An employee assistance program can help personnel during tough economic times handle the added stress that comes from increased workloads and economic uncertainty. The program provides counseling for issues that may affect job performance or employee health, including family difficulties, substance abuse, depression, or anxiety. It also trains supervisors to recognize potential areas of concern and helps companies handle crises, such as crimes or accidents.

Why do companies offer an EAP?

Numerous studies show that employee assistance programs save companies money and improve employee morale:

--Research shows that every dollar invested in EAP saves the employer $5-$16.

              Among the EAP success stories:

-A study by McDonnell Douglas estimated that its EAP has saved the company $5.1 million due to fewer missed days from work. lower turnover and lower medical claims.

-Virginia Power reported a 23% reduction in medical costs for employees using EAP.

-Chevron reported that employee performance impoved 50% following a supervisor referral to its EAP.

 

Why use The Up Center for your Employee Assistance Program?

All of The Up Center's counselors are licensed and combined they have decades of experience. Our counselors have helped in the aftermath of highly stressful situations, ranging from bank robberies to employee murders, and in the face of difficult personal issues, including marriage difficulties and grief.

How does the program work?

Self –referral: employees or their eligible family members may contact the EAP directly to set up an appointment.

Supervisory referral:  A supervisor may refer an employee to the EAP because of job performance or conduct problems at work. Information about the employee will be related back to the supervisor if the employee signs a release of information.

In order to facilitate this process, The Up Center takes the following steps:

• Skill building supervisory training: The Up Center EAP will have an overview session for business supervisors and assist them in recognizing problems employees are having that affect work performance. This could range from family programs, to stress, to drug and alcohol problems. We also teach supervisors how to make an appropriate referral to EAP.

• Orientation for new employees: The Up Center EAP conducts group employee orientations for new employees who are covered by EAP. The goal of this orientation is to ensure employees are acquainted with EAP services and have knowledge of the procedures so they can utilize these services. This can be done via video tape when there are not large numbers of new employees.

• Confidential and timely problem identification: The Up Center EAP will respond to supervisor’s concerns in a timely manner to address problems that arise on the job that are affecting morale and production and causing grievances. These consultations are confidential in manner and focus upon ways to better handle disgruntled employees and work with problem identification and resolution.

• Crisis Assistance: This is offered when a crisis occurs, such as a death of an employee, suicide, robbery, or serious accident.

• Confidential Short-term, solution focused problem resolution: If it is concluded by the EAP counselor that the employees' concerns can be managed within the capacity of the EAP (usually 3-6 sessions), the counselor will maintain short-term counseling sessions to address the concerns until they are successfully resolved.  Short-term counseling sessions have been found to be most successful in topics such as work-related stress and conflicts, personal and relationship issues,  and dependent care concerns. Employees and their dependants are offered these confidential services. If the client wishes or needs to continue to receive services, a referral can be made.    

•  Referral Service: If a client has been assessed to require long term or continuing treatment, EAP Counselors will assist employees with appropriate referrals to counselors in the community.