Offering an Employee Assistance Program The right EAP is good for employees--and for you.

By providing a program to help employees whose performances are being adversely affected by personal issues, you can increase productivity and reduce absenteeism and turnover. An employee assistance program can deliver a hefty ROI--but the wrong one can be a waste of time and money.

Some services EAPs provide include assessment and counseling, emergency intervention, referrals for long-term or specialized care, and substance abuse expertise. EAPs may also provide services to the company, such as employee orientation, policy development and management consultation.

"Your EAP should be customized to your company, and no two EAPs should be exactly alike," says John Maynard, CEO of the International EAP Association in Arlington, Virginia. "The EAP provider needs to understand your company, the issues you're facing and the culture of your organization."