How EAPs Support Employee Wellbeing and Productivity

Quick look: When personal stress levels run high, it can turn an employee’s road to career success into an obstacle course. Fortunately, employee assistance programs (EAPs) help workers resolve everyday challenges in and out of the workplace. Read ahead to discover how businesses can protect employee engagement and wellbeing by adding an EAP to their benefits package.

Putting your best foot forward starts with being your best self. In the workplace, an employee’s wellbeing influences their overall performance and engagement. When personal matters cause high stress, your workforce can face numerous setbacks, including a lack of focus, burnout, and rises in absenteeism. 

EAPs empower small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to offer services that tackle these issues head on. Here’s how an EAP supports employees in maintaining a healthy work-life balance when personal challenges happen.

What is an EAP?

An EAP is a specialized, work-based program that offers employees confidential counseling, expert referrals, certified assessments, and other professional resources. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) further defines EAPs as “designed to assist employees in resolving personal problems that may be adversely affecting the employee’s performance.” These programs are offered voluntarily by employers, often as a part of their overall employee benefits package.

Everyday stressors EAPs address and help resolve include:

• Mental health and physical wellness
• Bereavement, depression, and emotional wellbeing
• Personal finance and legal issues
• Alcoholism, drug abuse, and other addictions
• Educational assistance
• Home or work stress management
• Problems with marriage, family, and other relationship dynamics
• Fraud and identity theft

Why are EAPs important?

Finding assistance for physical, mental, and situational hardships can be difficult. If you don’t know where or how to find care or resources, navigating the right options quickly becomes complicated. Certain wellbeing assistance is also costly, especially when out-of-pocket expenses are involved. One National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) study found that eight in ten respondents had over $200 in out-of-pocket costs for psychiatric hospital or residential mental health care.

An EAP reduces confusion and financial strain by giving employees transparent advice, support professionals, and solutions for pressing dilemmas. Workers and their dependents can access these perks from the comfort of their homes and any place in between. EAP assistance is often available 24/7 via phone or website, making it easier to maintain a healthy wellbeing when you need it most.

Best of all, many EAPs offer services at no cost or at a reduced rate. In other words, your workforce can stay focused on surpassing business goals without worrying about added expenses.

A deep dive into EAP possibilities

Today, EAPs go beyond personal counseling and mental health assistance. Here are some standout advantages employees receive when using an EAP.

Legal consultations and assistance

From selecting a lawyer to completing the proper paperwork, handling legal affairs can be overwhelming and expensive. EAPs reduce legality stress by connecting employees to free legal consultants. Discounted rates are also available when employees use an in-network attorney, making it more affordable to use legal serviceswith an EAP than on their own.

Subject matters covered by an EAP’s legal services can include:

• Civil lawsuits and mediations
• Will creation and updates
• Power of attorney forms
• Home purchases and sales
• Estate planning
• Traffic law
• Child support, custody, or other family law
• Elder law and rights protection
• Credit and taxation law

Accessible family care

The price of family care services is rising as fast as its demand. In fact, daycare and preschool prices grew about 22% between January 2020 and September 2024. That’s why family-friendly benefits are invaluable in today’s workplace, offering support to working parents, those with elderly or sick relatives, and other employees who double as household caregivers.

With an EAP, members can easily find efficient family care in the following categories:

• At-home childcare assistants
• Special needs and disability caregivers
• Certified home health aids
• Local and state care facilities
• Compliant daycares and schools
• Experienced pet care and sitters

Aside from referrals, EAPs also provide educational resources and expert consultations for different caregiving needs. This advantage allows workers to focus on their career tasks while ensuring their loved ones get the best treatments and care.

Improved financial wellness

Who hasn’t worried about their finances lately? A Bank of America study found that 68% of small business employees are stressed or very stressed about their financial situation. These growing pressures of personal debts, upcoming bills, and savings management may distract workers from their daily tasks.

EAPs can minimize monetary stress for employees with financial wellness assistance from certified advisors and coaches. These experts offer clear guidance on:

• Budgeting strategies and spending habits
• Credit reports, management, and score issues
• Debt management and consolidation
• Financial goal setting and planning
• Homeownership and mortgage needs
• 401(k) management and retirement savings
• Student tuition and loans
• Taxation questions

Identity theft protection and prevention

Having your identity stolen is a frequently growing reality, with the FTC receiving 5.7 million reports of identity theft and fraud in 2021 alone. Along with feeling vulnerable and scared, victims of these incidents lose significant amounts of time and money to fix the damage done.

Fortunately, EAPs often feature identity theft protection. This service can assist employees in recovering their data and finances following an incident. Consultants handle report filing forms, account retrievals, credit evaluations, and many other parts of the recovery process. Resources are also available to teach workers and their families how to properly safeguard their personal information.

Recreational activities

EAP discounts don’t only exist for healthcare services. EAPs unlock special savings and deals on hobbies, events, and everyday practical purchases. By working with local and national brands, EAPs let employees engage in shopping experiences and activities inspired by their personal interests.

• Travel and vacation discounts
• Deals on restaurants and local entertainment
• Coupons for name-brand goods, apparel, home, and luxury items
• Fitness and personal care savings

Achieve EAP excellence with ExtensisHR

EAP offerings keep workplace worries and at-home pressures at bay, producing stronger employee engagement and satisfaction rates. Still, it is essential to invest in an EAP that meets your team’s work-life balance needs. As a leading professional employer organization (PEO), ExtensisHR combines human-first guidance and comprehensive services to deliver a worthwhile EAP solution.

Our expertise with trending employee benefits offerings doesn’t stop at EAPs. We provide various benefits services that encourage better health and wellbeing for your team.

ExtensisHR helps SMBs:

• Navigate benefits administration and annual enrollment
• Access competitive, Fortune 500-level benefits from national providers
• Strengthen benefits plans with life insurance, long-term disability coverage, and other supplemental benefits
• Meet ACA compliance standards across their healthcare plans

Contact our expert team today to see how we can personalize your benefits package to deliver the care, protection, and peace of mind your employees deserve.