In general, Employee Assistance Programs provide value in the following three ways:

1. EAP’s leverage the value of the organization’s investment in their workforce by:

   • Improving employee engagement
   • Improving employee and dependents’ skills for successfully responding to life’s challenges.
   • Offering employees short-term problem resolution services or referring employees and dependents to mental health treatment services, when indicated.
   • Developing employee and manager competencies in managing workplace stress and improving work team performance.

2. EAPs address the costs of doing business by:

   • Reducing workplace absenteeism and unplanned absences.
   • Reducing workplace accidents.
   • Reducing employee turnover and related replacement costs.
   • Facilitating a safe, timely, and effective return-to-work from employees following short-term and extended absences.
   • Reducing healthcare costs and improving the value of organizational investments in wellness and health promotion, self-care management, continuity of care, and work-related efforts.
   • Improving efficient use of health care through early identification, care management and recovery efforts.

3. EAPs mitigate business risks by:

   • Reducing likelihood of workplace violence or other safety risks.
   • Managing the effectiveness of disruptive incidents, such as workplace violence, injury, or other crises, including facilitating a swift return-to-work after adverse workplace events.
   • Supporting disaster and emergency preparedness, and assisting in minimizing job disruption following disasters and emergencies.
   • Facilitating successful adjustment to mergers, acquisitions, site closures, or other workforce change events.
   • Reducing the likelihood of legal action/liability (e.g., maintaining business practices that promote a violence-free workplace).
   • Promoting and supporting companies’ drug and alcohol free workplace policies and programs.

Taken from An Employers Guide to Employee Assistance Programs