eap, work/life & wellness benefit delivery system models eapa chesepeake chapter, md september...

EAP, Work/Life & Wellness

Benefit Delivery System Models

EAPA Chesepeake Chapter, MDSeptember 1. 2011

Is Integration of Services an Effective Model in Today’s Marketplace

Patricia A. Herlihy Ph.D, R.N


“Life will never be easy or perfectible

or completely predictable.

It will be best understood backward,

but we have to live it forward.

To make it livable at all levels we have to learn to use the paradoxes to balance contradictions

and inconsistencies -

as an invitation to find a better way”

Charles Handy, 1994

ParadoxesParadoxes


International Survey of EAP, W/L and Wellness Vendors (2002)

Related ResearchRelated Research

National Survey of EAP & W/L Professionals (2000)

National Survey of EAP and W/L programs (1993)

Longitudinal Study of EAP, W/L and Wellness Programs (1990- 2008)


DefinitionsDefinitions

EAPs - set of professional services specifically designed to improve and/or maintain the productivity and healthy functioning of the workplace and to address a work organization particular business needs (EAPA 2011)

Work Life - A business strategy based on the knowledge that active support for employee success at work AND at home yields bottom line benefits for all stakeholders (AWLP 2011)

Wellness - A state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively, and is able is make a contribution to his or her family and community" (World Health Organization, 2007)


Variations in Delivery ModelsVariations in Delivery Models


Concept of IntegrationConcept of Integration

Quality of the state of collaboration

that exists among departments required to achieve unity of effort by

the demands of the environment

(Lawrence & Lorsch, 1967)


Corporate culture Corporate culture A key indicator for collaboration of efforts in

designing benefit delivery services

National Survey of EAP & Work Life Programs National Survey of EAP & Work Life Programs (1993)

10% of respondents reported being integrated

75% of the respondents viewed EAP and Work Family Programs as separate programs


Changes in Integration over TimeChanges in Integration over Time


Comparison of Findings Comparison of Findings 1993 & 20081993 & 2008

SSEERRVVIICCEESS

EAP & Work/Life collaborate more often

Integration defined differently and more broadly

Wellness push by Unions

Internal EAPs (18%) reported the least integration


End Users/ End Users/ EmployeesEmployees

EAPEAP Work/LifeWork/Life

WellnessWellness

Wellness - New Piece of PuzzleWellness - New Piece of Puzzle


(National Average : 7% in private -38% Gov)

Unions Role in Delivery ModelsUnions Role in Delivery Models

Several companies roll out new products to Union first for approval - then to general employee population

Some respondents reported tension between what Union versus non-union employees receive

46% of Sample in 2008 Study had unions

Majority of companies report unions are supportive of all three services


Summary Findings - 2008Summary Findings - 2008

43% of Companies interviewed (08) still on Working Mother’s Best 100 Companies

47% of Companies with either 2 or 3 services integrated - use one vendor


Variations of ModelsVariations of Models

Internal EAPs*18%

EAP & W/L62%

EAP & Wellness23%

W/L & Wellness15%

* Internal EAPs in this sample did not facilitate an integrative model of service delivery


Major Umbrella overseeing 6 employee benefit services (ie Diversity, Disease Management, and Disability)

Emerging ModelsEmerging Models

Higher level Strategic Team overseeing all employee benefit services

Health & Productivity- measure their demographic, participation & outcome metrics - using to measure integration of all the employee services


Impressive resiliency of these programs

Michigan Study -Research Observations Michigan Study -Research Observations

Questions about the future: Will these three programs Questions about the future: Will these three programs continue or morph into a new service?continue or morph into a new service?

Increasing move to design Targeted Programs for specific populations (ie: Parents of Disabled children)

Move to outsource services as method of decreasing costs including Human Relations Services

Creative models of collaboration at administrative & functional levels


Natural Disasters: 9/11, Katrina, Ike, blizzards, flooding etc

Factors Supporting IntegrationFactors Supporting Integration

Union support for better quality services

Simplification of Administration operations

Campus Wide Crises: school shootings, meningitis outbreaks, alcohol related deaths, terrorism threats, etc.


Multiple Vendors and wanting tighter control

Barriers to Integration ModelBarriers to Integration Model

Corporate Culture of Decentralization ingrained over time

Confidentiality Concerns - Major Stumbling Block

New Administration not focused on Employee Services due

to other more pressing business concerns

Concern about decrease in Quality of Services if integrated

Legal Issues in terms of working with spouse and/or dependent


Low Touch vs High TouchLow Touch vs High TouchHigh Touch:High Touch:

Phone calls Conferences Meetings

Websites Posters Brochures

Low Touch:Low Touch:


Cost Benefit Analysis

Research Interest from RespondentsResearch Interest from Respondents

Models for providing these services globally

How have other companies sustained interest in these programs in difficult financial market

Demonstrate Effectiveness of Integrated Model

How to measure impact of programs on productivity

Demographics - prepare for the Aging Workforce while still providing services for younger workers


Current Trends Current Trends


One Size Does Not Fit All!!!

Major Lesson LearnedMajor Lesson Learned

eap, work/life & wellness benefit delivery system models eapa chesepeake chapter, md september...

Documents

wellness programs

wellness vendors

longitudinal study of

worklife wellness life

wl programs

n slide

todays marketplace patricia

herlihy ph