Scribd
Upload
39 views

Employee Assistance Program

Note on Employee Assistance Program

Uploaded by

Sanjana
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
39 views

Employee Assistance Program

Note on Employee Assistance Program

Uploaded by

Sanjana
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

What is the Employee Assistance Program?


The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a voluntary and completely confidential service
provided to employees and their eligible family members to help meet the challenges of life. An
EAP is a valuable resource that can help identify and resolve many workplace, family, social,
economic, and mental health concerns. Our EAP can have a positive impact on the work
environment and the well-being of employees and families. The Employee Assistance Program
(EAP) provides assessment, short-term counseling, referral, management consultation, and
coaching services to federal employees, and is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The
Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA) defines an employee assistance
programme (EAP) as ‘a work site-focused programme to assist in the identification and
resolution of employee concerns, which affect, or may affect, performance’. Work concerns can
include working relationships, stress, workloads, fairness at work, work-life balance, harassment
and bullying. Personal matters, which are usually also addressed, cover health, personal
relationships, financial and legal matters, alcohol and drug dependency, and anxiety. The aim of
EAPs, according to the EAPA, is to provide mechanisms for ‘counselling and other forms of
assistance, advice and information to employees on a systematic and uniform basis, and to
recognise standards’.
Why Do Organisations Offer this Service?
When considering the introduction of an EAP, three main factors were found to influence an
organization:
1. statutory obligation and a common law duty of care for its employees
2. provision of support to staff and wanting to be seen as a caring organization
3. improved productivity and attendance, and other financial outcomes.
Reasons for employers not providing an EAP include:
1. support already provided for employees, usually from the occupational health service.
2. belief that EAPs are ineffective because employees do not respond positively to their
introduction.
3. the view that provision is too expensive, and not having time to research the best
provider.
Other ways of managing work-related stress
Before looking at the role of EAPs, which address employee problems in and outside the
workplace, it is worthwhile to consider what employers can do to reduce employee stress while
at work. There are many different stress management techniques available. One way of
classifying them is by their aim:
Prevention — concerned with removing the work-related stressor, through changing aspects of
the design, management or organisation of work.
Timely reaction — improves the organisation’s or individual’s ability to deal with problems as
they arise. May involve developing appropriate management systems and responses, and training
employees and managers in stress awareness.
Treating the effects — helps employees who are already experiencing work-related stress and
usually involves offering them counselling and medical support.

You might also like