Compare WorkLife Hawaii with any offer of a “FREE EAP”

In Hawaii, and across the globe, employers are looking for ways to cut back on their costs of doing business any way they can. One of the ways they explore is whether it makes sense for them to reduce valuable benefits such as the Employee Assistance Program. If there has been a turnover in HR and/or company leadership, the history of how EAP has helped the company often gets lost. If companies are not utilizing their EAP well –- utilizing the free trainings, management consultations, and orientations to boost visibility and enhance relationships –- they often see utilization of EAP services drop, which further brings up the question: “Why are we paying for this?”

At the same time, some disability carriers, payroll companies and health insurance providers are starting to offer “FREE EAP” into the packages they offer.  Employers who are trying to reduce expenses often ask: "Why not use the FREE EAP rather than pay WorkLife Hawaii?" It’s a perfectly good business question. We wanted to give you some considerations to help you make the best decision possible for your business, because you should have ALL the facts when making this decision!

First of all, nothing in business is really free. You would be paying for a “FREE EAP” program as part of your other plans. It may not show up as a line item, but you would certainly be paying for it.

Second is the wisdom behind the old saying: “You get what you pay for.” Looking at the fine print of what you are being offered, you should find a great many differences between what your “FREE EAP” will provide and the services provided by WorkLife Hawaii. 

Some questions to help you compare apples with pineapples:

COUNSELING SERVICES

(1) Is all you are getting a basic referral service where an employee calls for a referral and gets a certain number of sessions with a private practice counselor on a referral list for free?

(2) Do Hawaii employees call a 1-800 number that is answered by someone on the Mainland with a list of counselors? How do they screen the counselors on this list? Does the Mainland person answering the phone know the Hawaii counselors so they understand who would be the best fit for employees? If someone calls from Ewa Beach (or Kahului, Waimea, or Lihue…) would they know who the closest counselor is? Or would they ask an employee if they’re willing to drive from Kona to Honolulu to see a counselor? How will your employees react to being asked to spell "Hilo" or "Ewa" let alone trust that the person on the phone knows the resources and issues there?

(3) Are employees given a number of counselors and are they left to their own devices to call and make an appointment?

(4) Is there any follow-up to ensure their needs are met? Do their counselors provide up to two years of follow-up at no additional charge?

(5) Do you get any regular utilization reports?

(6) Is there any assessment of the employee’s situation before they are referred out?

(7) Is there a counselor available 24/7 that understands Hawaii resources, culture, and work issues?

(8) If your employees are given a counselor’s name and number, how soon are they able to get in with that counselor? What if they are on vacation or ill? Which would a private practice counselor prioritize – your employee or someone that’s willing to pay them more through their private practice?

(9) Are the counselors they refer to knowledgeable about EAP and about balancing the company’s needs with the employee’s needs? Most counselors that a “FREE EAP” refers to are in private practice and their goal is to support their private practice. (“Want to sue your company? You’ve got an advocate. Want to go out on disability? How can I help?”) EAP counselors know better how to handle the dual relationship between the EAP, the company, and the employee, and don’t help employees in ways that hurt a company.

MANAGEMENT CONSULTATION/COACHING

(10) Does the “FREE EAP” provide free management consultations so that all a manager who is struggling with an employee issue has to do is call?

(11) What about onsite consultations?

(12) What about higher-level executive coaching and consultations? What if your CEO or HR Director wants some advice about a restructuring, or a layoff, or a wellness program, or a new alcohol/drug policy? Would the CEO or HR Director need to seek mental health counseling to get assistance from the "FREE EAP"? 

(13) How much do these services cost on top of the “FREE EAP”?

(14) What if a manager is facing challenges with an employee situation? What kind of advice or consultation or coaching would the “FREE EAP” provide or would they just refer the manager to a counselor?

(15) Does the “FREE EAP” help with formal supervisory referrals? Is there any consultation provided to the manager or any information relayed back to the company about the employee’s progress, attendance, or referrals?

(16) If a manager needed suggestions or information to help a grieving employee, what would the “FREE EAP” do? What about an employee suicide? What about a robbery? What about absenteeism? What about a depressed employee?

CRITICAL INCIDENT RESPONSE

(17) We can tell you (and a number of companies can back up) how we would help your company on its worst day. What would the "FREE EAP" do in case of a trauma, a death, or a disaster?

(18) Does the “FREE EAP” have trained counselors readily available to meet your company’s needs?

(19) Or would the private practice counselors on their referral list have to wait until they had openings in their schedule and until it is convenient for them to help you out?

(20) How much does this service cost?

(21) Is the “FREE EAP” able to see emergency situations the same day?

PROMOTION

(22) WorkLife Hawaii distributes monthly, Hawaii-based newsletters, handouts, and flyers to continually remind employees of our services. How does the “FREE EAP” help promote itself to employees so utilization of services goes up? 

(23) If your company had a benefit fair, would the "FREE EAP" come to promote the EAP? How much does this cost? Who would represent and promote the EAP services?

TRAINING

(24) Most WorkLife Hawaii contracts include a number of training and orientation hours. Does the “FREE EAP” provide orientations to managers/supervisors and to all staff to help increase utilization of its services?

(25) Do they provide trainings on topics like Sexual Harassment or Drugs & Alcohol or Workplace Violence to help publicize EAP as well as help the company with compliance or training needs? Who would be providing these trainings? How much do they cost on top of your “FREE EAP”?

ALCOHOL & DRUGS

(26) WorkLife Hawaii staff are experts on drug and alcohol abuse and familiar with local resources. If an employee called the “FREE EAP,” do the Mainland counselors understand local resources and issues?

(27) Do the "FREE EAP" counselors have expertise with drug and alcohol issues and understand how these impact workplaces?

(28) Most SAP services are included in our EAP inclusive contracts and we have coverage throughout the Hawaiian islands. Does the “FREE EAP” provide SAP services or DOT-SAP services for employees that test positive for drugs and alcohol? Who are their SAP’s on the Hawaiian islands? How much does this cost?

(29) For SAP services, do they provide any case management services for employees who need this between the referral and the final report, including crisis management and drug and alcohol case management?

We believe there is a big difference between these “FREE EAP” services and the personalized, high quality, local EAP services provided by WorkLife Hawaii. We also believe our rates are affordable, and we can demonstrate a solid Return On Investment while we retain valuable employees, increase morale and performance, and ensure that your employees receive the help they need when they need it.

We haven’t seen a “FREE EAP” plan yet that provides the same ROI, as they are not able to help the company in the same way. Although they may help in one limited area (e.g. reduced disability claims), we can certainly help in the same area (just ask us!) WHILE we are serving the company with all the areas above at the same time. We would gladly partner with your company to meet whatever statistics they promise WHILE providing your employees with EAP services that they will actually use.

Our experience as the first EAP in Hawaii is that most Hawaii employees will not call a 1-800-MAINLAND number. Therefore, most Hawaii employees will not utilize services that a “FREE EAP” provides. That could be one of the reasons it’s free…. When employees don't use their EAP, employees suffer and businesses suffer as well.

One more thing to consider is something we have learned from two local companies who switched to a "FREE EAP" for a year. Most HR Directors talk about how they are used to being champions of EAP and fighting for it to stay in their annual budget as companies in this economy try to find creative ways of cutting back to survive. As one HR Director recently put it, "Shortly after my company decided to go with a 'FREE EAP' I knew it wasn't going to work. It actually ended up costing us more. When I told the company leadership I wanted to switch back, I realized the line item in my budget for EAP had disappeared. Imagine how challenging it was to add EAP back into my next budget..."

If you are interested in learning more about our services, please contact us. We would be happy to answer your questions and share how we might be different from a “FREE EAP”. Our only business is employee assistance, and we would welcome the opportunity of providing your company with affordable, quality, local EAP services that will actually be used, help your valuable employees, and contribute to your bottom line.