When employees are faced with personal and professional crises, having an avenue for support can greatly impact their ability to remain present and productive at work. Over the years, employee assistance programs have been leveraged as the solution. In fact, it is estimated that over 70% of U.S. companies currently offer an EAP. These programs can provide employees with referrals for an assortment of care needs in a secure, private environment, but as the workforce changes and the needs of employees evolve, will an EAP be enough?
In many cases, employees reaching out to their EAP for support aren’t afforded a personalized experience that follows them through their care journey. Instead, they are often offered singular resources based on direct asks from employees, meant to provide short-term support. This leaves much of the research in the hands of the employee without the guidance to fully navigate the circumstances of their care situation. Without dedicated support that can be adapted to the unique circumstances of each individual’s needs, employees can find themselves with more questions than answers. Consequently, the national average for EAP utilization continues to linger well below 10% despite the growing needs of employees.
Caregiver support solutions like Cariloop fill in the gaps left by EAPs, providing comprehensive solutions to employees throughout their caregiving journeys. Here’s a list that breaks down some of the main differences between a caregiver support benefit and an EAP:
Ease of use
With an EAP, employees often find themselves sifting through various phone numbers, websites and other contacts before arriving at the help they need. Cariloop offers a secure online platform where an employee can easily see their case’s progression, communicate with their dedicated Care Coach, refer back to documents and navigate their care journey. This streamlined approach reduces the stress and anxiety that can arise when communicating a need for support.
Research
While both benefits connect employees with care resources and referrals to service providers, Cariloop’s caregiver support benefit goes the extra mile—searching and thoroughly vetting resources to fit an employee’s unique circumstances. Unlike EAPs, which tend to rely on affiliated providers that may not be the best solution to an employee’s needs, Cariloop ensures that every resource is tailored to fit the employee’s specific situation. This includes taking into account location, finances, insurance benefits, available support networks and other factors. Cariloop explores every available option to help employees make informed decisions about their care.
Freedom to define family
With EAP benefits, there are limitations on who the benefit extends to beyond the employee—often only covering spouses, children, and in some cases, non-marital living partners. When using Cariloop’s caregiver support benefit, employees are empowered to define for themselves who they call family. They can create cases for children, spouses, aging parents, friends, neighbors and anyone else they consider a loved one.
One-on-one support
Sometimes employees find themselves in need of support at critical moments. Both an EAP and a caregiver support benefit can provide guidance in times of crisis, but only a caregiver support benefit will provide prolonged one-on-one support with an experienced professional, dedicated to that employee’s care journey. Cariloop’s qualified Care Coaches guide employees through their care journeys with concierge support that fits their needs.
For a detailed side-by-side comparison, review our Cariloop vs EAP flyer.