In the workplace today, Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) are nothing new. Traditionally, they have been used to help employees with counseling services for such things as substance abuse.

But as the workplace changes, EAPs have changed also to meet the new and growing needs of workers. EAPs now provide a range of additional services.

EAPs now deal with a range of problems that come under the heading of behavioral and mental health, such as helping workers deal with stress and work-life programs. Because of the recession many companies have cut back on their workforce, and those who remain are expected to carry more of the load, leading to more employee stress, and, as a result, EAPs are adapting to help people with this problem.

EAPs are also helping employees with such things as finding a tax accountant, a divorce lawyer, child care, wedding planners, even plumbers. EAPs are helping employees with refinancing a mortgage and sorting through healthcare programs. EAPs are getting a lot of calls about financial and legal services, a sign that workers are still struggling in the down economy.

More than half of the contacts with EAPs today involve some type of financial issue, according to EAP officials. And the issues EAPs deal with are more complex than in the past. A survey of EAPs found that about 20 percent of calls involved child care, 15 percent elder care, 30 percent moving, and 10 percent healthcare.

EAPs have more recently begun to get involved in management training programs as employers cut back in this area to save money. EAPs are providing help over the telephone or through Web-based communication for employers in dealing with problem employees.

But even though EAPs are doing a lot more, and more people are using them, overall, not many employees use their services. Employees still appear not to be aware of what they offer, or are not aware of all the new kinds of services they now provide. Nationwide, only about three percent of the workforce has used an EAP.To get more employees involved with EAPs and what they can offer, companies need to communicate better with employees about EAP services.

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