Employee Assistance Program

Employee Assistance Program 

Because we know health care is an incredibly stressful environment, we know we have to support our caregivers in the moment when they need someone to talk to. The Mercy Employee Assistance Program (EAP) supports caregivers and members of their household by providing free, confidential short-term counseling, assessments, referrals and resources. We also have a 24/7 helpline because we know crises don’t just happen during regular business hours. 

We have learned that employee assistance programs can be incredibly helpful whether someone’s stress, depression or grief comes from struggles at work or from their personal lives.  In 2025, 10,000 nationwide Mercy caregivers used our EAP program, and 4,000 of those sought individual counseling and support. 

When our caregivers come to us, they often seek help for a variety of issues. The most common concerns include anxiety and depression, stress at home or work, emotional management and conflict or communication problems. Sometimes, they need support getting through a traumatic experience with a patient. Other times, they’re navigating a marital issue or grieving a loss. We even counsel caregivers and support leaders as they work through an employee improvement plan or a promotion.  

Business Takeaway 

Business leaders might treat mental health as a “nice-to-have” benefit until it shows up as missed work, turnover, conflict, safety incidents or a steady erosion of performance.  

For employers outside of health care, the business case is straightforward: an EAP is risk management and productivity infrastructure. It gives employees a confidential on-ramp to help before problems become crises, and it gives leaders a responsible option when someone is struggling. That reduces disruption, stabilizes teams and protects your culture — which directly impacts retention, recruiting and customer experience.  

In a labor market where the best people can choose, organizations that invest in accessible mental health support signal something operationally important: “We expect high performance, and we’re serious about supporting the humans doing the work.” That is not soft; it is strategic, and it is one of the clearest ways to protect your biggest investment — your people — while sustaining the long-term health of the business.