--- title: 7 Surprising Ways an EAP Helps with Work-Life Balance description: Substance abuse and marital problem help are well-known Employer Assistance Program benefits. 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- - - [whatsapp://send?text=https://blog.axcethr.com/7-surprising-ways-an-eap-helps-with-work-life-balance](whatsapp://send?text=https://blog.axcethr.com/7-surprising-ways-an-eap-helps-with-work-life-balance) - [mailto:?subject=7%20Surprising%20Ways%20an%20EAP%20Helps%20with%20Work-Life%20Balance&body=https://blog.axcethr.com/7-surprising-ways-an-eap-helps-with-work-life-balance](mailto:?subject=7%20Surprising%20Ways%20an%20EAP%20Helps%20with%20Work-Life%20Balance&body=https://blog.axcethr.com/7-surprising-ways-an-eap-helps-with-work-life-balance) ![EAP Employee Assistance Program Work Life Balance](https://blog.axcethr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/EAP%20Employee%20Assistance%20Program%20Work%20Life%20Balance.jpg?width=1200&name=EAP%20Employee%20Assistance%20Program%20Work%20Life%20Balance.jpg) People who work for companies that offer an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) are typically aware they can receive free, confidential help for things like substance abuse or marital problems. However, fewer are aware of other benefits offered by their employer’s EAP that can help them achieve better work-life balance. [Axcet HR Solutions](https://www.axcethr.com/why-axcet/) offers a free EAP benefit to all clients. Despite this, employers and employees alike remain unaware of the many lesser-known services that can help people achieve a greater sense of balance in their lives while supporting [employee wellness.](https://blog.axcethr.com/workplace-wellness) In this blog, we cover seven services included with our EAP that our small and mid-sized clients and their employees may not realize existed. **1.  Help with Everyday Tasks** We encourage all clients to investigate the convenience and concierge services offered through Axcet’s EAP benefit. Employees may feel like they should not use an EAP for things like booking a vacation or finding a plumber, but EAP providers understand they are busy people and want to help. The upside is that having someone else handle these routine tasks reduces employee stress levels and allows them to focus better on their work. **2.  Saving and Budgeting** Creating and living on a budget is not always easy, especially for younger employees who may have only recently left their parents’ home and are now working their first full-time job. By connecting with an EAP, younger workers can learn the basics of budgeting, saving, and investing. Workers who have been on the job for a while can receive assistance with such things as saving for a home improvement project, their kids’ college fund, or retirement. **3.  Relocation** Employees who relocate for work face a lot of changes all at once. From figuring out how to enroll their kids in school to locating service providers like auto repair shops and veterinarians, EAP relocation specialists can help. Not having to focus on these things makes it easier for employees to feel at home in their new town and settle into their position with the company. **4.  Retirement Concerns** Employees who are nearing retirement age can receive free assistance from an EAP to ensure the transition goes as smoothly as possible. For example, an EAP counselor can help retiring employees with the following: - Signing up for Medicare - Deciding whether to downsize and recommending retirement communities for those who have decided to sell their home. - Estate planning - Budgeting after retirement - Provide information on how to access money in retirement accounts and the tax ramifications of various decisions. 5.  Parenting and Caregiving Support Employees in the sandwich generation face significant stress. This term defines people who have primary responsibility for dependent children and aging parents at the same time. Connecting with an EAP helps employees find support for both their parenting and caregiving roles, such as home care services for senior parents or college options for their children. [Related: What Employers Should Know About Working Caregivers During COVID \>\>](https://blog.axcethr.com/what-employers-should-know-about-working-caregivers-during-covid) **6.  Identity Theft Prevention and Recovery** Identity theft is becoming an all-too-common reality for millions of people every year. While preventing it from happening in the first place is ideal, employees need support to put their financial life back together when identity theft happens to them. An EAP advisor can provide employees with resources about credit monitoring, online safety, filing a police report, and related topics. **7.  Grief and Loss** People who spend 40 hours a week together for years can grow closer to each other than their own family members. When another employee suddenly dies, it can be overwhelming for those left to carry on without that person. People who have lost a family member, whether they anticipated the death or it happened suddenly, can also benefit from grief counseling. Having multiple employees face a crisis at the same time can be difficult for any organization. One common example is a natural disaster displacing dozens of workers at once. A trained counselor from our EAP is available to lend a listening ear and provide employees with resources they may not have the time or know-how to locate on their own. [Related - Words of Comfort: How to Support a Grieving Employee \>\>](https://blog.axcethr.com/words-of-comfort-how-to-support-a-grieving-employee) **EAPs are Still Chronically Underutilized** Even with the COVID-19 pandemic, far too many people do not realize that their employer even offers an EAP. Those that do know about the service may fear a breach of confidentiality or feel skeptical about their employer offering the benefit at no cost. Whatever the reason employees do not use this valuable service, small and mid-sized business owners can increase usage by engaging in a few simple actions. Some employers inform new employees about the EAP benefit during onboarding and then never mention it again. To encourage usage and better work-life balance, employers should consider promoting the EAP throughout the year. They need to let employees know the service is free, confidential, and typically available 24 hours a day. Be sure to provide employees with the EAP website address where they can find an entire resource section devoted to work-life balance. When employees are brave enough to tell their manager that they are struggling with personal issues that impact their work performance or [employee mental health](https://blog.axcethr.com/employee-mental-health), having EAP information readily available sends the message that the employer cares. Employers should be certain to communicate that the company never receives any personal identifying information, only numbers of how many employees use the service each month. [![How to support your workforce with an Employee Assistance Program](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2652187/interactive-210461738574.png)](https://blog.axcethr.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLJCf0Bvm0uh%2F4EhV0h2x4O71Naw%2F9z0tJmuWnAJc%2FAWKIyO6ARggJNK7%2FZqKj65buDByhpHhTcaq91mW3aU0AzZD6B3G8%2F%2FP98%2FMAR%2BjtWLbj%2B5BGOSJIDdO83UJj0f9DOPIMyMqNMoM1k%2FENsmZiZugdbbS6EuawxnEk8hGOmE2HNTA51EajOIr6h7eNqnuTdUrtFKbpRzKEHnUN9eEGppgTDvHzcE2nzbVAgCEb7Ybsp5QM8izOQ0NG4tJPlZ%2FZMyc1hcog%3D%3D&webInteractiveContentId=210461738574&portalId=2652187) ## **Support Your Team with Benefits That Truly Matter** An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is more than a workplace perk—it’s a powerful tool for improving employee well-being, reducing stress, and fostering a healthier work-life balance. Axcet HR Solutions helps small and mid-sized businesses implement comprehensive EAPs that support both individual employees and overall organizational performance. 👉 [Learn more about Axcet’s Employee Benefits Services](https://www.axcethr.com/services/employee-benefits/employee-benefits-details/) and discover how an EAP can strengthen your workforce and your bottom line. [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2652187/a32596fb-7822-4c00-b63b-2b0aae9c6020.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2652187/a32596fb-7822-4c00-b63b-2b0aae9c6020) [![Jeanette Coleman, SPHR & SHRM-SCP](https://blog.axcethr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Jeanette-04.jpg?width=80&height=80&name=Jeanette-04.jpg)](https://blog.axcethr.com/author/jeanette-coleman) Written by #### [Jeanette Coleman, SPHR & SHRM-SCP](https://blog.axcethr.com/author/jeanette-coleman) Jeanette Coleman, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is the Director of Human Resources at Axcet HR Solutions, where she has contributed her expertise for over 21 years. As a leader in the HR industry, she holds advanced certifications as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and SHRM-Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). Jeanette oversees HR strategy and operations, ensuring Axcet delivers exceptional HR services that help small and mid-sized businesses stay compliant and grow. With a Master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Keller Graduate School and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Kansas State University, Jeanette is well-equipped to lead and support clients in navigating complex HR challenges. Throughout her 15-year tenure as Director of Human Resources, she has been instrumental in positioning Axcet as the Midwest’s largest and premier Professional Employer Organization (PEO). Her previous roles at Axcet include Director of Employee Benefits and Senior HR Consultant, where she gained extensive experience in HR outsourcing, and employee risk management. Jeanette’s expertise has been recognized through industry and regional publications. She co-authored the article “High-Touch in the Age of High-Tech: How PEOs Can Embrace AI Without Losing Their Humanity” (https://peoinsider.org/articles/high-touch-in-the-age-of-high-tech-how-peos-can-embrace-ai-without-losing-their-humanity/) for PEO Insider (March 2026), alongside Jo McClure, and was featured in Ingram’s Magazine in a Q&A (https://ingrams.com/article/qa-with-jeanette-coleman/) discussing generational change, technology, and workplace culture. These contributions reflect her perspective on balancing innovation with the human side of HR. Jeanette’s leadership reflects her deep commitment to helping businesses thrive through strategic, compliance-driven HR solutions. Through her writing, she shares insights on HR strategy, compliance, and best practices to help employers confidently manage their workforce. Published in: PEO Insider and Ingram's Read more [View all posts →](https://blog.axcethr.com/author/jeanette-coleman) ### Get HR Updates ### Table of Contents #### [How a PEO Helps Reduce Your Small Business Liability ![Jo McClure Axcet HR Solutions Director of Payroll Administration Kansas City](https://blog.axcethr.com/hubfs/Axcet%20HR%20Solutions%20Jo%20McClure%20Director%20of%20Payroll.jpg)](https://blog.axcethr.com/how-a-peo-helps-reduce-your-small-business-liability) #### [![vaccine mandate and testing requirement for businesses with 100 or more employees](https://blog.axcethr.com/hubfs/Vaccine%20Mandate%20for%20Businesses%20with%20100%20or%20more%20employees.jpg) Biden Announces Vaccine Mandate; Affects 80M Private-Sector Employees](https://blog.axcethr.com/biden-announces-vaccine-mandate-affects-80m-private-sector-employees) ## Let us know what you think... ![AxcetHR Blog](https://blog.axcethr.com/hubfs/AxcetHR2021%20Blog/axcethr_logo_white%20(1).png) - [Why Axcet](https://www.axcethr.com/why-axcet/) - [What We Stand For](https://www.axcethr.com/about-us/what-we-stand-for/) - [Expertise](https://www.axcethr.com/expertise/) - [Employee Benefits](https://www.axcethr.com/services/employee-benefits/) - [Human Resources](https://www.axcethr.com/services/human-resources/) - [Payroll Services](https://www.axcethr.com/services/payroll-and-tax-administration-services/) - [Risk Management](https://www.axcethr.com/services/workers-comp-and-employee-safety-risk-management/) - [Meet the Team](https://www.axcethr.com/about-us/meet-the-team/) - [Subscribe to Latest Resources](https://www.axcethr.com/subscribe-to-the-latest-resources/) - [Resource Library](https://www.axcethr.com/expertise/resource-library/) - [\[ Client Portal \]](https://www.axcethr.com/client-services/) - - - - - Search for: Copyright © 2023 Axcet HR Solutions – Kansas City's PEO Since 1988 | [Privacy Policy](https://www.axcethr.com/privacy-policy/) | [Terms and Conditions](https://www.axcethr.com/terms-conditions/) | [**Join our Team – Careers »**](https://axcethrsolutions.prismhr-hire.com/) 10975 Grandview Drive Suite 200, Corporate Woods Building 27, Overland Park, KS 66210 | Call us: 913-383-2999 *The IRS does not endorse any particular For more information on [certified professional employer organizations](https://www.axcethr.com/why-axcet/certified-peo/), go to [www.irs.gov](https://www.irs.gov).* Remove cookies ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Jeanette Coleman, SPHR & SHRM-SCP", "url" : "https://blog.axcethr.com/author/jeanette-coleman" }, "dateModified" : "2026-08-20T20:36:53.742Z", "datePublished" : "2021-09-15T17:07:01.000Z", "headline" : "7 Surprising Ways an EAP Helps with Work-Life Balance", "image" : [ "https://blog.axcethr.com/hubfs/7%20ways%20an%20EAP%20helps%20with%20work%20life%20balance.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.axcethr.com/7-surprising-ways-an-eap-helps-with-work-life-balance", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.axcethr.com/hubfs/_logo_axcethr_primary.png" }, "name" : "Axcet HR Solutions" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://www.axcethr.com/#organization", "@type" : "Organization", "address" : { "@type" : "PostalAddress", "addressCountry" : "US", "addressLocality" : "Kansas City", "addressRegion" : "MO" }, "aggregateRating" : { "@type" : "AggregateRating", "bestRating" : "5", "ratingValue" : "5", "reviewCount" : "100" }, "areaServed" : { "@type" : "Country", "name" : "United States" }, "award" : [ "IRS Certified Professional Employer Organization (CPEO)", "Award-Winning HR Solutions Provider", "SHRM Certified HR Professionals", "HRCI Certified HR Professionals" ], "contactPoint" : { "@type" : "ContactPoint", "areaServed" : "US", "availableLanguage" : "English", "contactType" : "Customer Service" }, "description" : "Award-winning Professional Employer Organization (PEO) providing comprehensive HR solutions, payroll services, employee benefits, and risk management to small and mid-sized businesses. 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However, fewer are aware of other benefits offered by their employer’s EAP that can help them achieve better work-life balance. Axcet HR Solutions offers a free EAP benefit to all clients. Despite this, employers and employees alike remain unaware of the many lesser-known services that can help people achieve a greater sense of balance in their lives while supporting employee wellness. In this blog, we cover seven services included with our EAP that our small and mid-sized clients and their employees may not realize existed. 1. Help with Everyday Tasks We encourage all clients to investigate the convenience and concierge services offered through Axcet’s EAP benefit. Employees may feel like they should not use an EAP for things like booking a vacation or finding a plumber, but EAP providers understand they are busy people and want to help. The upside is that having someone else handle these routine tasks reduces employee stress levels and allows them to focus better on their work. 2. Saving and Budgeting Creating and living on a budget is not always easy, especially for younger employees who may have only recently left their parents’ home and are now working their first full-time job. By connecting with an EAP, younger workers can learn the basics of budgeting, saving, and investing. Workers who have been on the job for a while can receive assistance with such things as saving for a home improvement project, their kids’ college fund, or retirement. 3. Relocation Employees who relocate for work face a lot of changes all at once. From figuring out how to enroll their kids in school to locating service providers like auto repair shops and veterinarians, EAP relocation specialists can help. Not having to focus on these things makes it easier for employees to feel at home in their new town and settle into their position with the company. 4. Retirement Concerns Employees who are nearing retirement age can receive free assistance from an EAP to ensure the transition goes as smoothly as possible. For example, an EAP counselor can help retiring employees with the following: Signing up for Medicare Deciding whether to downsize and recommending retirement communities for those who have decided to sell their home. Estate planning Budgeting after retirement Provide information on how to access money in retirement accounts and the tax ramifications of various decisions. 5. Parenting and Caregiving Support Employees in the sandwich generation face significant stress. This term defines people who have primary responsibility for dependent children and aging parents at the same time. Connecting with an EAP helps employees find support for both their parenting and caregiving roles, such as home care services for senior parents or college options for their children. Related: What Employers Should Know About Working Caregivers During COVID >> 6. Identity Theft Prevention and Recovery Identity theft is becoming an all-too-common reality for millions of people every year. While preventing it from happening in the first place is ideal, employees need support to put their financial life back together when identity theft happens to them. An EAP advisor can provide employees with resources about credit monitoring, online safety, filing a police report, and related topics. 7. Grief and Loss People who spend 40 hours a week together for years can grow closer to each other than their own family members. When another employee suddenly dies, it can be overwhelming for those left to carry on without that person. People who have lost a family member, whether they anticipated the death or it happened suddenly, can also benefit from grief counseling. Having multiple employees face a crisis at the same time can be difficult for any organization. One common example is a natural disaster displacing dozens of workers at once. A trained counselor from our EAP is available to lend a listening ear and provide employees with resources they may not have the time or know-how to locate on their own. Related - Words of Comfort: How to Support a Grieving Employee >> EAPs are Still Chronically Underutilized Even with the COVID-19 pandemic, far too many people do not realize that their employer even offers an EAP. Those that do know about the service may fear a breach of confidentiality or feel skeptical about their employer offering the benefit at no cost. Whatever the reason employees do not use this valuable service, small and mid-sized business owners can increase usage by engaging in a few simple actions. Some employers inform new employees about the EAP benefit during onboarding and then never mention it again. To encourage usage and better work-life balance, employers should consider promoting the EAP throughout the year. They need to let employees know the service is free, confidential, and typically available 24 hours a day. Be sure to provide employees with the EAP website address where they can find an entire resource section devoted to work-life balance. When employees are brave enough to tell their manager that they are struggling with personal issues that impact their work performance or employee mental health, having EAP information readily available sends the message that the employer cares. Employers should be certain to communicate that the company never receives any personal identifying information, only numbers of how many employees use the service each month. Support Your Team with Benefits That Truly Matter An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is more than a workplace perk—it’s a powerful tool for improving employee well-being, reducing stress, and fostering a healthier work-life balance. Axcet HR Solutions helps small and mid-sized businesses implement comprehensive EAPs that support both individual employees and overall organizational performance. 👉 Learn more about Axcet’s Employee Benefits Services and discover how an EAP can strengthen your workforce and your bottom line.", "author" : { "@id" : "https://blog.axcethr.com/author/jeanette-coleman#author", "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Jeanette Coleman, SPHR & SHRM-SCP", "url" : "https://blog.axcethr.com/author/jeanette-coleman" }, "dateCreated" : "2021-09-15", "dateModified" : "2026-08-20", "datePublished" : "2021-09-15", "description" : "People who work for companies that offer an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) are typically aware they can receive free, confidential help for things like substance abuse or marital problems. However, fewer are aware of other benefits offered by their employer’s EAP that can help them achieve better work-life balance. 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