Evaluating the Workplace Effects of EAP Counseling

Abstract

Despite the popularity and prevalence of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), and the historical emphasis on how EAP can improve work performance, there has been very little rigorous evaluation of the workplace effects of EAP counseling. The aim of this outcome study was to examine if and to what degree EAP counseling correlates with improved workplace effectiveness. The sample included 197 subjects all employed by two Fortune 100 companies who received EAP counseling via an EAP affiliate provider in 2010. The Workplace Outcome Suite (WOS), a five-item, five scale outcome tool specifically designed for EAPs, was utilized as a Pre/Post measure, with the Post measure occurring about 90 days after the EAP intake. A paired t-test was used to compare the pre-and post means on four of the scales, and a Wilcoxon test was used for Absenteeism due to skewing. All scales show positive change from the Pre- to Post-test, with two scales meeting the .05 level and two showing high significance at the level of 0.000. Even though EAP affiliate network models rarely provide “protocol” driven intervention and may not specifically focus on workplace issues, they still seem to produce workplace-related improvements. Future research should focus on increasing the sample size and examining other types of EAP models.