Definition - What does Employee Assistance Program mean?
An employee assistance program (EAP), within the context of occupational health and safety, refers to a voluntary employee benefit program that is offered by employers to help employees deal with personal issues and life challenges that adversely impact their health, job performance, and general well-being. EAP generally include services in counseling, assessments, and referrals for personal or work-related issues regarding stress management, financial issues, legal issues, family issues, office problems, and alcohol/substance abuse.
SureHire explains Employee Assistance Program
Employers may commonly use an employee assistance program for a variety of reasons. EAP have been shown to cut the spending on medical costs, reduce turnover and absenteeism, promote productivity, increase the ability of the employee to respond to challenges, management of workplace stress, planning for disaster or emergency situations, and reduce workplace accidents. Also, EAP has been applied with management and supervisors in order to enhance planning for situations, organizational changes, legal considerations, emergency plan devising, and counseling on individual traumatic events.
