Underutilization of employee assistance programs: An untapped resource

Objective: To examine the rates of EAP use and ascertain the reasons for usage and the lack of usage. Background: Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) offer a tremendous service to the workforce when utilized; however, employees do not seek out the resources provided by EAP. From 2007 to 2010 the rate of depression in the workforce has increased from 7% to 9.4%. EAP is able to identify behavioral and other health problems that may affect this depression rate through various counseling services. Over 82% of US companies with 1,000+ employees provide EAP. Methods: Annual data are reported on employed individuals regarding the use of EAP. A cross-sectional view was conducted for the fiscal year 2007/2008 report (N=88). Results: Stress was the number one source of concern for 24% of users, and metal health was the second leading source of concern for 21% of users. The leading source of referral was a family member. The age group that most utilized EAP was 26-35 years of age with 33%. Discussion: 88 of approximately 2,000 employees took advantage of EAP in 2007 with stress and mental health leading as the top concerns. These figures indicate a critical need for mental health services that can be found within EAP; however, the rate of underutilization shows that EAP needs to be more visible and desirable to the workforce. Workplace health promotion practices should strive to incorporate EAP services, strengthen referral sources, reduce stigmas, and seek to determine the true reasons for underutilization.