Increasing the Human Capital Impact and Financial ROI of Employee Assistance Programs

Abstract

Shortly after the onset of the pandemic in 2020, Cal Beyer and Bernie Dyme collaborated on an article titled “Why Employee Assistance Programs Are Valuable During and After COVID-19.”1 Almost a year and a half later, the advice offered remains relevant. Mental health and wellbeing continue to be top of mind. Yet, Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) continue to be an underutilized resource by employers and employees. In fact, a vast majority of EAP sponsors Cal Beyer has collaborated with, have seldom considered the utilization rate, organizational impacts, or ROI of their EAPs.

Employers sponsoring an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) must build a collaborative partnership to broaden the EAP from crisis-based mental illness counseling to holistic mental wellbeing and life/work balance. On top of that, we would like to encourage employers to demonstrate a caring culture focused on transparency and psychological safety to instill a prevention-oriented approach and destigmatize mental health. The goal is for employees to feel safe to openly ask for and seek help around their mental wellness.