services can include legal referral, but that is usually provided at an added cost.
In dealing with employee performance, the EAP is one of the most valuable assets an organization can have. It is especially helpful in smaller organizations that may not have the resources or a large HR team to provide guidance or personalized advice to employees. It is a tremendous tool for the first line supervisor in finding an alternative resource for an employee in a potential performance problem area, the cause of which may be unidentified. For employees, when the need arises, the EAP assistance can be invaluable.
To find out which EAP may best fit your organization, it is very simple to go online and search under “Employee Assistance Program.” A variety of resources and directories will be available. You can find out who offers service in the area in which your employees are located. Then, it is advisable to compare notes with other companies in a similar industry to yours or talk with other professional colleagues to find out which EAP has offered the most satisfactory service to them. As an alternative, ask each of the prospective employee assistance vendors to provide a list of companies in the local area that you could check as references. Explore with them what issues they have had, if any, the types of service they get, how confidentiality has been handled, and so on.
What If No One Uses the EAP?
A frequent comment that I have heard from managers is that they went ahead and got an EAP for their company, but then no one was using it. Just as they were thinking of discontinuing coverage, a situation would arise in which they were sincerely glad that they could refer an employee to the EAP. This tends to be especially true if something dramatic happens in the workplace, such as a threat of violence or the sudden death of an employee, that affects a variety of employees who may need grief counseling.
Rhoma Young is founder and head of the HR consulting firm Rhoma Young & Associates in Oakland.