Working Well

An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a work-based early intervention program aimed at the early identification and/or resolution of both work and personal problems that may adversely affect performance. These problems may include, but are not limited to:

- Health/medical issues 
- Marital/relationships
- Family difficulties
- Financial problems
- Substance abuse 
- Emotional concerns
- Grief and bereavement
- Personal trauma
- Career counselling
- Conflict and tension
- Work pressure problems
- Anxiety and depression
- Gambling and addictions

The specific core activities of EAPs include:

- Expert consultation and training in the identification and resolution of job-performance issues related to the employee's personal concerns
- Confidential and timely problem-assessment, diagnosis, treatment or referral to an appropriate community resource
- The formation of internal and external linkages between the workplace and community resources not available within the scope of the EAP

Sometimes, management or a supervisor may recommend that an employee seek help through an EAP. This is not a cop-out, rather, it's a question of good judgment and good management. EAPs offer constructive, positive help for all employees whether you are referred by your boss or seek help on your own. Specific details or definition of an employee problem is confidential. Only with an employee's signed consent will any information between counsellor and employee be released and your employer will not be informed that you are seeking help unless you request it. Your visits to the EAP counsellor will not be entered in your record file.
 
The purpose of the EAP is to promote personal wellbeing and quality of human relationships in the workplace in order to enhance people's work life. The services are designed to assist employees at all levels of an organisation to better deal with personal, family and work-related concerns.

References:

Employee Assistance Professional Association of Australia

Relationships Australia