Patrick Gaul

When employers think of their employee assistance program (EAP), they usually think of drug and alcohol-related services or mental health counseling. But the role of the EAP in the workplace is expanding. More and more often, organizations are seeking assistance with health and wellness issues from their EAP, along with utilizing the "traditional services. The reason is rising healthcare costs.<br /><br />The old saying "there is nothing more important than your health is taking on new meaning for employers. According to a report on health insurance cost containment, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that, "instituting health and wellness programs can help hold down health insurance rate hikes. Employers are heeding this advice, seeking ways to implement health assessments and healthier lifestyle programs/education in the workplace. After all, if employees are healthier to begin with and take preventative measures, then it follows that healthcare claims should be lower.<br /><br />" 'Companies want to get employees more involved in managing their health care,' said Scott Ziemba, a senior consultant at Watson Wyatt, a human resources consulting firm. 'Healthier employees equate to lower costs,' Carolyn Bigda reported in a recent article in the Hartford Courant. <br /><br />Most employers realize they're dealing with an unhealthy population to begin with&all they have to do is look around to see who is in the smoking group or which employees could lose a few (or more) pounds. The question then is how to promote and implement healthier lifestyles and provide workplace support while maintaining confidentiality. That's where an EAP can help.<br /><br />To begin with, your EAP enables employees to take care of themselves both in and out of the work place. "Employees cannot thrive in a workplace&if they already suffer from physical, social and mental health problems, states a report by the Shepell FGI Research Group, Employee Engagement & Health: An EAP's Role and Perspective.<br /><br />EAP's can then go a step further in assisting with health and wellness initiatives by providing educational opportunities. On-site smoking cessation programs, healthy eating and fitness seminars can all help boost employee participation in workplace wellness programs. Resources, such as a wellness website, can offer useful articles, surveys and assessments for employees. <br /><br />Ease@Work, an Ohio-based EAP, has responded to the need for health and wellness-related EAP services by offering nutrition-related coaching in addition to traditional counseling services. "We offer clients the added benefit of nutritional coaching, said Janet Schiavoni, Ease@Work Account Manager. "This benefit fills a gap for both employers and employees, in that many health insurance policies do not offer, or cover, nutrition education services. These services can be critical to an employee dealing with diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity or other issues directly tied to nutrition and healthy choices. "We're not just an organization's EAP, we're also their HWP, Schiavoni said. "Their Health and Wellness Partner.<br /> <br />Awareness and persistence is key. The human resource professionals in the organization need to promote the company's EAP as a tool in the Health & Wellness toolbox. Wellness committees, health fairs, posters, flyers and newsletters can all be methods for disseminating information about your EAP. Once the information is out there, it's important to keep health and wellness in the forefront. Employers need to keep the excitement going and employee participation up. (Again, seminars, group activities and promotional materials can help with this.)<br /><br />Of course, confidentiality is an important consideration. Any health and wellness program must respect "employee privacy issues while also educating employees about the costs of health care, (from Smart Business, "Promoting Wellness, by Bridget McCrea.)<br /><br />If your organization is thinking of implementing a wellness program, or if you need <br />fresh ideas on how to promote employee participation, your EAP is a good start. If you feel limited in the support your EAP offers in terms of health and wellness, then you may want to consider a more comprehensive plan&one that is "on the cutting edge as a potential and real contributor to the work organization's investment in its own health and productivity and that of its biggest asset - its employees and/or union members, (Health, Wellness and Productivity: Best Practice Requires EAP Involvement, by Bernard E. Beidel.)