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By Katharine N. Begley

Consider the 45-year old woman struggling to run her own business, keep up with a busy family life, and care for aging parents. Or, a 35-year old woman struggling to decide whether or not to stay in her marriage, or a 58-year old woman struggling through her first lonely holidays after the death of her husband.  

Many of us can identify with these situations, and some of us are living them! They are very different problems, but help, support, and maybe even a few solutions can come from the same resource – an employee assistance program or EAP.  These programs are often included as part of a health plan benefit package, and they offer resources to employees and their families to address the demands of work, life and personal issues.  When times are tough, these programs can offer anyone a real leg up on the problem.

For a small business owner, having employees perform at their very best is integral to the overall success of the business. An EAP can provide solutions for problems or issues employees face outside the office, helping them to focus more on their actual jobs when they are working.

Check your benefit plan offering – does it include an EAP?  If not, talk to your broker about the advantages of enhancing your benefit plan, often at no cost, with some of the following options:

• Family/life support, which can help with relationship issues or problems like coping with holiday stress

• Consultation to provide resources for issues such as depression, anxiety or an eating disorder

• Work-related resources to help employees prepare for a change in their jobs or to develop professionally

• Unlimited phone consultations for employers or managers with workplace-trained clinicians who can help employers deal with any complex employee issues that may come up.

While EAPs are primarily designed to help members on an individual basis, the positive impact from these programs can be seen by small business owners in a variety of ways.

First, by giving employees the resources to handle certain personal dilemmas, small business owners can help their employees manage work and personal issues before they become unmanageable problems. As a result, these small business owners can see improved productivity, as well as increased employee satisfaction and retention.

In addition, by giving employees access to a variety of resources that can help improve their health and well-being, employers will likely be able to better manage their health care costs.

At Aetna, we understand that employees are an incredibly important resource, and for many small businesses, they are the most important resource. A well-planned, diverse EAP can help solve a myriad of problems employees may be facing at work or at home, helping both small business owners and their employers to bounce back from life’s challenges and achieve an optimal level of performance.

Katharine N. Begley is President, Aetna Small Group, Northeast Region.  You can learn more about how Aetna can help your business by visiting http://www.aetna.com/plansandproducts/index.html

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