Surprise – Employee Assistance Programs Pay Huge Dividends!

Companies are always concerned with capital, but often overlooked is their human capital.  Smart business means making significant investment in your staff investment.  EAP’s (Employee Assistance Programs) contribute to a healthy bottom line.

Employee assistance programs serve the company by minimizing risk in its human capital — addressing behaviors and personal issues that can seriously affect corporate culture, employee retention and so much more.  Think of an EAP as a service professional to address human concerns.

Let’s compare for analogy:  CPAs manage and advise regarding your company’s finances, however, the “customer” of a CPA service is your Company, not your finances.  So, too, with EAPs; the “customer” of EA professionals is your company, but they focus on assisting and advising regarding your staff.

EAP divisions need to be proactive within your company’s internal community.  Prevention beats “after-the-fact” treatment hands down!  Let’s examine, from a strategic point of view, why an employer should be concerned with employees’ personal problems and an increase in budgeting for EAPs is good business:

These statistics show that if employee problems aren’t addressed there is a direct impact on profit bottom line figures.

• 70% of all current adult illegal drug users are employed, else, how would they find the dollars?  (CSAT, 1999)
• The Surgeon General’s Report on Mental Health, 1999 stated that More than 54 million Americans have a mental disorder in any given year.  Fewer than 8 million seek treatment.
• In 2000 the estimated cost of depression was $43.7 billion and $31.3 billion was for indirect costs such as decreased productivity and lost work days.  $12.4 billion of direct costs included medications and doctor visits. (NMHA, 2000) Drug reliant employees compared with healthy co-workers, (according to the U’s. Chamber of Commerce, Workers at Risk: Drugs and Alcohol on the Job 1990) incur 300% higher medicals costs and benefits.
• 800,000 workers surveyed in over 300 companies were surveyed by the American Institute of Stress (2000) and reported that the number of employees calling in sick due to stress had tripled from 1996 to 2000.  In numbers it equals 1 million workers absent every day due to stress complaints.

EAPs aren’t just for drug and alcohol problems.  EAPs serve a vital role in your organization.  Productivity, efficiency, morale, disability claims, sick leave, absenteeism and health care benefits, including Worker’s Compensation are all heavily impacted when comprehensive EAPs aren’t utilized.

Your human capital is just that – human!  Human beings come all kinds of variations on stress resilience, emotional intelligence, health, stamina, outlook, backgrounds and more.  EAP programs are vital in your cost of doing business, and pays back in huge dividends!