For employers looking to increase productivity, employee assistance programs just might be the right solution. EAPs provide various types of counseling services, depending on what the employer elects, and these programs are specifically designed to help employees solve personal issues that are affecting their work and get those who must take off time back to the office sooner, says Mary Malone, disability and productivity consultant at the Standard, an insurance and financial service company.

"The employee can have a minor issue and receive services before it becomes a major issue," Malone says. "It could be a family issue, a work issue or just dealing with a world situation that they are stressing over."

To get the most out of EAPs, employers should focus on employee communication, Malone says. Employees typically do not have intimate knowledge of EAPs, and it is up to the employer to educate them on the specifics. When it comes to education, employers should communicate how the process works, why it is effective and the confidential nature of EAPs. Posting information on EAPs in common areas that employees frequent, such as lunch rooms and company intranets, is an effective way to promote the message.