At this time, Bill needed more than comfort—he needed tangible support. I took Bill a copy of a pamphlet describing our employee assistance program (EAP). Clearly, a simple pamphlet is no panacea, but the information it contained offered Bill something beyond consolation. I summarized our EAP for Bill:
- This service is part of your compensation package, like any other earned benefit.
- EAP consultation is free and confidential—free of embarrassment, shame, and obligation.
- These services are available to any member of your household.
- Qualified counselors can assist with grief, depression, childcare, wills, and finances.
- You lose nothing by trying the EAP. If it proves ineffective, you can simply discontinue it.
Bill’s work family has rallied around him, offering sick leave donations and other purposeful assistance. I do not know whether Bill will take advantage of the EAP, but I hope he does.
What Is an Employee Assistance Program?
As defined by the Society of Human Resources Management, “An EAP is a work-based intervention program designed to identify and assist employees in resolving personal problems that may be adversely affecting the employee’s performance.” Since many organizations contract with EAP service providers, it’s possible that your organization offers an EAP. It’s also quite possible that a large portion of your workforce remains unaware of your EAP’s availability and its potential.
How Do We Use an EAP?
Frederick County Public Schools offers EAP benefits to 6,200 employees and their immediate family members. Services even extend to retirees for six months following retirement date. Our current expenditure is 91 cents per month, per employee—a total annual cost of $67,704. The core services include:
- Emotional support (e.g., depression, loss, relational conflict)
- Work–life solution guidance (e.g., childcare, eldercare, home repair)
- Legal guidance (e.g., divorce, adoption, estate planning)
- Financial guidance (e.g., debt management, insurance, retirement planning)
- Training (e.g., crisis management, supervision, self-care)
In 2021, our EAP services were accessed 1,202 times; 17% of the contacts were via telephone or email, and 83% occurred online. Data indicate that 20% of contacts were initiated by an employee’s spouse or dependent. In general terms, 70% of the issues were personal (anxiety, depression, bereavement), 25% were interpersonal (family/child, partner), and 5% dealt with other issues (occupational, legal, life coaching).
Our supervisors seek EAP guidance with respect to conducting respectful, but direct, counseling for employees with persistent performance issues. The EAP provides supervisors with the confidence and perhaps even the explicit phrasing necessary to deliver compelling counseling. For me, the most telling questions to ask an EAP counselor are “Why would the employee be doing this?” or “What are they trying to tell me by saying that?” The counselor’s objective and seasoned perspective helps me improve my corrective counseling.
Things to Consider
If your organization does not have an EAP, talk to someone who does. It’s worth considering how an EAP could mitigate the effects of underlying personal and interpersonal issues within your workforce. If your organization does have an EAP, please consider whether it may warrant more visibility for your workforce. I find that when asked directly, only about one in five employees is aware of the EAP. Our human resources department is currently conducting live and online training to inform and educate employees on this important service.
In one maintenance department training session, we conducted a role-playing exercise with the EAP service provider. We prearranged the exercise with an EAP coordinator. Using a speakerphone in front of our employees, I telephoned the EAP. When queried by the EAP coordinator during the exercise, I described who I was and explained my difficulty.
Acknowledging the need for help can only lead to assured mental well-being if qualified assistance is readily available.
She calmly ascertained that my situation was not dire and that I was not in need of immediate assistance, but she assured me that help would be forthcoming. Through compassionate questioning, she gently prompted me to provide pertinent details of my situation, and assured me that a qualified counselor would be in touch within 24 hours.
I hope that my employees witnessed the ease and effectiveness of the program, having experienced the process in something more than abstract terms.
In Summary
I’m encouraged that our society seeks to strip away the stigma associated with mental health issues. Many have seen the public service announcements in which professional athletes candidly discuss their own mental health challenges; however, acknowledging the need for help can only lead to assured mental well-being if qualified assistance is readily available. Therein lies the inherent consequence of an EAP. EAPs remove the barriers, both real and noncognitive, that can hinder employees from seeking qualified assistance.