Why your Workplace should use Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)

Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) provide support to employees through confidential counselling sessions. There are several advantages for employees, leaders and the company when EAPs are adopted. Some of these advantages include:

1. Flexible and Convenient

Employees can access EAPs online, which makes these programs flexible and convenient for when it suits them. Wellness programs are easily accessible, and employees do not have to worry about commuting or adhering to strict schedules like in a one-on-one counselling session.

Aside from the benefit of convenience, employees can stay anonymous when using EAPs. Some employees may not be comfortable with a face-to-face session with a psychologist due to their shy nature or a fear of being judged. Therefore, EAPs give users the benefits of anonymity, which encourages users to sign up and use these programs.

If EAPs were considered formal, potential users may be discouraged from using these programs. One of the ways by which the formality associated with traditional psychology sessions are eliminated on Uprise Health’s EAP is that the psychologists are called “coaches”. This approachable language makes employees more receptive to using EAPs as a means for improving their wellbeing.

2. Cost-Effective

EAPs are available in various pricing plans and packages, depending on the company’s budget and needs. Employees are encouraged to sign up for EAPs since they are paid for by the employer. You can request a proposal with Uprise Health to find a pricing plan that suits your company.

Safe Work America reported 114,435 serious claims of work related injuries over 2018-2019. Per serious work injury claim approximately $11,700 is paid by the company and six weeks of work is lost. EAPs can reduce Workover claims and compensation for work-related stress and accidents by attending to issues earlier. Companies could also spend less on retention and training costs when they use EAPs as employees will have a better understanding of their job and expectations.

Employee absenteeism and presenteeism is often caused by poor wellbeing and can cost the companies huge losses. Since EAPs are mainly focused on improving employees’ wellbeing, the issue of absenteeism and presenteeism is reduced.

Furthermore, an increase in productivity as a result of improved employee wellbeing can be attributed to EAPs. EAPs are a cost-effective strategy for promoting workplace productivity and reducing employee absenteeism and presenteeism.

3. Provides support and empowerment in the workplace

Since EAPs seek to improve the wellbeing of employees, they are encouraged to continue working for their organizations. Consequently, more employees are retained as loyalty grows. Increased self-worth is a derivative of good social and emotional wellbeing. Considering EAPs cater to the wellbeing of employees, they can feel valued by their organizations. EAPs provide an opportunity for employees to bring up issues that affect them and HR managers can identify areas where workplace operations need to improve.

4. Anonymous and confidential feedback for HR Managers

EAPs allow employees to stay anonymous, with confidentiality being a key feature of employee wellbeing programs. Employees are more likely to give honest feedback so there is less chance that the response would be biased. Feedback can be aggregated and deidentified and provided to HR managers to anonymously alert them to areas of the workplace that may be causing more stress.

Uprise Health is an Employee Assistance Program that offers a team of highly experienced and quality assured psychologists that ensures employees can have flexible access to counselling experiences. It offers resilience and capability building that aims to build your employees’ capacity in and out of the workplace. Uprise Health provides culture tools that act as preventative support and improve workplace culture. Additionally, Uprise Health has human resources tools that assist HR managers and employers in understanding and supporting employee wellbeing.