Quality EAPs Carry Their Weight

January 4, 2016      |      Posted on Posted in In the News
Quality EAPs Carry Their Weight

ACI Founder and CEO Dr. Ann D. Clark is a frequent media contributor and blogger. See Dr. Clark’s recent article below, originally published in the December 2015 issue of IFEBP’s Benefits Magazine.

The State of the Workplace

With the rise of Millennials in the workplace and 24/7 work/life blending, today’s benefits conversation is dominated by employee engagement. Modern employees are homing from work and working from home, expecting much more from employers than a paycheck. Businesses are tasked with recognizing and addressing ever-changing workforce needs, and supporting employees both personally and professionally.

Investing in practices that produce a less stressed and more satisfied and engaged workforce is crucial to the bottom line. Highly engaged workforces generate 29% more revenue, have a 44% higher retention rate, and increase annual profits by $2,400 per employee on average.[i] But nearly 70% of employees are NOT engaged at work.[ii] Companies are responding by increasingly investing in benefits and perks (28% of U.S. companies increased employee benefits in 2014[iii]), from mainstream benefits like healthcare, to top-of-the-line services like concierge, to trendy perks like egg-freezing and unlimited vacation time.

The Contemporary EAP: A tool for employee engagement

In light of the times, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) industry is also changing to meet the needs of a diverse, high-tech, global workforce. For decades, EAPs have been standard inclusions in workplace benefits packages. In the United States, over 97% of companies with more than 5,000 employees have EAPs, as do 80% of companies between 1,000 and 5,000 employees, and 75% of companies between 250 and 1,000 employees.[iv]

Often overlooked and undervalued, the EAP has evolved from its early origins as a substance abuse resource to become a multi-faceted employee support program that mitigates the effects of substance abuse, emotional health issues, work stress, life-balance difficulties, and many other stressors that affect employees and the workplace. An EAP with strong promotion and high utilization can be an effective solution to employee disengagement and generate a significant return on investment in several ways. Employees that utilize EAP services receive help for the issues that are affecting them at work and at home, leading to improved health, happiness, and performance, increased productivity and morale, and a reduction in absenteeism and workplace conflicts.

A comprehensive, traditional EAP program includes the following services, according to the Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA):

  • 24-hour crisis telephone response, with qualified EAP professionals providing immediate support
  • Confidential assessment and counseling by licensed, professional counselors
  • Referral support for long-term or specialized care, with customized referrals based on client preferences or needs
  • Emergency intervention and critical incident stress management, for those times when the office is threatened by natural disasters, violence, terrorism, etc.
  • Substance abuse expertise, as this issue significantly affects the workplace
  • Dependent and domestic partner coverage
  • Guaranteed confidential recordkeeping[v]

A contemporary EAP expands beyond basic services, offering a wide range of creative perks and innovative services to support employees and family members in every aspect of life:

  • Comprehensive life management support including child care, elder care and pet care assistance
  • Legal and financial consultation, including do-it-yourself document preparation and identity theft protection and recovery services
  • Personal assistance referrals for busy employees
  • Threat assessment and violence prevention consultation and support services
  • Comprehensive veteran assistance services
  • Virtual and Skype® clinical sessions
  • 24/7 access through mobile apps and dynamic websites
  • Social media engagement
  • Live chat services
  • Text and email reminders for appointments and follow-ups
  • Video orientations and training on YouTube

High-quality EAPs also provide significant support for HR and management:

  • Dedicated account management team
  • Virtual or onsite orientations and trainings
  • On-demand training materials
  • Management consultation for any workplace challenge or need
  • Formal management referrals to address employee performance issues
  • Utilization reports with workforce data insights

The Best Ways to Promote an EAP   

With contemporary EAPs now providing a broad scope of employee and management support services, it is the perfect time to revisit how to better utilize and promote the employee assistance program at the workplace. The major challenge facing EAPs is that employees do not fully understand what benefits are available or how to access them. EAPs must also overcome the stigma that services are only relevant for those with emotional health or substance abuse issues, or in times of crisis.

High-quality EAPs are strategic partners, working collaboratively and continuously with human resources and other company stakeholders to promote a happier, healthier workforce. Partnership marketing is one element of robust management support, where committees composed of EAP personnel, human resources and management meet regularly to strategize promotion and find creative ways to engage employees.

EAP partnership marketing best practices include:

  • Implementation Plan: Including a timeline to establish goals, notify and train stakeholders, create collateral, and launch the program
  • Kick-off campaign: Beginning with an announcement email to notify and excite employees about their new EAP benefit and instructions on how to access services
  • Website and portal integration: Direct links to program access, materials and information across internal company sites and portals
  • Social media postings and interaction: Cross promotion on company and EAP social media platforms to drive program visibility and utilization
  • Video marketing: Posting and sharing of orientation and program videos
  • User acquisition strategy: Plan to encourage all eligible users, including employees and family members, to visit their EAP landing page, register for an account, download mobile apps and follow the EAP on social media for the latest benefit news and announcements and 24/7 program access
  • Content updating: Including review and revision of all company printed and digital benefits information, including the employee handbook, new hire information, and online resources
  • Onsite ambassadors: Cultivating human resources representatives, managers and supervisors to drive program referrals, including strong orientations, continued refresher training, and ongoing communication and interaction
  • Crisis response on social media: Feature EAP outreach postings across social media platforms to company locations impacted by critical incidents (e.g. severe weather; workplace, local, or national tragedies) reminding employees that support and services are available
  • Content marketing: Create an annual EAP promotional calendar with month-by-month outline of content including ongoing email blasts and newsletters (covering seasonal topics and services available), scheduled management trainings, regular blog and social media postings, as well as any company-requested targeted messages
  • Event attendance: EAP participation at company events (e.g. benefits fairs, health fairs, employee appreciation days, etc.) when applicable

By working with an experienced EAP provider and employing these best practices, companies can build program awareness and increase program utilization rates.  In one case, ACI Specialty Benefits worked with a client with over 100 locations nationwide that wanted to reinvigorate their benefit program following two years of moderately successful utilization rates.   The goal was to ensure users who could benefit from the support services knew what was available and could access services instantly.

To achieve this goal, ACI Specialty Benefits formed a steering committee with customer stakeholders across management, marketing, brand, training, legal, and created a three-month implementation plan that covered new materials creation, online tools development, and visibility strategy.  As part of the engagement strategy, ACI produced a new benefits website that allowed users to submit direct requests for services, live chat with ACI specialists, and search for a wide range of available resources.  The steering committee agreed on an official launch date, with a promotional plan that included email announcements, trainings and video orientations, social media promotional posts, and posting of benefit information across internal company websites.

After a targeted relaunch campaign including new interactive online tools, the client saw a 166% increase in users accessing services from the previous year, and 20-25% increased utilization during and immediately after email outreach campaigns, as compared to months in which no targeted efforts were made.

EAPs as strategic partners engage both management and employees by making services visible, responsive, and management-friendly. An EAP benefits package that sits quietly and invisibly in an employee handbook cannot produce the positive results that an actively promoted EAP can create in the workplace.

EAP Integration with Other Benefits

A single point of access for a company’s entire suite of benefits can help address the needs of employers and employees in a comprehensive way. Most benefit platforms do not offer plug-ins or easy integrations with third-party software and applications. But creating simple, intuitive user experiences, and easy benefits administration for HR and management, is critical to driving benefits engagement.

Innovative EAPs are using compatible technology and a holistic approach to employee well-being by integrating support, services, and systems that have traditionally existed in silos, from “perk packages” that bundle multiple benefits, to wellness programs that incorporate physical, emotional, and financial wellness, to concierge services to help employees meet responsibilities personally and professionally, to software solutions for payroll and HR systems, benefits administration, open enrollment, and more. Integrated EAPs can also leverage technology and resources to support corporate initiatives (e.g. training, leadership development, 401k participation, compliant leave, reduced absenteeism, etc.) through strategic benefits communication and partnership marketing.

Gamification: The Next Frontier

According to a recent survey, 78% of employees are utilizing games-based motivation at work, leading to increased productivity for 90% of workers.[vi]  Advanced gamification is strategically not a game, but the application of game mechanics and tools to create a more entertaining and engaging educational experience.  The goal of a gamified benefits experience is to deliver enduring value. Features include engagement strategy, personalized content, and incentives including both extrinsic rewards (i.e. prizes) to draw users in and intrinsic rewards (e.g. sense of purpose, understanding, mastery) to keep them coming back. A gamified benefits experience can increase the effectiveness of corporate communications, reduce training time, motivate habitual engagement with benefits and utilization of EAP services and provide increased return on an employer’s benefits investment.

An increasingly tech-savvy workforce, combined with Millennials easy acceptance of work/life integration, is changing the way companies support employees. EAPs must be quick to adapt to industry and cultural trends. Strong EAPs that offer comprehensive services, robust management support, proactive promotion, and dynamic response to workforce changes provide companies with powerful tools for employee engagement.

Ann D. Clark, Ph.D., is the founder and CEO of ACI Specialty Benefits, a leading provider of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), wellness programs, student assistance, and corporate concierge benefits to customers worldwide. Dr. Ann Clark founded ACI Specialty Benefits in 1983 with a passion for helping people and businesses thrive – a win-win solution. Under Dr. Clark’s leadership, ACI has been named a Top Ten EAP for over a decade, Healthiest Company for three consecutive years, Best Place to Work by San Diego Business Journal, and tops the Hot List for EAPs by Workforce Magazine. Dr. Clark is also a best-selling author, with recent works including Workplace Warfare, Women & Recovery, and the upcoming Cultural Crossroads. For the latest in benefits innovation, check out MacroLife – The Game of Benefits, and connect with Dr. Clark at www.linkedin.com/in/drannclark/.

 

[i] Shutan, B. (2013, March 18). The Power of Perks. Retrieved August 12, 2015, from http://www.incentivemag.com/Strategy/Engagement/The-Power-of-Perks/

[ii] Adkins, A. (2015, July 9). U.S. Employee Engagement Unmoved in June at 31.9%. Retrieved August 13, 2015, from http://www.gallup.com/poll/184061/employee-engagement-unmoved-june.aspx?utm_source=EMPLOYEE_ENGAGEMENT&utm_medium=topic&utm_campaign=tiles

[iii] 2014 Employee Benefits: A Research Report by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). (n.d.). Retrieved August 28, 2015, from http://www.shrm.org/Research/SurveyFindings/Documents/14-0301%20Benefits_Report_TEXT_FNL.pdf

[iv] EAP Benefits. (n.d.). Retrieved August 12, 2015, from http://www.eapconsultants.com/eap-benefits/

[v] Jorgensen, D. (2005). The EAP Buyer’s Guide. Retrieved August 12, 2015, from http://www.eapassn.org/Portals/11/Docs/HOME/EAPBuyersGuide.pdf

[vi] Boudinet, J. (2015, August 11). Gamification: The Savior of Employee Productivity. Retrieved August 13, 2015, from http://www.business2community.com/human-resources/gamification-the-savior-of-employee-productivity-01298078