Employee Assistance Program

Reasons For Introducing an EAP

Psychological Health Care in Canada

Publicly funded provincial hospital insurance plans provide excellent physical healthcare through a network of doctors and hospitals. Employer-sponsored extended healthcare insurance policies reimburse employees for most expenses not covered by the provincial plan. Canadians are fortunate to have such excellent healthcare for a physical accident or sickness.

Unfortunately, when we face emotional, interpersonal or psychological problems, the traditional healthcare delivery system is not much help. It is difficult to find a qualified professional, and the accessibility and cost prevent us from getting the help we need.

The health and well-being of your employees is important to your corporate success. This explains how an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) will satisfy the needs of your employees while helping meet your corporate objectives.

Productivity

The personal problems of your employees have a dramatic impact on their job performance and productivity.

Personal difficulties, such as work-related stress, marital or family problems, or alcohol and drug addiction, can effect almost anyone. Sometimes, such problems can impair an employee's performance at work, leading to lower productivity, strained relations with co-workers and frequent absences or accidents.

An EAP will help your employees sort out the difficulties that may be causing them trouble in the workplace. They will be able to get professional psychological counselling to help them resolve their problems. This type of short-term results-oriented therapy program focuses on clarifying the problem, implementing solutions and monitoring progress. The result is a healthier, more productive employee with improved relations at home and at work.

Healthy Human Resources

Personal problems do become personnel problems. The following statistics paint a picture of the stress that Canadian workers undergo. More than 17% of households are run by single parents. One in every three marriages ends in divorce. Most discipline cases involve problem drinking. Of the Canadian work-force, 5%-10% have an alcohol problem and another 5%-10% have a drug-related problem.

This investment in corporate wellness is likely to be the most significant factor that will influence the quality of work, productivity, attendance and retention of your staff. By addressing the personal needs of your employees, you can create a healthier corporate environment. An EAP will help both your employees and your corporation reach their potentials. The increasing popularity of EAPs shows that corporations are beginning to realize the need to invest in healthy human resources.

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