EAP resources to help employee assistance programs perform better—EAP resources offered by vendors in America—are becoming scarcer and harder to find. There is one reason for this – less of a need. Not less of a need

because EAPs are producing their own materials, but the less of a need because there are fewer EAPs serving American businesses who need to purchase these vital tools.

If you are an EAP provider who has survived the managed care crunch of the last 25 years and its devastation on viable core technology EAP services—both internal and external provider programs--the following discussion of tools and resources for EAPs can help you not only survive longer, but meet the needs of employers. This will help them, help you, and of course help employees, and possibly save lives. That’s what core technology EAPs do after all.

Adding value and demonstrating it is how you will keep the Chief Financial Officer from whispering in the ear of top management that your program should terminated in favor or an 800 service pushed by the organization’s insurance company in collaboration with their managed care partners, and the benefits management consultants who may be giving free advice to them for a kickback or other favors. (Seen the conflict of interest, otherwise, I would not report it.)

Talking about how the EAP can help, and knowing all the ways your employee assistance program can offer the work organization assistance and risk penetration will advance your ability to grow your value, integrate effectively with all the other organizational risk management systems and processes, and help employees be healthier, happier, and more productive.

As part of this EAP resources discussion, it is important not to overlook refresher training for supervisors. The importance of refresher training cannot be overstated. It is tantamount to untangling a giant ball of fishing line after supervisors, for a period of time, have attempted to use the EAP in supervision (or not) and stumbled with their biases and confusion, even after training in trying to use the program as a management tool. (EAPs are management tools not "benefit" programs--calling them such is what has stunted their growth.)

There is an easy fix for these issues, but it takes focus. One thing is for sure, if you do not fix the confusion by adding refresher training, you risk metastasis of this confusion which will fuel resistance to using the EAP when managing troubled employees. This increases risk. Do not ignore educating supervisors about the EAP and re-educating them about the EAP.  Make this part of the supervisor training essentials you institute. Consider this EAP SUPERVISOR NEWSLETTER.

EAP refresher training is a booster shot. It helps the formal supervisor referrals begin anew when the slow up. And they will slow because EAP program need marketing efforts and "multiple touches" to keep the message fresh and growing. How often have you seen the “MyPillow” commercials been running? Forever! They would not be running that commercial if they were not in need of more sales and were satisfied that everyone knows and remembers who they are.

EAP training resources have tremendous implications the EAP in reaching the most at risk employees in the organization. Yes, that means maybe getting to the employee who might go postal someday. Don’t smirk. It is extremely easy to paint a picture of why core technology EAPs are godsends and that thousands of employees lives have been saved as a result of their existence.

There are EAP supervisor training essentials that you must consider if you are to have an effective referral effort that will

help the most troubled employees who may also be the most avoidant and manipulative. . EAP refresher training mentioned above deals with myths, misconceptions, false starts, wrong moves, rumors about confidentiality, procedures, proper communications with the EAP, improper communications with the EAP, how not to be frustrated with the EAPs' inability to communicate with the supervisor, and how the supervisor can avoid setting him- or herself up for a lot of trouble in the process of working with the program. Also follow up is important be sure to have discussions about it.

Be sure to have a nice collection of online employee assistance program (EAP) resources available to supervisors. These can include supervisor training, referral forms, online web videos that educate about supervisor stress management, EAP essential skills for supervisors, promoting a respectful workplace, and definitely supervisor tip sheets tip sheets.

See more EAP resources at  https://www.workexcel.com/content/flip-catalog/in... for more on content we have developed for supervisors and employees.

Content that you offer to supervisors 24/7 will be accessed in the wee hours before many of them come to work to better prepare them for tough employee management situations they encounter. This is the rationale for making content very accessible to them. Supervisors forget what they learn in training, and you want them to easily access this information in the future when they most need it.