Key takeaways
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Employee assistance programs (EAPs) are designed to make support easier to access, but availability alone doesn’t always guarantee engagement. Even when an EAP is available, employees may hesitate to use it because they’re unsure how it works, uncertain about what it costs or unconvinced that their information will remain confidential.
To better understand these barriers, the TELUS Health Research team partnered with the University of Toronto (UofT) to conduct in-depth interviews with employees in Canada and the United States who had access to EAP services but had never used them.
While barriers are shared by employees in both countries, the impact of certain issues differs between them. Employees in the US place greater emphasis on financial accessibility and affordability, while employees in Canada are more concerned with cultural competence and representation.
At a time when 78 per cent of workers in Canada — and 67 per cent of workers in the US — are at high or moderate mental health risk, helping employees feel confident accessing the right support has never been more important (MHI, Q1 2026).
Here’s what the research reveals about workplaces in Canada and how HR and benefits leaders can better communicate the value of EAPs to help improve utilization and, in turn, employee wellbeing.
As one of the world’s most culturally diverse countries, employees in Canada bring a distinct set of expectations to workplace mental health support. For example, many individuals are looking for services that reflect a wide range of lived experiences and cultural backgrounds.
The research supports this, finding that culturally relevant care plays an important role in building trust and encouraging engagement with an EAP. As one participant explained, “I would be interested in the quality of the services available, who I’m talking to and where these people come from.”
Additionally, many workers still lack a clear understanding of what an EAP offers and how it can help support wellbeing. One survey participant explained, “I never really leaned into how it works and how effective it is, and my knowledge is pretty limited. So it might be helpful to me sometimes but I just never knew.”
The research also found that many employees underestimate the breadth of services available through an EAP. For example, one participant was surprised to discover that nutritional support was included, commenting, “The nutrition aspect, I wasn’t aware of that and I think that would be cool to be able to talk to a nutritionist and learn more about eating healthy.”
This gap in understanding reflects a need for greater transparency around provider credentials and areas of expertise. Consequently, this could help employees to feel more confident engaging with an EAP.
Employees aren’t asking organizations to reinvent their EAP offerings, and research suggests that low utilization stems from a communication gap rather than a service gap. In fact, according to the TELUS Mental Health Index (MHI), 55 per cent of workers in Canada are unsure whether their employer even offers an EAP (Q4 2025).
Raising awareness, then, is the first step toward increasing utilization. Once employees know an EAP exists, three other factors consistently influence whether they decide to use it.
Firstly, employees want some reassurance that support is easy to access and, importantly, that it’s worth their time. One participant explained that “one thing that stops me is the wait time. I don’t know what the wait time is going to look like and I don’t want to be on hold for so long.”
Another highlighted the importance of flexibility, stating that “if I don’t need to physically go [to an appointment] then that would be really helpful. And I can select whatever the time because other than work, I have a family to take care of and kids to take care of.”
These findings suggest that improving utilization begins with giving employees clear and practical information about their EAP. The easier it is for people to understand what’s covered, how to access support and what to expect, the more confident they’ll feel using services at a time that’s convenient for them.
Secondly, employees want to know that EAP usage is completely private. As one participant expressed, “If the conversation is related to confidential stuff, I won’t be able to talk about it.” Another participant said that they “thought you would have to go through a supervisor to [use an EAP]” and that “not everybody would want to talk things out with their supervisor.”
To build trust in something as sensitive as privacy, it’s important to communicate how confidentiality works in plain language and how an EAP is separated from HR departments or upper management teams. They should also know that only aggregate trends are shared with the employer, and even then, trends are only shared when there is enough volume.
Ultimately, employees need constant reminders that the services they have access to are indeed confidential. Communicating this clearly and consistently will help individuals better understand that EAPs are in place for the employee, and that access remains both private and judgment-free.
Finally, research found that employees also worried about how using an EAP might affect how they were perceived at work. One participant commented that they “kind of considered it” but that “maybe it would create a negative, unreliable image of me as an employee to management.”
This concern is reinforced by recent MHI data, which claims that 13 per cent of employees in Canada wouldn’t access mental health support if they needed it because they’d be uncomfortable sharing a mental health issue with their employer (MHI, Q1 2026).
To build trust in EAP usage, organizations need to go beyond communicating confidentiality and begin normalizing help-seeking behaviours. When leaders openly communicate the value of mental health support and reinforce that using an EAP carries no professional consequences, they can help to reduce stigma and encourage employees to seek support sooner rather than later.
Many of the barriers to EAP utilization are shared across Canada and the United States. However, participants in Canada placed greater emphasis on whether an EAP could genuinely understand and support their individual circumstances. As one participant noted, “I always feel like my situation is very unique and it may be very situational, which may not be understood very well by somebody who may not be an immigrant.”
This reinforces the importance of making employees feel seen in the way an EAP is communicated. Rather than promoting an EAP as a single mental health resource, HR leaders should tailor communications to meet the workplace's diverse needs. What’s more, they should highlight the diversity of an EAP’s provider network and showcase the broad range of services an EAP offers beyond traditional counselling, including financial guidance, legal assistance and even personal development resources. This will help to position EAPs as a relevant everyday resource rather than something employees only turn to in a crisis.
A spotlight on women’s healthWomen’s health illustrates this point well. By communicating specialized resources for women’s health alongside other tailored services, organizations can demonstrate that their EAP is built to support a diverse workforce with diverse needs. “Forty per cent of working individuals are under constant stress, more so in the younger generation and more so in women. That unrelenting stress impacts you physically, it can impact your brain, it can impact your cardiovascular system, your heart, and it impacts your immunity, as well as your relationships and productivity.” - Paula Allen, Global leader, Research and Insights at TELUS Health |
When organizations clearly communicate these qualities, they reinforce that an EAP is a trusted resource capable of delivering meaningful, timely support.
Financial stress is one of the strongest drivers of poor mental health for workers in Canada. In fact, workers without emergency savings experience a mental health score 13.5 points lower than average, while workers with emergency savings score 6.5 points higher than average (MHI, Q1 2026).
These statistics reinforce that financial wellbeing is closely tied to overall mental health. Given that 19 per cent of employees in Canada want their employer to provide better support with financial resources, education or consultation, it’s important to make financial wellbeing a much more visible part of your EAP communications (MHI, Q1 2026). As one participant explained, “I don’t know where [my money] goes, and I’m just kind of struggling with keeping up. So, if I was to have that option I would definitely take it and see what type of help I can get.”
It’s important not to assume employees know these services exist. Instead, proactively highlight them, emphasizing that they’re available at no additional cost.
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“Speaking to people on a human level, with simple, clear and comprehensive points is much more engaging than general communication. If you can’t engage people in services and you can’t change behaviours, which is what actually leads to better health.” - Paula Allen, Global leader, Research and Insights at TELUS Health |
Here are three ways you can begin strengthening EAP communications and help more employees understand, trust and use the support available to them.
It’s been established that employees don’t fully understand what’s included in their EAP or whether they’ll have to pay for services. Reducing uncertainty around cost, coverage and privacy, then, can help remove some of the biggest barriers to utilization.
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1. Clearly explain what’s covered and reinforce that services are employer-funded, with no hidden fees or surprise costs. |
2. Outline how confidentiality works, including what information remains private and what employers can (and cannot) access. |
3. Use testimonials and real-life examples to demonstrate the value of the EAP and build trust in the services available. |
Employees are more likely to engage with an EAP when they can see themselves reflected in the support available. Rather than relying on broad messaging, tailor communications to the needs and experiences of different employee subgroups.
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1. Develop targeted outreach for employee groups who may face greater financial or wellbeing challenges. |
2. Highlight culturally responsive care, diverse provider networks and specialized services that reflect the makeup of your workforce. |
3. Use clear, accessible language and promote services that resonate with each audience, such as financial counselling, legal support or career development resources. |
An effective EAP communication strategy extends beyond annual benefits enrolment. Ongoing, accessible communication will keep services visible and ensure employees know where to turn when they need support.
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1. Communicate frequently throughout the year using multiple channels, including email, intranet, manager communications and workplace signage. |
2. Adapt your messaging to your workforce by considering work environment, demographics, preferred communication channels and language needs. |
3. Offer flexible ways to access care including virtual and in-person services. Communicate these options clearly so employees understand how easy it is to get support. |
Improving EAP utilization starts with helping employees understand the support already available to them. When organizations communicate EAPs more transparently, they make it easier for everyone to recognize the value of these services and feel confident using them.
By applying the insights from TELUS Health’s research, HR and benefits leaders can build relevant and responsive communication strategies that not only increase utilization, but also deliver a meaningful ROI on an investment in employee support.
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“One of the investments that needs to happen is communication, because you can have all the best resources in the world, you could have all the best intention in the world, but if you have that and you don't reinforce it in a certain way with simple repetitive messages, it ends up losing some of its value.” - Paula Allen, Global leader, Research and Insights at TELUS Health |
Research suggests that many employees are unsure what EAP services are available or are concerned with privacy and confidentiality. Perceptions of service quality, cultural relevance and continuity of care can also shape whether employees believe an EAP will meet their needs. This makes clear and concise communication one of the most important drivers of EAP engagement.
Employees in Canada emphasize the quality and cultural relevance of the support they receive. They also value flexibility in how care is delivered and want to know that service providers will understand their individual circumstances and meaningfully support their wellbeing.
Clear, ongoing communication is essential. Organizations should explain what services are available, address confidentiality concerns, tailor messaging to different employee groups and promote their EAP throughout the year.
Communicating financial counselling, budgeting support and other financial wellbeing services can help employees address one of the biggest drivers of mental strain. Many EAPs also offer services that can alleviate other concerns, such as legal guidance and retirement planning.