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UPFRONT
EMPLOYERS SEE ROI WHEN
HELPING EMPLOYEES DEAL
WITH PERSONAL AND
EMOTIONAL ISSUES
A study conducted by the Morneau
Shepell research group found that every
$1 invested in an employee and family assistance
program (EFAP) translates into a
return on investment of $8.70 through a
combination of improved productivity at
work and less time away from work.
“One of the most critical factors for
business success is employee productivity:
it impacts an organization’s bottom line,”
said Paula Allen, vice president of research
and integrative solutions at Morneau
Shepell.
The Return on Investment for Employee
and Family Assistance Programs is the largest
Canadian study to assess the impact of
employee and family assistance programs
on employees and their productivity. It is
based on data collected from 80,000 cases
in Canada of Morneau Shepell’s EFAP,
the largest program in the country.
EFAP users completed a questionnaire at
their first EFAP session after seeking help
and another questionnaire at their last EFAP
session, providing information on changes in
productivity or absenteeism at work.
■■ 63 per cent of employees said their
productivity at work had been negatively
impacted in the four weeks before they
contacted their EFAP because of the
issue that led to them calling.
■■ Employees seeking help through their
EFAP recorded a 35.9 per cent increase
in productivity at work, compared to their
productivity just before seeking help.
■■ Employees using their EFAP recorded
less time away from work after getting
help through the EFAP.
■■ 46 per cent of employees reaching out to
the EFAP said they would have lost time
from work were it not for the support
they received through the EFAP. In
addition, one-third of those employees
also said they would have been off work
for more than 20 days were it not for the
support they received through the EFAP.
“An EFAP is a highly cost-effective and
easy-to-implement step for an organization
seeking to support its employees and protect
the company’s productivity,” said Allen.
THE COSTLIEST PART OF A BAD
HIRE ISN’T WHAT YOU THINK
As expensive as it is to replace a bad hire,
the money isn’t what concerns employers
most. In a Robert Half survey, chief financial
officers (CFOs) said the single greatest
impact of a poor hiring decision is lower
staff morale (41 per cent), followed closely
by lost productivity. Monetary costs came
in third.
The survey was developed by Robert
Half, the world’s first and largest specialized
staffing firm, and conducted by an
independent research firm. The survey is
based on interviews with more than 270
CFOs from a random sample of Canadian
companies.
CFOs were asked, “Which one of the
following, in your opinion, is the single
greatest impact of a bad hiring decision?”
Their responses:
Lower staff morale 41%
Lost productivity 34%
Monetary cost 19%
Other/don’t know 6%
ONE-THIRD OF THOSE
EMPLOYEES ALSO SAID
THEY WOULD HAVE
BEEN OFF WORK FOR
MORE THAN 20 DAYS
WERE IT NOT FOR THE
SUPPORT THEY RECEIVED
THROUGH THE EFAP.
HRPATODAY.CA ❚ MARCH/APRIL 2015 ❚ 7