If you have 10 employees at your company, eight are stressed out, and six say stress is leading to issues like emotional exhaustion, lower productivity, and a desire to quit. Those statistics, gathered by the American Psychological Association’s 2023 Work in America Survey, indicate small business leaders have a big problem to address.
But there’s a solution that is within reach regardless of the size of your company. Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are an excellent resource for addressing workplace stress as well as a host of other issues. And by leveraging existing healthcare coverage, small businesses can access impactful EAP solutions, often without additional costs.
The purpose of EAPs
EAPs are work-based programs that provide employees with resources to resolve personal issues. They first appeared in the workplace nearly a century ago to assist with addiction-related issues.
In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, many companies began to expand EAPs to help employees with PTSD, occupational stress, and depression. The stress brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic also triggered a rise in interest in EAPs.
EAPs can address a wide range of issues, from substance abuse to grief to domestic violence. EAPs provide educational and counseling opportunities for some problems, such as stress management workshops, budgeting classes, and fitness programs. For issues that require professional or clinical support, such as alcoholism or mental health disorders, EAPs can help identify problems and refer employees to qualified care providers. In many cases, EAPs extend services to employees’ families.
The overall goal of EAPs is to improve employee health and well-being, ultimately improving the company’s health. Statistics indicate companies can benefit from supporting employee health and wellness, including 11 percent more revenue per employee, fewer sick days, and reduced healthcare costs. The average return on investment for employee wellness programs is six-to-one.
How existing health plans can fuel EAPs
Existing healthcare plans can provide resources as companies seek to establish or enhance their employee assistance programs. For example, your healthcare plan may provide access to an integrated behavioral health network, which opens the door to mental health professionals and others who can support EAP initiatives.
Mental health support is a pillar of EAPs, helping employees deal with stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and relationship issues. An EAP can provide resources that educate employees on mental health and point them to resources accessible via their health plan. By revealing the resources within plans employees are already using, EAPs reduce the friction that can keep employees from seeking the care they need.
Many of today’s health plans make mental health services and other valuable health and wellness counseling available via telehealth platforms, often at no cost to employees. EAPs can leverage those services to give employees access to professional services.
The use of telehealth platforms for mental health services surged after the COVID-19 pandemic, more than doubling from 2019 to 2022. Experts attribute the rise to the ease of access telehealth provides and the increased privacy that online access provides. EAPs can further encourage employees to engage with mental health services by offering educational programs that normalize care and remove its traditional stigma.
Financial wellness services are often available through the telehealth offerings provided by employee insurance. These services can include access to financial planners, who offer personalized, practical tips for addressing financial needs, and financial therapists, who help employees process financial trauma and overcome unhealthy financial behaviors.
Employees experiencing financial hardships often bring their stress and anxiety to the workplace, which can impact their productivity and focus. Studies show that financial stress can drive high levels of absenteeism and presenteeism, in which employees are on the job but distracted by their money concerns.
Health plans can also support EAPs by providing an existing platform for promoting and supporting supplemental health and wellness initiatives. For example, initiatives focused on improved nutrition can be a valuable component of EAPs. By integrating those initiatives with healthcare documentation and presentations, companies can help employees better understand how food choices affect their overall health. Exercise initiatives offered as part of EAPs can be promoted in similar ways.
Steps to increase awareness
The employee assistance provided by health plans can be an invaluable resource for small companies, giving their employees a reliable and readily accessible resource for various challenges. To ensure this resource doesn’t go unused, company leaders should increase employee awareness.
Get the word out about your EAP through newsletters, email, and posters. Share testimonials (with the written approval of those who have benefited, of course). Seek feedback to ensure you are aware of any issues that might keep people from using the services and adjust programs when feedback reveals problems. In the end, every step you take to help employees connect with your EAP will benefit their health as well as the health of your company.
Tiffani Martinez is the Human Resources Director at Otter PR.
EAP stock image by Panchenko Vladimir/Shutterstock
