EAP Treatment Impact on Presenteeism and Absenteeism: Implications for Return on Investment

Counseling Outcomes at a U.S. Department of Defense Employee Assistance Program

“…The results are generally consistent with results reported in other studies of the effectiveness of EAP counseling (e.g., Greenwood, DeWeese, & Inscoe, 2005;Harlow, 2005;Hargrave, Hiatt, Alexander, & Shaffer, 2008;Hargrave, Hiatt, Dannenbaum, & Shaffer, 2007;Lambert et al, 2004;McLeod, 2010;Nakao, Nishikitani, Shima, & Yano, 2007;Selvik, Stephenson, Plaza, & Sugden, 2004; see also Attridge et al, 2009, for a comprehensive review of EAP outcome measures).…”

EAP utilization patterns and employee absenteeism: Results of an empirical, 3-year longitudinal study in a national Canadian retail corporation.

“…Hargrave et al (2007) had EAP clients self-report absenteeism among other organizational outcome indicators and suggested that employees estimated that they would have missed, on average, an additional 1.86 and 2.60 days of work had they not been helped through the EAP treatment (Hargrave et al, 2008). Although subjective outcomes showed positive findings, a significant limitation of these studies is the risk of self-report and retrospective bias.…”

“…Although the reviewed studies did not show positive organizational outcomes from EAP, other more recent studies have demonstrated positive organizational impact as a result of EAP services (e.g., Hargrave et al, 2008;Hargrave, Hiatt, & Shaffer, 2007;Mulligan, 2007). Hargrave et al (2007) had EAP clients self-report absenteeism among other organizational outcome indicators and suggested that employees estimated that they would have missed, on average, an additional 1.86 and 2.60 days of work had they not been helped through the EAP treatment (Hargrave et al, 2008).…”

“…From the standpoint of adverse effects, research has established that emotional and personal problems have been associated with increases in absenteeism, tardiness, sick leave use, injuries on the job, and medical claims (Carr & Hellan, 1980). Many employers and EAP providers (e.g., Every & Leong, 1994;Greenwood et al, 2005;Hargrave, Hiatt, Alexander, & Shaffer, 2008;Petersen, 1972;Selvik et al, 2004) claim that EAP services are effective in reducing employees' emotional and personal problems and therefore assume that EAPs indirectly reduce absenteeism and disability. Despite these claims, however, few empirically sound studies have examined whether EAPs in fact have a positive impact on organizational-level outcome measures (Arthur, 2000;Courtois et al, 2004).…”

The future of HR is RH: Respect for humanity at work

“…EAPs and HPPs are not only useful for addressing problems once they occur; they can be used as preventive measures to increase employee health and wellness through exercise, healthy eating practices, and stress reduction programs (Conrad, 1988;Roman & Blum, 1988). Beyond the humanistic contribution these programs make to the betterment of employees' lives, EAPs create happier, healthier employees who are more likely to be productive and less likely to miss work (Hargrave, Hiatt, Alexander, & Shaffer, 2008).…”