Companies that offer resources to support their employees’ physical and mental well-being can help avoid burnout, manage stress, and create a productive work environment. Employee assistance programs (EAPs) are work-based programs that help employees resolve issues they're facing in their personal lives. These free and confidential services offer employees space to tackle problems that may impact their job performance.
There’s no one-size-fits-all EAP. Some are designed to address financial problems, while others focus on addiction treatment and recovery. The ultimate goal of these EAPs is to provide the emotional support an employee needs during difficult times. If you believe your workplace can benefit from an EAP, here are a few vendors to explore.
Ginger
Ginger offers behavioral health coaching, therapy, psychiatry, and self-care resources via text. Users can chat with a coach—someone with a graduate degree in psychology or a related field, and/or a coaching certification—on demand, anytime. The app claims that 76% of members have used Ginger outside of standard nine-to-five business hours. The entire exchange is private and convenient, conducted via the app. Alternatively, members can schedule regular therapy sessions or make use of meditation sessions or brief tutorials as needed.
Ginger claims to save employers up to $300,000 per 100 engaged employees as compared to the traditional model of mental health care. Learn more about Ginger’s EAP here.
[Read more: How to Offer an Employee Assistance Program for Small Businesses]
Talkspace
Talkspace, like Ginger, offers an app available via desktop or mobile so that employees can connect directly with licensed clinicians. Talkspace offers mental health support including therapy, medication, assessment, healthy living support, and self-help tools. Users start with a brief assessment, get matched with a provider within 48 hours, and can start exchanging daily messages and scheduled video sessions.
Talkspace uses a proprietary tool, Talkspace Precision Therapy, to manage each individual’s diagnosis and treatment plan. This machine learning algorithm is used to provide the Talkspace clinicians with insights on patient needs and behaviors, enabling them to suggest techniques most likely to maximize clinical outcomes. Talkspace claims to help companies capture a 36% increase in productivity.
There’s no one-size-fits-all EAP. Some are designed to address financial problems, while others focus on addiction treatment and recovery.
Lyra
Lyra offers a comprehensive range of services, from medication management to critical incident support to manager training. It boasts a massive network of available support, with 20,000 providers in 200+ countries and territories—equipped to support 60+ unique care needs through culturally responsive, localized care. Employees can take advantage of guided self-care, coaching, therapy, medication and more.
Thrive
Thrive is specifically designed with small businesses in mind. This company’s EAP services include assessment, counseling, consultation, and referral to employees with personal and/or work-related issues, including legal issues, office conflicts, and even alcohol and substance use disorders. Through Thrive, employees can connect with a behavioral health specialist 24/7. Unlike some of the other partners on this list, Thrive also offers assistance with legal and financial issues such as credit counseling, debt and budgeting assistance, and tax planning.
Thrive’s pricing starts at $240 per year for companies with two to five employees.
[Read more: 7 Health and Wellness Benefits You Can Offer Part-Time Employees]
Ulliance
Ulliance has more than 30 years experience designing and providing EAPs and offers tons of resources to help you get started. Their EAP Resources page guides you through the process of assessing different EAP providers, including what questions to ask, types of EAPs, and an ROI calculator to help you determine if the cost will justify the savings in employee productivity. Ulliance claims its EAP has double the national rate of participation, meaning that it can pay for itself over time.
BetterHelp
BetterHelp is designed to work with big brands like Noom and Teach for America as well as companies with five employees. Through BetterHelp’s EAP, employees can get matched with a licensed therapist and access help through unlimited messages, plus a live weekly session. BetterHelp also offers digital tools including a journal, goal tracking, and worksheets to help employees measure their progress.
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