A broker’s guide to helping clients move beyond open enrollment and keep the EAP visible all year long
The biggest driver of EAP underutilization? Out-of-sight, out-of-mind. Most employees only hear about the EAP during open enrollment—if at all. That’s not enough.
As a broker, you can help clients turn their EAP into a year-round support system by building an engagement plan that aligns with what employees actually experience each month.
The Importance of Ongoing Promotion
EAPs are designed to help employees navigate everyday challenges—not just crises. That means communication should be timely, relatable, and consistent. HR teams don’t always have time to do this on their own—that’s where you come in.
Monthly Theme-Based Messaging
Use seasonal events and stress points to make the EAP relevant:
- January: Goal setting, stress reduction, financial planning
- February: Relationships, family, emotional well-being
- March: Burnout prevention, work-life balance, manager stress
- April: Tax stress, financial support, legal questions
- May: Mental Health Awareness Month, resilience, trauma support
- June: Parenting, summer care, education stress
- July: Mid-year check-ins, time off, wellness reset
- August: Back-to-school, transitions, caregiving
- September: Suicide prevention awareness, emotional fatigue
- October: Legal planning, elder care, aging parents
- November: Gratitude, family tension, holiday prep
- December: Grief, year-end reflection, relationship stress
Sync Messaging With the Calendar Year
Coordinate EAP communication with existing company events or HR touchpoints:
- Align with wellness program activities or health observances
- Pair with financial wellness or benefits re-education initiatives
- Include reminders before performance reviews or high-stress periods
- Encourage manager-driven reminders at quarterly all-hands or team check-ins
Tips for Building the Engagement Plan
- Start with a 12-month calendar: Outline monthly topics and align resources
- Use multiple channels: Email, posters, intranet banners, all-staff slides
- Empower managers: Provide them with talking points and reminders
- Automate where possible: Use scheduled emails or recurring reminders
Offer Downloadable Campaign Kits (or Ask Your EAP Partner)
Many EAP vendors offer plug-and-play promotional toolkits:
- Monthly themed flyers or PDFs
- Social media-style graphics for intranet or Slack
- Email templates for HR
- Short videos or awareness blurbs
As a broker, you can request these for your clients—or help create your own quarterly resource pack.
Final Thought for Brokers
EAP success isn’t just about plan design—it’s about visibility. A year-round engagement plan helps clients boost utilization, reinforce culture, and position mental health as an always-on benefit.