There is a lot of talk these days among responsible employers about the need to have effective Employee Assistance Programmes, or, to use the common abbreviation, EAPs.
An EAP is a workplace programme designed to support employees through a healthy work environment, promote employee well being, and improve mental, physical and nutritional health. For the employer, a well planned EAP can assist company productivity and attendance.
As a not for profit provider of workplace healthcare benefit plans, we see EAPs as an essential element of a companys responsibilities and we offer products to help meet these needs.
In a previous article I described how important it is to protect and support employees suffering from stress and mental health issues and this is one of the key components of EAP. However this is just one element. EAPs can embrace many services such as; employee counselling, money advice and debt management, child and elderly information services, legal guidance, information on emotional work-life issues and much more.
If you doubt the effectiveness of having an EAP some recent research might give you cause to think. The Benefits Research 2014 found that more than two thirds (67 percent) of survey respondents planned to increase communications in the next 12 months to boost employee understanding and awareness of benefits.
Implementing new benefits, renegotiating insurance-based benefits to achieve savings and reviewing benefits providers to get better deals were the three highest items on their task lists.
Employee assistance programmes are playing an ever increasing part in employee relations and the specific benefits included in an EAP are key.
At Paycare we are finding more and more interest in our plans and how they can strengthen EAPs. Ultimately, striving for a stress-free, happier and healthier workforce is good for businesses and employees.