EVALUATION OF EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMMES: THEORETICAL GUIDELINES FOR PRACTICE

The importance of evaluating an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) cannot beoverestimated. An EAP must be evaluated to justify its existence and to ascertain the extent towhich it is reaching its objectives and to find ways to improve its performance (Highley &Cooper, 1994:1; Perry & Cayer, 1992:1; Weiss, 1998:20). The evaluation of an EAP should bebuilt in from the beginning (that is at the needs assessment phase), because it is essential fororganisations to determine whether or not those objectives of the programme will be met