Why an EAP Makes Sense

Stress and personal problems can affect employees at all levels in the organization, undermining their health, happiness, job satisfaction, work performance, and ultimately your company’s bottom line. Organizations use an EAP...

Because of substance abuse & addictions:

• Up to 40% of industrial fatalities and 47 percent of industrial injuries can be linked to alcohol consumption and alcoholism. Source: "Management perspectives on Alcoholism," by M. Bernstein and J.J. Mahoney, published in Occupational Medicine (1989).
• Nearly one in twelve of America’s full time workers – more than 10 million people – have illicit drug or alcohol problems serious enough to require treatment. Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2007.
• 70% of adult illegal drug users are employed. Source: NIDA Capsules, National Institute on Drug Abuse, June 1990.

The EARN EAP program can help these employees to confront and address their addictions, often saving their relationships, job, and sometimes their life.

Because of untreated depression and other mental health issues among the employed:

• A 1993 study estimated that the economic burden of depression in 1990 was $44 billion; 55 percent of that amount was attributed to workplace costs, including absenteeism and reductions in productivity. Source: Greenberg et al., Journal of Clinical Psychology, (1993).
• One in two Americas struggle with clinical depression. Source: The Hartford Financial Services Company, 2007.

EARN EAP counselors have helped many employees to regain the big picture perspective and develop a workable plan that allows them to improve all aspects of their life.

Because of violence in the workplace:

• Violence in the workplace is caused by a variety of factors, including job stress, job-related conflict, layoffs and firings, alcohol and drug abuse, accessibility of weapons, and domestic problems carried over from the home. Source: Attorney General Janet Reno in a 1995 presentation to an EAPA conference entitled "Responding to Workplace Critical Incidents."

EARN’s Director has provided emergency response and follow-up services to many critical incidents involving local companies.  EARN staff have been available to assist employees in addressing issues of stress and trauma associated with violence in the workplace.

Because of work and family issues:

• Nearly three times as many employers offer childcare benefits today as in 1988. Source: Society for Human Resource Management (1992).
• "Not only are the elderly . . . increasing as a percentage of the population but also the eldest portion, those over 85, is increasing faster than any other segment." Source: William Benson, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for Aging at a 1996 conference on "The Aging of America: Issues and Answers."

EARN provides referrals to local community services, including child care and elder services.

Studies by the national Institute of Mental Health, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Fortune magazine, the U.S. Department of Labor and more all agree that there is a substantial return on the dollars that employers invest in their company’s EAP program. Estimates of this return range from $5 to over $20 for every $1 invested.

The primary areas cited in this investment return are:

• Improved work performance; increased productivity, morale, and workplace harmony
• Decreased absenteeism and turnover rates
• Reduced medical costs
• Resolution of work related problems
• Decreased on-the-job incidents/accidents