Employee Assistance
Help is only a phone call away

Employee assistance programs (EAPs) originated in the 1940s, to fill a need for confidential, short term counselling for employees experiencing personal problems. Today, many of Canada's employers purchase EAP services and make them available to employees and their immediate family members.
The purpose of an EAP is to provide confidential, accessible services to help people resolve issues that may be affecting their work, whether or not these problems stem from the workplace. EAP service providers counsel employees on a number of issues, which may include those of a personal nature, job stress, relationships, eldercare, childcare, parenting, harassment, substance abuse, separation and loss, balancing work and family, financial or legal issues, and family violence.
In most cases, staff members have easy access to the EAP phone number. Should the need arise, the employee can privately call the number provided by the employer and immediately contact an EAP provider.
HumanaCare, a well established Employee and Family Assistance Provider, explains that the expectation of the program is people will use it, if they trust the provider delivering the service, and that this utilization by employees and family members will decrease absenteeism, accidents, tardiness, and mistakes and will in fact increase productivity at the workplace and assist in balancing the work life and home life dynamic.
The purpose for a EFAP explains Craig Richman, President of HumanaCare, is to prevent, identify and treat personal problems that often adversely affect job performance. All workplaces are experiencing recruitment and retention issues in relation to manpower- particularly in Western Canada.
Employers will offer all kinds of incentives to choose them as the employer.
The premise of a EAP is this, says Richman, “all human beings experience personal problems from time to time. Employees and now Employers who are able to handle these problems at a early stage will be more productive than the employee and now employers who allow the problems to get worse.”
The HumanaCare EAP offers the appropriate professional resources and case management to help employees and employers resolve these problems quickly and effectively and this leads to a better workplace to work and assists in the recruitment and retention scenarios, adds Richman.
The HumanaCare EAPs strengthen the organizations workforce and provides organizations with a competitive edge to meet demands in recruitment and retention of employees. HumanaCare often becomes a trusted partner. The team of service and clinical experts provides for rapid response and concern for the best interest of the organization and employees.
Choosing an EAP
EAPs come in different shapes and sizes, and don't all offer the same services. If you are shopping around for an EAP for your organization, here are some important questions to ask a prospective EAP: * How long the company has been operating? Ask for a list of references.
* Does the EAP have offices in your area?
* Which services do they provide, and how exactly do employees access those services?
* How long does the EAP take to call back an employee (preferably within 24 or 48 hours).
*Does the organization provide Critical Incident Sress Debriefing (something all workplaces need to plan for in assisting employees in dealing with trauma)
* How many EAP staff members do they have, and do they intend to be available outside the typical 9 to 5 business hours? Find out the credentials of those counsellors too - education, training, and years of experience.
* How do they promote their services to employees?
* What types of reports they can generate for employers?
* What the service will cost your organization?
Many employers and employees have found EAPs to be worthwhile in helping to restore and strengthen the health and productivity of both.WSN
For more information contact Craig Richam at crichman@telus.net
or call toll free: 1-800-661-8193