In the modern workplace, programs that promote employee wellness and mental health are essential considerations – not merely a la carte options in a benefits-package buffet.
At one point or another, it’s inevitable that your employees will need support in aspects of their personal lives as well as their professional ones. That’s just how life rolls!
As a business owner, the key is having employee wellness resources in place that workers can utilize when these challenging times emerge. A robust Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is an essential resource that provides confidential counseling sessions for a variety of problems, free of charge.
Employee Assistance Plans in action
Consider this employee wellness case study from a national Employee Assistance Program provider.
A single mother reached out to their EAP due to financial stress. She and her child were at risk of losing their home, but the consultant assigned to her needs was able to connect the employee to resources for financial help. The consultant even helped the employee complete a complicated application that resulted in the employee receiving the monetary assistance she needed.
Afterwards, the employee also received short-term counseling to help manage the stress understandably caused by her precarious situation.
Patient confidentiality limits diving too deeply into the details, but the above example just scratches the surface of what an EAP can offer business owners when it comes to promoting employee wellness. This program covers a wide range of employee wellness concerns, including:
- anxiety
- depression
- substance abuse
- anger management
- familial relationships
- interpersonal problems on the job
- financial and legal guidance
How it works
The process is as simple as you can imagine. Employees are provided with a toll-free phone number to call and are then put in contact with a professionally trained and licensed counselor whose area of expertise is tailored to the needs of that employee.
So, who qualifies for EAP employee wellness programs? Christina Faro-Pilliteri, a senior human relations specialist at Integrity Employee Leasing, weighed in.
“Services are available to all contracted employees of Integrity Employee Leasing and will be tied to their provider if they currently have one,” she said.
As for the costs of such counseling sessions? There’s some good news. EAP has recently doubled the number of free sessions offered to employees. This means that employees can now schedule six employee wellness counseling sessions, at absolutely no cost.
If additional assistance is needed after six sessions, the assigned counselor will make every effort to recommend the most appropriate and cost-effective services suited to the employee’s needs, including referrals to counselors and other mental health professionals affiliated with the employee’s employer-sponsored health coverage.
Resources for management
Not only can EAP be beneficial in the sense that a happy employee creates a healthy work environment, but this program can also be utilized as a useful employee wellness tool for supervisors to reference.
Perhaps an employee has admitted to a substance abuse problem, or maybe an employee’s job performance has seriously declined for unknown reasons. The supervisor may require that employee to contact EAP for guidance. Members of management also have access to Managed Care Concepts, a service that provides unlimited management support to organizations overseeing employee wellness programs.
EAP counselors are available to answer any questions regarding managerial topics, research unique cases, and assist with potentially challenging situations. This support comes in a variety of ways, such as urgent phone consultations, face-to-face sessions, and even management training.
The time is now
Double the free sessions and benefits all around; are you convinced? It has never been a better time to show your employees that you care about employee wellness and worker mental health. Providing them with a well-rounded service, such as the Employee Assistance Program, is a great way to do so.
Integrity Employee Leasing is ready to help business owners help their workers. Give us a call at (941) 625-0623 to find out more about how EAP can benefit your business.
