Employee Assistance Plans provide the means to improve employee morale, enhance productivity, and change lives, all for a fraction of the cost of most benefits. Let CG Hylton provide this to your population in Canada.
1. Creating Winning EAP
Strategies
2004 Human Resources
Conference
Apr 2004
Chris Hylton, MA
chris@hylton.ca
1 800 449-5866
2. Introduction
The importance of Employee Assistance Programs
in the workplace cannot be denied.
Using examples and scenarios from real life, the
session will demonstrate how the EAP, properly
aligned with an organization’s Drug & Alcohol
Policy, its Critical Incident Response Plan, and
overall Wellness Strategy, will improve
productivity, morale, and revenue.
At the same time decreasing work absences, and
medical and disability claims.
HYLTON 2
3. What is an EAP?
Short Term Counsel
Issues dealt with:
Stress
Depression
Family / marital
Alcohol
Substance Abuse
Confidential
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4. Who is the Target?
68% of ees will at
some time
experience mental
health problems
severe enough to
prevent ees from
coping with day-to-
day duties in the
workplace
HYLTON 4
6. Typical EAP Use
Work
place
Family
Alcohol Substance Abuse
Depress Stress
HYLTON 6
7. Nothing relating to counselling
session is repeated
Licensing and professional conduct
rules of counsellors prohibit
disclosure without patient’s written
informed consent
First contact by phone then sessions
at counsellor office
Appointments staggered
Reports - statistics not specifics
HYLTON 7
8. Confidentiality Exceptions
Harm to self
Informed consent
Harm to others?
Double edged
sword
Burden of proof
Get it in writing
Keep paper trail
Get legal opinion
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9. Waiting Period
Accessibility is
48 hours norm
Crisis situations
receive quick help
from EAP
HYLTON 9
10. Prevalence of EAP’s
80% of larger cos
50% of medium-sized cos
25% or less for smaller cos
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11. Types of EAP’S - Internal
Staffed by employees with counselling
credentials
Separate entrance / building and
procedures - guarantee confidentiality
Back-to-back appointments
Some well received programs are lead by
reformed alcoholics - very credible within
the organization
HYLTON 11
12. Types of EAP’s - External
Back-to-back appointments monitored
Fee for service, or insured / capitation
basis
Insured contract based on projected
utilization rate - 5 to 12 %
This rate compared to actual rate of
usage for renewal
Fee based EAP’s may be better
conflict of interest of administrator
hidden targets
HYLTON 12
13. Reasonable Cost
EAP costs fraction of average medical
or dental plan
$200 per ee per mo for Dental
insurance
$5 per ee per mo for EAP
HYLTON 13
14. Some Employer’s Negative
Perception
not seen as being essential
“It’s a frill we don’t need it” … “our ees
are not mental cases”
wrong – EAP’s deal with a broad range of
issues
“there are other public sector counselling
resources for employees to use, and they
are free”
wrong – Psychologists, public crisis lines,
other agencies may not be the right fit
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15. Best thing about EAP’s for
the Employee
immediacy of access – 24/7 - after
hours availability not disrupt work
day
no cost to see senior clinical
counsellor
For exec, coaching very valuable
resources available NOW
HYLTON 15
16. Improve Corp Health
employers show employees they care at
very modest cost
EAP = barometer of corporate health
Indicator of possible management issues
in certain departments
Competitive Advantage
Reduction in stress enables staff to be
more courteous, creative, stay on task
longer
Happier employees = better cust serv
HYLTON 16
17. Reducing Absenteeism
15% of staff cause 90%
of absenteeism
emotional factors
contribute to 60% of lost
time
Stats Can indicates that
the typical ee is absent 8
days a year
Ers spend close to 6% of
payroll on absenteeism
HYLTON 17
18. Turnover Reduced
Personal and personality factors
account for over two thirds of all
terminations
Only 15% are due to staff’s inability
to do the job
EAP helps employees resolve
personal issues before termination is
necessary
HYLTON 18
19. Reduced Claims
Anti-depressants are
often # 1 of all Rx -
10% or more
STD & LTD plans
Some carriers give a
discount where an
EAP is in place
HYLTON 19
20. Productivity 10% to 15% of
employees have serious
personal problems
(Source: Cdn Mental
Health)
Of these productivity is
a third below normal
Results in loss of
productivity of up to 5%
of payroll
Impact > due to the
disruption to other ees
HYLTON 20
21. Accident / Illness
Lost time due to
accident or illness
Stress contributes
large %
EAP can reduce
Link to return to
work strategies
Counselling not
meds
Claim Cost
HYLTON 21
22. Prevention
Best Medicine
early intervention essential
much more effective than waiting ‘till the
situation is worse
Like physical disabilities you are perhaps
more familiar with
If mentally employees believe “I am
disabled” is their natural state - difficult to
cure
“I am temporarily having some difficulties
that I with help of the EAP I will be able
to overcome!”
HYLTON 22
23. Stitch in time
little things add up
deal with early before full
depression
early counselling
not only helps ee, but it
also improves ee
performance
EAP deals with these
issues at less cost than
costly drug therapy which
may simply mask issue
HYLTON 23
24. Trends: VIP Coaching
lonely at the top, executives subject to
same stressors to emotional life as rest of
us
EAP’s sometimes do a poor job with this
group
Confidentiality is an issue
Offsite, not accessed by other staff
Short treatment model of 4-5 sessions
usually relaxed for this group
Fee for service & unlimited # of sessions
HYLTON 24
25. Trends:
D&A Policy / Link to EAP
Have a D&A Policy, clearly communicated
Communication with Supervisors Essential
Problem of enabling
Half day sessions are important
Organization support systems
Procedures
Provides supervisors with tools to do what
is right
HYLTON 25
26. D&A Link to EAP
Controlled drinking
sessions
DOT regulations for
substance abuse
Substance abuse
Professional (SAP) part
of EAP
Testing done by various
agencies including
Columbia Health &
Millard Health
HYLTON 26
27. Alcohol or Drugs involved in
up to 50% spousal abuse
20-35% Suicides 50% Traffic
fatalities
Alcohol &
62% Assaults other drugs 49% Murders
52% Rapes 68% Manslaughter
Charges
38% Child abuse 69% Drownings
Source: Tico Vega and Hope Mitchell, REACH Peer Education
HYLTON 27
28. Link to Benefit Program
Most insured benefit plans provide
for up to $500 in psychological
counselling per covered individual
per year
Change your definition to include
EAP counsellors (social workers) to
supplement EAP program
HYLTON 28
29. Trauma, Violence, Critical
Incident
Great interest in this aspect of EAP
immediate response in first 24 hours
helpful to diffuse the situation
“your response is perfectly understandable &
normal” , very effective in preventing post
traumatic stress disorder (shell shock)
Se 11 classed as Mental Health Epidemic
Deaths 700 from one employer, 400
firefighters
Huge spike in EAP use in affected areas
HYLTON 29
30. What we learned from CI’s
Don’t do anything special just
do your job
• just react, surf
• manuals useless
• 48 hours
Bank robberies
Distinct stages
Airline Crashes
Books for kids on death
Manuals useless
Don’t assume your EAP staff
will all be avail
Take time off after
HYLTON 30
31. Sept 11 impact in Canada
Sept 11, particularly troublesome for
those who lived through wars, parents of
employees
Bethany Care, Pastoral Care group
counselling very effective
Added new syndrome, Anticipatory
Anxiety
Combined with added workplace stress
means even more reason for EAP’s
HYLTON 31
32. Bottom Line
EAP used to be
deemed a nice add
on
Now moved to
Essential category
EAP moved from
being one tool, to
assisting
employers
MANAGE the whole
response
HYLTON 32
33. The High Cost of Stress
Ees missed avg of 7.8 days for illness or
family reasons in ‘99
Daily 20% of Canadian ees suffer from
personal or emotional problems severe
enough to cause injury, absenteeism or
reduced productivity
2M Canadian ees suffer hypertension or
high blood pressure
1M Canadian ees experience insomnia
regularly
HYLTON 33
34. Stress
70 million prescriptions for tranquilizers
were written for Canadians in ‘98
alcoholism costs Canadian business $1.6
billion annually
3.2 million workdays and $590 million in
wages and benefits are lost annually to
heart-related diseases
80% of problems treated by family
doctors are stress and psychosomatic
cases
Source: Canadian Institute of Stress
HYLTON 34
35. Stress – Depression
Twice as likely to miss
work
Ees with depression 7x
less likely to be
effective when they are
at work
“presenteeism”
Source: Am Journal of Psychiatry
May 2001
HYLTON 35
37. Organizational Stress
GRACE HOSPITAL
Grace faced closure, we did EAP, asked
for options
Rumours as to date, who would be let go,
little information
Organization became paralyzed
Poor morale, little communications
between departments
Group counselling sessions successful
still, those that needed counselling most did
not attend
HYLTON 37
39. Inspector HR
Lois, has been a competent, motivated employee for the 12
years she has worked for you. You have increasingly noticed
errors in her work. She has not responded to your notes
asking her to "meet and discuss," and claimed to be
preoccupied by some unspecified health problem when you
approached her recently.
Lois works primarily in the field, so it is difficult to directly
monitor her performance. Several times during the past two
months, clients that Lois was scheduled to visit have called
looking for her.
You figured she was probably just running late the first time,
but with the second and third calls you finally approached her
expressing concern. As you begin to speak with her, the
smell of alcohol on her breath is unmistakable and her eyes
appear glassy. HYLTON 39
40. What are the
performance problems?
There is an increase in Lois' error rate ?
Lois is avoiding meeting with you ?
informally
She is not showing up for scheduled ?
appointments with agencies
Lois has the smell of alcohol on her ?
breath and has glassy eyes
HYLTON 40
41. Performance
There is an increase in Lois' error rate. Yes
(It is important to identify and document
errors)
Lois is avoiding meeting with you informally. Yes
(Document errors)
She is not showing up for scheduled Yes
appointments with agencies. (Document)
Lois has the smell of alcohol on her breath No
and has glassy eyes. (Medical conditions may
cause these symptoms) HYLTON 41
42. Cost Benefit of EAP
Royal Bank study 13 to 1 payback
One Er reported a 30% decrease in
accidents and 40% decrease in sick benefit
use for employees who used the EAP
An EAP audit revealed that 54% of EAP
users would have been away from work 3.3
days more over the year
One Er reported for every $1 spent on the
EAP, $7 to $11 was saved on absenteeism,
LTD premiums, and health premiums
HYLTON 42
44. EAP Trends
greater EAP usage today than 10 years ago,
due to awareness
The rate of utilization for non capped EAPs
was about 4% - 6% 15 years ago
Grown to 6 - 8% for well publicized plans
today
Can go up to 10% - 12% utilization for
employees or organizations undergoing
transition, mergers takeovers (25% Edm)
Part of overall health and emergency
management of employer
HYLTON 44
45. Number of Sessions
program caps of 4 or 5 sessions
create incomplete treatment scenario
internal targets may prevent employers
from getting what they pay for
studies have shown that in North
America, the average no of sessions for
ALL types of therapists is 4 - 5
Allow unlimited?
HYLTON 45
46. Number of Sessions
the focus should be on hiring competent
counsellors
allow them to see their clients without
restriction, most EAP providers will not
take the risk
the 10 session clients will be offset by the
1 session client, to average out at 4- 5
proactive supervision of counsellors is key
in the open-ended model
HYLTON 46
47. Trends
Web Counselling
like telephone counselling
has proven very effective
Initial fears
Licensing
confidentiality
not everyone can meet face to face
remote locations
time constrained
counselling chat rooms
Favoured by youth
HYLTON 47
48. Trends
Web Counselling
email record of sessions, chats, to refer to
over time
alternative source of help when face to
face sessions or telephone contacts are
not convenient
break down call reluctance
may be room for this at your organization
one more tool to reach ees - expats
HYLTON 48
49. Violence in the workplace
source: Bureau of justice statistics national crime victimization survey
Rates of Violence in 5 Years Per 1000
workers (1992 - 1996)
250
200
150 Series1
100 Series2
50
0
Taxi Driver
U. teacher
MH Prof.
Corrections
Bartender
Teacher
Elem.
HYLTON
Officer 49
Employee Assistance Programs (EAP’s) are a vital tool in the HR toolbox. Learn how to structure an EAP that adds value to the organization and employees’ lives. This session will provide an overview of winning EAP strategies and emerging trends. The results of a recent CEAPA EAP Trends In the Workplace poll will be discussed. Key Points: 1) Role of HR – Communicating the EAP; 2) Types of EAP’s; 3) Drug & Alcohol Policies and the EAP; 4) Critical Incident Response Planning and the EAP ; 5) EAP Trends Study; 6) Cost Effective EAP Design Chris Hylton has consulted on benefits and HR issues to employers for over 20 years. A frequent media commentator, Chris brings a relaxed, informative and amusing look at timely HR topics. Hylton Associates has its own network of over 200 EAP counselors across the country which are pleased to provide EAP services to a variety of employers
Confidential counseling service provided by employers for employees & families to deal with emotional issues they may be facing Issues dealt with include: depression, marital, substance abuse, parenting …. Short term counseling model – not long term therapy Most referrals are voluntary, may also be used for mandatory referral by the employer D&A return to work, interpersonal issues, harassment issues
Getting Work Done Through Others: Your job as a supervisor is to get work done through the individual contributors that you supervise. Establishing an appropriate relationship with the people you supervise is key to your success as a supervisor. [top] Getting Employees What They Need: If the performance of an employee is unsatisfactory, you need to find out if the employee has the appropriate information, skills, time, and resources to do the job. Assisting subordinates obtain what is needed to perform well is a primary supervisory responsibility. [top] Involve EAP: If the employee has the information, skills, time, and resources appropriate for the job, then there may be outside factors that are impacting the employee's performance. This is where EAP involvement can be critical, especially if you need to use progressive discipline with the employee. The earlier you can intervene in a performance problem, the greater the reduction in the need for further discipline. New York State Employee Assistance Program
Lois, a permanent employee responsible for inspecting health-related facilities, has been a competent, motivated employee for the 12 years she has worked in the agency. Since your promotion to supervisor of her unit, you have increasingly noticed errors in her work that crosses your desk for review and signature. She has not responded to your notes asking her to "meet and discuss," and claimed to be preoccupied by some unspecified health problem when you approached her recently. Lois works primarily in the field, so it is difficult to directly monitor her performance. Several times during the past two months, agencies that Lois was scheduled to visit have called looking for her. You really didn't pay any attention to the first instance since you figured she was probably just running late, but with the second and third calls you finally approached her expressing concern. As you begin to speak with her, the smell of alcohol on her breath is unmistakable and her eyes appear glassy.
Lois, a permanent employee responsible for inspecting health-related facilities, has been a competent, motivated employee for the 12 years she has worked in the agency. Since your promotion to supervisor of her unit, you have increasingly noticed errors in her work that crosses your desk for review and signature. She has not responded to your notes asking her to "meet and discuss," and claimed to be preoccupied by some unspecified health problem when you approached her recently. Lois works primarily in the field, so it is difficult to directly monitor her performance. Several times during the past two months, agencies that Lois was scheduled to visit have called looking for her. You really didn't pay any attention to the first instance since you figured she was probably just running late, but with the second and third calls you finally approached her expressing concern. As you begin to speak with her, the smell of alcohol on her breath is unmistakable and her eyes appear glassy.