Clinically reviewed by Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA, Chief Clinical Officer, Calm
TL;DR
- Nearly all employers rely on EAPs as the foundation of workforce mental health benefits strategies.
- Although EAPs have been proven effective for people struggling with anxiety and depression, few employees are using them due to a variety of barriers.
- Calm Health, a digital mental wellness app, combats barriers, helping drive utilization of EAPs and other mental health benefits.
When it comes to the EAP, contradictions abound. Nearly every employer offers EAP services because they’ve been proven to help people and to help control escalating mental healthcare costs.
Yet very few employees use their EAP, and many continue to struggle with stress, burnout, anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges. In fact, more than half of workers (52%) wish their employers would offer mental health support, according to a survey of more than 17,000 workers.
Clearly, to close this gap, organizations need a new approach.
Studies show EAPs help many people and deliver a positive return on investment
Nearly all organizations rely on an EAP as the foundation of their workforce mental health strategy. More than 80% of all employers now offer EAP services, according to SHRM, and among large employers (>5,000 employees), 90% offer EAP services to employees in all or most countries. The remaining 10% offer them to employees in at least some countries.
An EAP is a sound strategy, research shows. A 2025 study by CuraLinc Healthcare found that 79% of users at clinical risk for anxiety or depression experienced less distress within 30 days of EAP engagement. The same study showed a $5.39 return for every $1 invested in EAPs by an average employer. The positive return reflects a number of factors, including
- The offset of outpatient mental health visits and prevention of long-term mental health treatment costs;
- Improved employee productivity from reduced absenteeism and presenteeism; and
- Less employee turnover.
But EAP utilization is low, and many employees are struggling
Despite these positive results, the median rate of EAP utilization remains at 5.5% and employees continue to struggle with mental health challenges. A survey of 17,000 adults across 16 countries revealed the following:
- 32% of the population is experiencing mental health issues, a rate that’s been consistent since 2023.
- 44% of young adults currently report having mental health issues.
- Mental health is the leading cause of long-term sick leave, and 42% of young adults report having taken a leave for a mental health condition in the past year.
As employees grapple with emotional and mental health challenges, their engagement is likely to suffer. Indeed, according to Gallup’s 2025 State of the Global Workplace report, employee engagement fell to just 21% in 2024, only the second decline in the past 12 years.
Employers are expanding and modernizing their EAPs
To try to support more employees through the EAP, many employers are transitioning from a traditional to a modern or “enhanced” EAP. According to the Business Group on Health, 32% of large employers now offer an enhanced EAP to employees in most or all countries, and 12% offer one in at least some countries.
A traditional EAP typically provides assessments, a specified number of free counseling sessions, and referrals for additional services.
Enhanced EAPs can offer a wide range of new features, including more curated provider networks, a digital front door instead of phone-based entry, on-the-spot telephonic counseling, community sessions, health assessments, personalized treatment plans, help scheduling therapy appointments, critical incident care, certified coaching, education programs, online trainings, and tips for improving mental health.
But barriers to EAP utilization persist
Despite the extensive features of newer EAPs, three major barriers to utilization persist:
- Modern EAPs don’t target their support to the mental health needs of the majority of employees.
- There’s still a stigma associated with using an EAP.
- Employees may never discover their EAP’s new features because they don’t know how to find it when they need it.
Calm Health, a digital mental health app, addresses each of these barriers head-on, helping more employees get timely and appropriate mental health support, whether from an EAP or other available resources.
Most employees may not need EAP services
First, an EAP might not be the best resource for a typical organization’s workforce. Research shows that an estimated 24% of employees need counseling, and only about 1% of those people need clinical intervention. For this population, a traditional EAP is an appropriate solution, and modern EAPs an even better one.
But an estimated 75% of employees don’t need counseling, psychotherapy, or clinical intervention. Instead, they need access to evidence-based mental health tools that can support them when they’re experiencing stress, anxiousness, sleep issues, and other mild challenges, before these issues become chronic and escalate to more serious health conditions.
For instance, when someone’s wrestling with sleeplessness at 2 a.m., they typically can’t pick up the phone to call a therapist—but they might benefit from a digital program that gently guides them back to sleep. An employee panicking minutes before a big presentation probably won’t seek out educational materials or try to reach a coach. But they might take a minute to use a breathing exercise or listen to soundscapes or music to relax and refocus.
Calm Health delivers practical, accessible mental health support
A majority of employees want and expect practical, accessible mental health support from their employers. Nearly 70% of Gen Zers say employers should help them take care of their stress and anxiousness, according to Calm research. Yet less than 40% of business leaders say their organizations offer tools that support employees with stress, anxiousness, and sleep issues.
Calm Health offers an extensive library of digital, evidence-based programs developed by psychologists for stress, anxiety, depression, burnout, grief, loneliness, and other mental health challenges. Employees can also find a wide range of mindfulness content, including Sleep Stories, soundscapes, music for focus, wisdom, meditations, and breathing exercises. These tools are easy to access via smartphone or browser whenever support is needed.
Stigma keeps many employees from using their EAP
Studies have shown that many employees, especially men, won’t access an EAP because of the stigma attached to mental health and to receiving help generally or EAP counseling services specifically.
By offering employees a different path for engaging with their mental health, organizations can combat the stigma barrier.
According to the Business Group on Health’s mental health strategy guide, programs that are designed to promote mental health and well-being can engage more employees because they avoid the stigma attached to specific mental health labels. These broader interventions can serve as a gateway to deeper mental health support.
Calm Health offers mental health support without the stigma
For example, Calm Health’s Sleep Stories or programs for stress and mild anxiety can serve as an initial point of support for mental health. Backed by a well-known and trusted brand, Calm Health programs can engage employees in their mental health and serve as an entry point to the EAP and other resources.
Employees have trouble finding and accessing their EAP
Navigation is a significant barrier to EAP utilization. In fact, half of employees don’t have a good awareness or understanding of their employer’s health and benefits offerings, according to a One Medical study.
Calm Health can help employees navigate to their EAP
Calm Health helps employees find and access their organization’s EAP. With Calm Health, employees are invited to complete a mental health screening for possible symptoms of anxiety and depression. If a person’s screening results suggest they may have symptoms of moderate or severe anxiety or depression, they are guided to find a therapist or take advantage of available mental health resources, such as the organization’s EAP. Employers can configure Calm Health to include a link to their EAP in the app.
Calm Health is designed to complement and elevate an organization’s EAP
Employers moving to a modern EAP to address employee mental health challenges will need to address persistent barriers. Even the newest EAPs are designed primarily for a small subset of the employee population, leaving the majority without the support most appropriate for their needs.
EAPs also continue to battle against long-held perceptions that they’re designed only for crisis mental health situations, which deters many employees from using them. And among those employees who do want to access their organization’s EAP, more than half are having trouble navigating to it.
Calm Health was designed to help organizations more effectively support the broad spectrum of mental health needs by
- Making it easy for people to complete screenings for possible symptoms of anxiety and depression at any time;
- Allowing users to self-report information about their conditions, goals, and interests; and
- Guiding them to appropriate resources, such as an EAP, based on their screening results and self-reported information.
EAP utilization is a long-term challenge that requires a new approach. Find out more about how Calm Health can support your workforce in using their EAP and other mental health benefits.
About Calm Health
Calm Health is a mental health wellness product. Calm Health is not intended to diagnose or treat depression, anxiety, or any other disease or condition. Calm Health is not a substitute for care by a physician or other healthcare provider. Any questions that you may have regarding the diagnosis, care, or treatment of a medical condition should be directed to your physician or healthcare provider.
