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  1. Support Your Employees: Employers that offer an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), with free and confidential services, provide their employees the solutions and resources they need to feel healthy and productive at work and at home. EAP benefits help employees to resolve their concerns, focus on what matters, and feel appreciated by their employer. 

  2. Support Your Supervisors: Your EAP is also an Employer Assistance Program, and provides excellent leadership resources. Supervisors can call the EAP 24/7 to consult with experienced staff for support, coaching, or practicing difficult conversations. Additionally, supervisors are the most effective means of encouraging employees to use their EAP benefits and, in doing so, staff feel their concerns are heard. 

  3. Retain Valuable Staff: When a workplace issue becomes a chronic problem, your EAP can guide you through a mandatory referral process. A mandatory referral is an effective management tool to address problematic employee conduct, performance, and/or violations of company policy. This process provides valuable support to the employee, HR team, and management, allowing most employees to retain their job and feel more valued by their employer. 

  4. Support Staff in Times of Crisis: When a crisis happens in your workplace, be sure to call your EAP, which typically includes onsite trauma support services (CISD). Our clinical First Choice Health EAP team often facilitates these trauma debriefings or finds an experienced counselor to attend. These services allow your staff to debrief and heal after a crisis. Employees often report that the support from leadership in providing CISD services is something they greatly appreciate. 

  5. Understand Workforce Trends: Your Employee Assistance Program should provide you with utilization reports detailing usage of the program over a certain period of time. This confidential data can provide a valuable insight into the health of your workforce. 
Posted In:  Behavioral Health EAP Health and Wellness
Author

About Heather Alder

Heather Alder is a past Director of First Choice Health Employee Assistance Program. With experience in healthcare technology with a focus on advancing integration of behavioral health and primary care, Heather understands what can happen to our physical health, our workplace performance, and our healthcare costs when we forget to take care of our mental health.