Walter Scanlon, Program and Workplace Consultant

Employee Assistance Program

Walter Scanlon got hooked early on drugs and alcohol and spent a decade on the streets and in and out of hospitals and prisons. He turned his life around after joining Alcoholics Anonymous and earned a GED, a B.A. from Pace University, an M.B.A. from New York Institute of Technology, and finally a Ph.D. from Columbus University. As the owner of a successful consulting business, Walter does all kinds of writing: letters, proposals, presentations, e-mails, and memos. He has also published two books and numerous professional articles. In the paragraph below, Walter defines “employee assistance program” for a client.

The “employee assistance program” (EAP) is a confidential, early-intervention workplace counseling service designed to help employees who are experiencing personal problems. It is a social service within a work environment that can be found in most major corporations, associations, and government organizations. EAP services are always free to the employee and benefit the organization as much as the employee. Employees who are free of emotional problems are far more productive than those who are not. An employee whose productivity is negatively affected by a drinking problem, for example, might seek help through the EAP. He /she would be assessed by a counselor and then referred to an appropriate community resource for additional services. The employee is helped through the EAP while the employer is rewarded with improved productivity. An EAP is a win-win program for all involved.