What is an Employee Assistance Program?

An employee assistance program (EAP) is a worksite-based program designed to assist in the identification and resolution of productivity problems associated with employees impaired by personal concerns, including, but not limited to, health, marital, family, financial, alcohol, drug, legal, emotional, stress, or other personal concerns which may adversely affect employee job performance. Troubled employees and/or their immediate family members will have access to professional counselors who can provide confidential help. With the implementation of an EAP, your organization promotes high standards of work performance yet demonstrates genuine concern about the employee's personal well-being.

Today, more than ever, employers and employees are recognizing the value of employee assistance programs and services. The rapid pace and unparalleled degree of change in the workplace are underscoring the importance of employee assistance programs:

• 92% of Americans admit that personal problems affect their performance in the workplace. SHRM Benefit Survey (2002)
• 30% of all absenteeism, 66% of all terminations are related to personal issues. National Institute of Mental Health (2000)
• The estimated economic burden of depression was $43.7 billion: $31.3 billion for indirect costs such as decreased productivity and lost work days, and $12.4 billion in direct costs such as medication and physician time. National Mental Health Association (2000)
• An estimated 1,000,000 workers are absent on an average of workday because of stress related complaints. The American Institute of Stress (2000)
• More than 54 million Americans have a mental disorder in any given year, although fewer than 8 million seek treatment. Surgeon General’s Report on Mental Health (1999)
• Compared with all nonfatal injury and illness cases, the anxiety, stress, and neurotic disorder cases tended to involve higher percentages of long-term work loss. In 2001, 42.1% of these cases involved 31 or more days away from work. The median number of days away from work was 25 for anxiety, stress, and neurotic disorders — substantially greater than the median of 6 for all nonfatal injury and illness cases. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2004)

Read more about the value added Employee Assistance Services offered by the Employee Assistance Center.

For more information on how you can provide Employee Assistance Services to your employees, please or call 1-800-227-0905.