Employee Benefits and Wellness Excellence June 2023

INDEX

Embrace The Pandemic’s Silver Lining: Mandating Workplace Balance And Employees’ Overall Well-Being

The ‘forever labor shortage’ prompts flexibility, improved benefits packages, and ongoing change

- Charonda McGill, Vice President of Total Rewards, Lendmark Financial Services

How Organizations Can Thrive By Prioritizing Employee Health And Well-Being

A call for organizational reforms and supportive work environments

- Laura Neuffer, Wellness Content Development Coordinator, CoreHealth Technologies

5 Workplace Solutions For Employee Burnout And Well-Being

Moving beyond the norm

- Laura Putnam, CEO, Motion Infusion

Top Picks 10 17 43 49

The Future Is Diverse. Not Diverted

How mindfulness can mitigate ageism and improve employee well-being for all ages

- Berit Lewis, Owner, Thriving Life

How are our Employee Benefits & Wellness Products and Services helping

Benefits & Wellness Excellence - Monthly Interactive Learning Journal

This monthly interactive learning experience captures key metrics and actionable items and keeps you focused on your Benefits and Wellness planning goals and solutions.

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Join more than 100,000 HR.com members with a similar interest and focus on Benefits or Wellness. Share content and download research reports, blogs, and articles, network, and “follow” peers and have them “follow” you in a social network platform to communicate regularly and stay on top of the latest updates. This well established Benefits and Wellness Communities are an invaluable resource for any HR professional or manager.

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Our mission is to promote personal and professional development based on constructive values, sound ethics, and timeless principles.

Excellence Publications

Debbie McGrath CEO, HR.com - Publisher

Sue Kelley Director (Product, Marketing, and Research)

and Deepa Damodaran Excellence Publications Managers and Editors

Employee Benefits & Wellness Excellence Team

Babitha Balakrishnan Editor

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Babitha Balakrishnan Editor, Employee Benefits & Wellness Excellence

The Future of Employee Wellness: A Holistic Approach for Today and Tomorrow

Employeewell-being is a critical aspect of creating a healthy and productive workplace. In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of prioritizing both the physical and mental health of employees. However, the future of employee wellness requires a shift towards preventive peer support, early intervention, and a more comprehensive approach to well-being.

While preventive measures for physical health have gained momentum, mental health-focused options have often lagged behind. The Covid-19 pandemic has brought mental health to the forefront, with employers increasingly realizing the importance of supporting their employees' mental well-being. Work-related stress alone costs US employers over $300 billion annually due to absenteeism, lower productivity, and accidents. Traditional access to clinical therapists faces challenges such as shortages and long wait times, creating a need for alternative options.

The focus on employee wellness extends beyond mental health. HR professionals must adapt to the Forever Labor Shortage and the changing expectations of the modern workforce. Flexibility is crucial, with prospective candidates demanding flexible work arrangements. HR should actively listen to employees' requests and accommodate them creatively, even for jobs that traditionally require in-person availability.

To further enhance employee wellness, organizations should leverage anonymous, aggregated reporting to better understand employee concerns and tailor benefits solutions accordingly. This data-driven

approach can help identify trends and provide targeted support where it is most needed.

Comprehensive compensation packages with enhanced benefits are essential to attract and retain top talent. Furthermore, organizations must take responsibility for their employees' well-being by offering increased access to counseling, including telemedicine options. Embracing change and investing in employee needs is crucial to create a workplace that prioritizes holistic wellness.

Read the June edition of Employee Benefits & Wellness Excellence which includes insightful articles that delve into various aspects of employee wellness, providing practical strategies and solutions for organizations to enhance the well-being of their workforce. Among the highlights is a research report by the HR Research Institute titled "The Current State and Future of Employee Well-being 2023." This report delves into the current landscape of employee well-being in organizations and explores future trends and challenges.

We trust that the articles featured in this edition are useful and informative. Be sure to send us your valuable feedback on our articles. Your input is important to us as we strive to continually improve and provide content that meets your needs and interests.

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Employee Benefits & Wellness Excellence (ISSN 2564-1980)

Babitha Balakrishnan

Debbie Mcgrath Publisher, HR.com

In a world of unparalleled challenges (global pandemic, racial injustice, political rivalry, digital 4.0, emotional malaise), uncertainty reigns. Finding opportunity in this context requires harnessing uncertainty and harnessing starts with reliable, valid, timely, and useful information. The Excellence publications are a superb source of such information. The authors provide insights with impact that will guide thought and action.

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The Future Of Mental Health: Preventive Peer Support

Empowering mental well-being

By Joshua Ellison, Kindly Human

The idea that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is well accepted in healthcare.

Of course, there’s an enormous upside to preventing or detecting illnesses, diseases, and other health problems. Individuals benefit, and so do employers through lower absenteeism, improved productivity, and reduced healthcare costs.

While employer-sponsored preventive physical health services have exploded—weight loss, diabetes management, smoking cessation, and so on—mental health-focused options have lagged.

The anxiety, uncertainty, and isolation resulting from the pandemic have elevated the importance of mental health offerings. In fact, a recent Business Group on Health survey found that 73% of large and mid-sized employers say mental well-being is their primary focus.

This is no surprise given how mental health struggles impact organizations and their people.

One analysis found 83% of U.S. employees suffer from work-related stress. Stress alone results in an estimated one million employees missing work each day and costs U.S. employers more than $300 billion a year due to absenteeism, lower productivity, and accidents.

Employers undoubtedly see the value of mental and behavioral health resources for stress and other conditions; however, many of these focus on treating issues vs. preventing them.

With a shortage of clinical therapists, long wait times for appointments, and a growing emphasis on whole-person and inclusive support, there’s never been a better time to explore preclinical mental well-being options. Here’s why….

We All Struggle Sometimes

In addition to work challenges, people routinely face life stressors like loneliness, grief, relationship issues, or financial pressures.

Employers and employees recognize that leaving these issues at the door—work or home—isn’t particularly realistic or helpful.

What is helpful is talking to someone. Employee resource groups (ERGs), for example, provide a forum for connecting with like-minded co-workers.

Being able to talk to someone who is empathetic and nonjudgmental is a logical—and desirable—first step for many people. In fact, according to a Kindly Human survey, 84% of employees would prefer to start with a peer if that option was available to them.

Access to Clinical Help Is Still a Challenge

A recent survey by the American Psychological Association found that 60% of psychologists had no available openings for new patients. More than 40% had waiting lists of 10 or more patients.

The average wait time to access behavioral health services is about six weeks. That time can stretch into months if someone is looking for a specialist with particular attributes.

A long wait doesn’t square with what employees hope for when they’re struggling. Kindly Human has found that employees are looking for support within 24 hours. Sometimes all they want—or need—is someone to talk to in order to blow off steam or gain useful perspective.

Therapy Isn’t Always the Answer

Addressing stress is critically important, but it doesn’t always require clinical intervention.

Employers clearly understand this. They are investing in strategies to bolster mental well-being early on. The preventive mindset has led organizations to provide wider access to in-person and digital stress reduction solutions like meditation workshops and apps.

Workers, too, are open to timely non-clinical options that help them feel heard and supported when they need it most.

Affinity groups, support groups, and professional peers provide a non-clinical forum for improving emotional and mental well-being. There’s little stigma and few barriers attached to “just having a conversation” with someone who understands what you’re going through.

Human connection and the ability to relate are essential for building rapport and trust. Not surprisingly, according to a Kindly Human survey, 94% of employees say it’s important for peer listeners to possess backgrounds and experiences similar to their own. Almost all employees (97%) matched with a professional peer listener who shared similar life experiences and felt better after the conversation.

Prevention Requires Trust and Participation

Despite employers’ best efforts, it’s still sometimes difficult to deliver approaches that employees will use to prevent everyday stressors from becoming more serious.

Most large organizations offer employee assistance programs (EAPs), but utilization remains low—less than 10 percent.

A 2022 Mental Health America survey of more than 11,300 U.S. employees found that only 38% would be comfortable using their company's services for a mental health concern. Another survey revealed that 60% of U.S. employees experienced mental health symptoms in the prior year, yet eight in 10 workers did not seek treatment due to shame.

Employees also express discomfort about discussing personal or mental health issues with managers. A survey of nearly 1,000 employees found that more than half (54%) said they felt uncomfortable talking to their supervisors about mental health. About a third thought discussing these issues could lead to being fired, furloughed, or bypassed for promotion.

In contrast to these concerns, peer support among coworkers builds empathy and connection. Relying on colleagues for support, however, comes with limitations. ERGs, for example, typically lack assurance of confidentiality and professionally trained leaders. Also, these groups can mean time spent away from core job responsibilities.

Organizations sometimes rely on coaching services for one-to-one counseling. However, these services do not focus on trying to connect people with shared backgrounds.

Professional peer support offers employees the comfort of talking to someone who’s navigated similar experiences. Trained, certified individuals offer confidential, nonjudgmental listening. It’s a low-key, high-trust approach, with no worries about colleagues hearing or disclosing personal information.

Also, professional peer support programs direct employees to other resources as needed, amplifying the value of existing benefits aimed at both preventing and treating mental health conditions.

Managers Can Focus on Their Core Jobs

Of course, good managers and supervisors will be attuned to the stress levels and mental and emotional needs of their teams. But in challenging times, managers are coping with their own stress.

Professional peer support provides frontline listening and support for team members, so managers and supervisors can spend their time on their primary job responsibilities.

High-quality peer support organizations also will offer anonymous, aggregated reporting that identifies the topics that are most important to employees at any given time, such as job security, financial concerns, or health care.

These insights help leaders understand key issues in their employee populations while providing human resources (HR) with data for tailoring future benefits solutions.

The Future of Preclinical Mental Well-being

Professional peer support provides employees access to a wide range of resources, including trained peer listeners who foster one-on-one human connections. And for preventive value, almost 90% of employees surveyed by Kindly Human agreed that a professional peer support resource is helpful before someone needs clinical care, counseling, or medication.

Workers appreciate how professional peer support acts as a pressure relief valve for everyday stressors. Organizations value having a way to help prevent problems before they escalate into larger issues that can impact healthcare costs, productivity, turnover, and work quality.

As mental well-being initiatives continue to expand, professional peer support is a growing part of innovative, timely, and effective benefits strategies. It’s a preclinical option that is both proven to work and likely to be used.

Employees who are well-supported by their workplace are more likely to have improved mental well-being. And better emotional and mental well-being is key to a healthier, more productive organization.

Joshua Ellison is the Chief Growth Officer at Kindly Human , and he has more than 20 years of consulting, benefits, and healthcare expertise, including more than a decade of experience at Willis Towers Watson (WTW).

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Embrace The Pandemic’s Silver Lining: Mandating Workplace Balance And Employees’ Overall Well-Being

By Charonda McGill, Lendmark Financial Services

One of today’s workplace realities is that we are in an era deemed the Forever Labor Shortage

Although the baby boomers were retiring before 2020, the pandemic put the labor shortage into a talent crisis overdrive as they, along with employees of all ages, left the workforce in droves. During the Great Resignation, more than 47 million U.S. workers quit their jobs in 2021, followed by approximately 55.5 million people resigning in 2022

Employers continue finding it challenging to attract, hire and retain enough people to get the work done. Since the talent crisis

is here to stay, companies must be open and willing to pivot and shift as necessary.

Let’s look at this situation positively. Human resources (HR) professionals can make a difference and lead the charge as their companies evolve to accommodate a modern workforce. We can embrace a silver lining of the pandemic –that employees and potential ones are bringing issues to light and expect change.

Here are some ways HR can embrace and usher in a change in the post-pandemic workplace.

Be Flexible and Remain Flexible

Some jobs do require in-person availability during hours of operation, so flexibility will look different depending on the job. However, in 2023, if an employer will not consider some level of flexible work accommodation depending on needs, whether for location, hours, or something else, they may be giving talent away to the competition.

Prospective candidates continue to ask for, and in some cases, demand that flexible work arrangements be available before they accept the job. Today’s employees and candidates are feeling empowered to -negotiate flexibility, and we must respond accordingly.

The ‘forever labor shortage’ prompts flexibility, improved benefits packages, and ongoing change

Consider their requests. Let them work remotely or have a hybrid arrangement, such as three days in-office and two days at home. When their position does not allow remote work, for instance, nursing, waiting staff, or bank teller positions, accommodate them in other creative ways. If they need to leave early to care for elderly parents or attend a child’s school function, figure out a way to allow it.

Listen, Learn, and Launch New Benefits

In fact, Lendmark awards employees eight hours of paid time off (PTO) annually to be involved in their children’s school activities. Similarly, employees are given four hours of yearly PTO to volunteer at their charity

of choice. And since birthdays are such an important day, we allow them eight hours of PTO to celebrate however they wish.

Employees want more than a paycheck. They crave a comprehensive compensation package with enhanced benefits like the time off just mentioned.

Employers should also pay close attention to desired health benefits. For example, by asking and listening to our employees’ wants and needs, we began covering in-network skin cancer screenings for diagnostic purposes as preventive measures.

Get creative to learn what employees need. Survey employees for what benefits

are most important, and when possible, implement them. Companies will find that preferences regarding benefits shift, plus surveying employees uncover the benefits they want and exclude the ones that don’t meet their needs.

Eliminate benefits that are no longer working, and replace them with others that will help attract and retain talent. For example, do employees even know about your company’s pet health insurance program, or are they interested in the recent dental benefits rolled out?

A survey, or a series of regular surveys, will keep the HR team informed about employee preference for and knowledge of specific benefits.

Use Benchmarking Data

In addition to surveying employees about benefits, HR teams need to take a close look at benchmark surveys from third parties, such as the Society for Human Resource Management and HR consulting groups. Third-party surveys can be treasure troves of data, giving HR teams visibility into benefits offered by the competition, as well as data about how effective different HR administration and communications processes have been for other companies.

These benchmark surveys, some of which are free to access, give HR teams a good look at what has resonated and what hasn’t for other professionals in their field.

Look to Others for Ideas

Know what benefits and incentives the competition provides to its workforce and consider, at a minimum, offering the same. Expand beyond this practice and look at larger companies to see what simple and potentially free or inexpensive programs are available that your own HR team could implement to boost morale.

If appropriate for your work environment, consider, for example, hosting a bring your dog/pet to work day, which could be enjoyable for most if not all. And guest speakers could be inspiring, insightful, and a great way to boost employees’ professional development and personal well-being.

Ask a benefits professional from the company’s insurance provider to present a session on maximizing plans or a timemanagement guru to offer tips on optimizing employees’ days. This is a win-win-win: Employees get tips, employers earn more engaged employees, and presenters can extend the influence of their expertise and services.

Update Mental Health Initiatives

Stress among global workers is at an all-time high, at least since Gallup began surveying working adults in 2005. Mental health issues are seeing the light of day, and mental health benefits – once seen as an onus on employees –are shifting to be an employers’ responsibility. Employees’ mental well-being is directly tied to their workplace performance, which, in turn, correlates with a company’s success.

We recently increased our employees’ number of paid visits to a counselor per year. This includes options for in-office or telemedicine sessions, the latter of which became a must-have during the pandemic but is now here to stay. Employees can now see a licensed provider from home, in the office, or at any location, which is a timesaver for them and their companies since they can have an appointment from their desks.

The point is that companies must be willing to change and alter their mental health benefits offerings

to meet employees where they are, or their employees will go elsewhere.

Welcome Change

With top talent difficult to attract and retain, HR professionals must keep their ears to the ground and listen to employees’ changing needs. More than listening, however, we must be willing to embrace change, even when it means spending more company dollars.

Employees are our greatest asset. They are the ones providing one-on-one connections with our customers and completing the work. The price of not changing our benefits packages and culture to meet employee needs is huge.

Although the term “new normal” is overused, it is fitting. We live and work in a post-pandemic world and must listen to and accept change. As the saying goes, the only constant in life is change. Embrace it or be left behind.

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Charonda McGill is the Vice President of Total Rewards at Lendmark Financial Services. She holds 20+ years of experience leading HRIS functions.

Unify And Multiply Your Benefits Offering With Digital Health Content

What to look for in a licensed online health & wellness library

By Andrea Bloom and Lori Arden, ConnectWell

Health-related employee benefits are a key part of the compensation package and are highly valued by employees. A recent SHRM survey reported that health-related benefits are yet again the most important benefits employers have to offer.1

On the employer side, it is well-researched that improving employee and dependent health has direct benefits to the bottom line of the company. Improving health and well-being delivers multiple benefits, including reducing presenteeism, absenteeism, and turnover, while improving productivity, creativity, and employee satisfaction.

A review of current data sheds light on why health-related benefits are so important2:

● 60% of U.S. adults have a chronic disease, and 40% have two or more

● Unhealthy lifestyles are driving the risk of having and managing a chronic disease

● Poor nutrition

● Lack of physical activity

● Tobacco use

● Excessive alcohol use

Covid-19 ushered in some permanent changes to managing health care, and many companies are now expanding their health-related benefits to include telemedicine or telehealth offerings moving forward. Furthermore, with the mental health crisis our population is experiencing, many companies are expanding their coverage of mental health services.

Employer-sponsored health-related benefits have grown to now include:

● Medical

● Dental

● Vision

● Telehealth

● Fertility and Family Planning Benefits

● Prescription Drugs

● Health Savings Account

● Flexible Savings Account

● Mental Health

● Employee Assistance Program

● Disability & Workers’ Compensation

Employee health-related benefits are bundled together from multiple providers to create a robust benefits package. This provides the ability to mix and match offerings that fit with a company’s benefit needs for their employees and dependents. However, there needs to be a unifying mechanism that ties all the health-related benefits together to produce a multiplier effect for the total benefits package.

The healthcare system is struggling to provide adequate care for our population, which is experiencing a decline in mental and physical health. Even with robust employer healthcare benefits, many people can’t access timely healthcare. America is experiencing a physician shortage, and it’s only expected to get worse.3 James Taylor of AMN Healthcare, the largest healthcare staffing agency in the U.S. laments, "The physician shortage can justly be characterized as a looming public-health crisis. Health care delayed is often health care denied, and a growing number of Americans are going to experience this unfortunate fact.”

Eight in ten Americans look for medical information on the Internet.4 Yet, the majority of searchers do not know how to evaluate the quality and validity of the source. Furthermore, the Internet is full of misinformation and is laden with advertising that promotes specific treatments, surgeries, medications, and healthcare providers and systems. More people say they are not taking care of their health, and a lack of information is partially to blame.5

Employees and their families need 24/7 access to a trusted source of health and wellness information to help manage their health and be a partner in their care. Health-related benefits providers need to provide those they serve with digital access to health information. The various health-related benefits providers offered to employees and their families are best served by utilizing the same trusted source of health and wellness information to create consistency across healthcare benefits. Furthermore, the Digital Health & Wellness Library needs to be housed in an accessible location. This is where we get into the multiplier impact that amplifies the health-related benefits package.

As an example, let’s review a health-related scenario to understand the multiplier impact of a comprehensive Digital Health & Wellness Library that is placed at the center of the employer’s health-related benefits ecosystem. Consider the common scenario where an employee is experiencing chronic

headaches. They will be encouraged to first access the Digital Health & Wellness Library to learn about different types of headaches. They might decide to try some of the techniques suggested by the articles and videos that include natural remedies and overthe-counter medications. If available, they can also access the company’s Mental Health resources to help determine if stress is a contributing factor to their headaches. If the employee determines these interventions are not effective for their headaches, they can proceed with accessing the health plan to contact their primary care physician (PCP), who may discuss pharmaceutical solutions to manage their chronic headaches.

Along with discussing the medications with their PCP or pharmacist, the employee can review the medications in the Digital Health & Wellness Library. The employee can begin taking their prescription and at the same time, continue to investigate whether their stress level can be reduced. In this scenario, there are multiple touch points with the Digital Health & Wellness Library reinforcing standards of care guidelines and supporting the employee with healthcare information — enabling them to take action and move their healthcare forward.

What to Look for in a Licensed Online Health & Wellness Library

● Must be science-based, current, expertly vetted, and provided at an appropriate reading level, with medical terms clearly explained.

● Must be devoid of all advertising, be objective, and provide a range of treatment options for health conditions.

● Incorporate extensive tagging of content so people can easily access information with keywords, making navigation easy.

● Contain both articles and videos and with multi-lingual capability given the diversity of the U.S. population.

● Encompass content that is both broad and deep — thoroughly covering a wide range of health conditions so people can gain a full understanding of their health issues.

● Include comprehensive content about healthy lifestyles to support the adoption of habits that are fundamental to well-being: weight management, physical activity, stress management, sleep, musculoskeletal health, happiness, and resilience.

● Feature robust content on healthy eating, nutrition, and recipes that embed nutrition education as part of the recipe. People learn by doing — recipes that incorporate nutrition education helps people adopt healthy eating practices.

● Must be easy to integrate with benefit administration platforms for easy access and login capability.

Providing employees and dependents with accurate health and wellness information 24/7 puts them at the center of care, enabling them to be active participants in their health and well-being. Given the digital health revolution that is underway, the tools are available to make this a reality. It is key for employers to rethink the paradigm of health-related benefits and create an ecosystem that empowers their employees and dependents with tools that deliver on improving health outcomes.

References:

1. 2022 Employee Benefits Survey, SHRM

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

3. Time Magazine, July 25, 2022

4. Online health information seeking among US adults: Measurin progress toward a Healthy People 2020 objective. Public Health Report, 2019

5. Edelman Trust Barometer Report, 2023

Andrea Bloom is the Founder and CEO of ConnectWell , a leading-edge provider of digital health and wellness content that is academically sourced and designed for a consumer audience. ConnectWell’s content is packaged for digital delivery with rich graphic content and written for a wide-ranging consumer audience. ConnectWell licenses its content for integration into the platforms of a broad scope of healthcare companies, employers, benefits providers and libraries to engage patients, employees, and members in their health and well-being.

Lori Arden is the Director, Wellness Initiatives & Employer Programs at ConnectWell . Lori works with ConnectWell’s scope of clients to help individuals and families improve their physical and mental health across life’s transitions and health-related issues. She is a certified Corporate Wellness Specialist (CCWS).

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How Organizations Can Thrive By Prioritizing Employee Health And Well-Being

A call for organizational reforms and supportive work environments

By Laura Neuffer, CoreHealth Technologies

Employees are becoming increasingly worried in 2023; concerns stemming from financial constraints such as inflation

and recession to a new focus on employee health and wellness (H&W) are contributing to worker dissatisfaction, with more than

one in three employees stating their employer is doing the bare minimum to support their work experience and employee health. The call for improvements in the workplace can no longer be ignored. Why? Because employees are leaving in large numbers.

We are experiencing an employee exodus from jobs, whether that be for a new job, a new career path, retirement, or simply exiting the workforce. A recent AON report noted that approximately 40 percent of employees globally planned to leave their jobs in 2022, which is similar to MetLife’s 2022 annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study, indicating that 70 percent of employees intend to still be working with their current organization in 12 months. Employees report leaving due to various reasons, including:

● To prioritize personal life and health due to Covid-19 safety concerns, irregular work hours, work environment, burnout, and toxic cultures

● Concern about job security and financial stability as individuals (or their loved ones) lost their jobs or endured additional financial strain

● Opportunity to explore new jobs/careers, especially ones that offer higher pay, better work-life balance, employee wellness programs and benefits, a positive work culture, and better alignment with their personal values

While employees sometimes leave for reasons outside an organization’s control, there are important steps that employers can take to mitigate the losses they can control. Fortunately, organizations are well-positioned to make a significant difference in overall employee health and ultimately make the workplace a more positive environment.

Emphasizing Organizational Changes

Beyond traditional workplace H&W solutions, employers need to target organizational structures and work environments – the factors and systems beyond the individual that can influence health and well-being. One need not look further than the various frameworks for psychosocial risk in the workplace for opportunities to effect change at the organizational level, as they often lay the groundwork for how

employers can most purposefully support their employees.

Like most things, there is not a one-size-fits-all approach, nor will changes occur rapidly. A multi-pronged, intentional strategy with consideration of the unique aspects of the workplace and population is needed. Below are the most pressing organizational changes companies should adopt

Flexible work: Employers have several, often interacting, opportunities for organizational changes. Perhaps the most prescient of which is adopting flexible work. The data have made this quite clear, with almost 60 percent of employees who intend to leave their jobs saying that flexibility is an action their employer could take to retain them. Giving employees the capacity to choose the hours they work and where they work is a way to accommodate those whose personal lives inhibit them from working easily a typical “9-5”.

Organizations need to reframe their views on how they believe work should be done in order to achieve productivity and meet the key performance indicators. Specifically, flexible schedules or remote/hybrid work is not a threat to productivity but instead is a change employers can make to uphold work-life balance, a key feature of employee H&W.

Improved benefits & H&W programming: A second vital organizational change that employers need to make is

improving their benefits and overall H&W programming to ensure they are holistic, offering breadth and depth of services. This recommendation may seem obvious, but this is beyond just adding something new to the gamut of resources every year.

Instead, this means reviewing existing solutions and benefits to meet the needs of an ever-changing workforce, removing unhelpful solutions, and – most importantly – removing barriers to participation (i.e., accessibility, time, financial constraints, etc.) and promoting the resources available. Of course, employers cannot offer their employees every service available as there are very real barriers to an organization’s capacity to act, too. However, simply offering an employee assistance program or solutions that are not personalized is not going to suffice.

Thoughtful DEI: A holistic approach to H&W should be considered, in tandem with organizational improvements in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The focus on DEI has continued to grow over the years, and companies are modifying their policies and practices to ensure the appropriate support is in place, from recruitment to retention. Importantly, employees should not prioritize diversity during hiring if they do not provide a safe environment for diverse individuals to work in.

Organizational culture and psychological safety need to be preserved if employers are to maintain a safe work environment for current and future employees. Improving DEI does not just mean ‘improved DEI’, it is directly relevant to the health and well-being of people, and it should be viewed as such.

Positive organizational culture, management, and leadership: An organization’s culture is dependent on its leadership. This is not a provocative assertion –data has clearly demonstrated that top-down leadership and culture are psychosocial risk factors and can pose a serious threat to employees’ mental health and well-being.

Additionally, poor culture, mismanagement, and lack of effective leadership negatively impact employee satisfaction, productivity, and retention, among a plethora of other essential workplace outcomes. Research from MIT Sloan Management Review found a toxic corporate culture is 10x more predictive of turnover than compensation. Most proponents of workplace H&W have heard the term “culture of care”, and it is absolutely essential that leaders embody this.

Everyone Wins

Organizational changes are systems-level changes that benefit current and future employees, as well as the organization. Businesses can benefit as these modifications contribute to higher employee

attraction, satisfaction, retention, and productivity – among various additional important outcomes. Considering that 86 percent of human resources (HR) leaders identify a talent shortage as their top concern, keeping existing employees is vital to mitigating losses, especially the financial cost of high turnover. The best part is that so many organizational changes can be made without additional financial burden to the company.

Perhaps most important is the fact that these changes greatly support employee H&W, especially for historically underserved populations. For instance, individuals with disabilities can access accommodations without being required to disclose their condition, in turn setting them up for success with the tools they need; caregivers are given the flexibility they need to provide care to their loved ones knowing that they can still get their tasks done when they have time; and marginalized communities may benefit from more supportive environments with less/no fear about stigmatization or discrimination they may face.

Without effective work environments and benefits, organizations cannot reasonably expect their people to be as impactful as they may be if they were provided the resources and set to succeed – this is what organizational changes stand to impact.

The main message is that organizations need to step up and make the necessary changes for their people. While organizations have limitations to the changes they can make, there are myriad ways they can improve. Many organization-level changes are within reach, and the gains for employers are undeniable. An investment in their people is an investment in the business.

Resources

● https://www. forbes.com/sites/ jeannemeister/2022/04/19/ the-great-re-shuffleof-talent-what-canemployers-do-to-retainworkers/?sh=7e3ae2734cf3

● MetLife_EBTS_2022.pdf

● AON - A-Guide-To-WorkforceResilience_Dec2022.pdf

Laura Neuffer, M.S., has more than 10 years of experience in corporate wellness. She now works at Carebook Technologies to help create technology and programming that is used in worksite wellness programs around the world. Laura is also a registered yoga instructor and a former university adjunct professor of communications

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By Davida Rivens, MD of Growth & Development, E4E Relief

By Russell Glass, CEO, Headspace

The HR Research Institute, powered by HR.com, the world’s largest social network for Human Resources professionals, is a key part of our mandate to inform and educate today’s HR professionals. Over the past three years, the HR Research Institute has produced more than 85 exclusive primary research and state of the industry reports, along with corresponding infographics in many cases, based on the surveys of thousands of HR professionals. Each research report highlights current HR trends, benchmarks, and industry best practices. HR Research Institute Reports and Infographics are available online, and always free, at www.hr.com/featuredresearch

The Current State and Future of Employee Well-being 2023

Ensure holistic well-being of employees today and tomorrow

Organizations increasingly expect employees to do more with less. In fact, Meta has declared the year 2023 to be the “Year of Efficiency.”1 But what does this mean for employee well-being?

Studies show that a comprehensive well-being strategy and culture positively impact business performance.2 Employees today face a myriad of well-being challenges. With increasing longevity, older employees have to stay in the workforce longer while other employees belong to the “sandwich generation” and have to juggle taking care of their children and elders.

This report by the HR Research Institute investigates the current state and future of employee well-being in organizations. Further, results of this year’s survey have been compared to results from the previous two years to make observations regarding changes in well-being trends over the recent past.(3,4)

Key Findings

1. Organizations strive to improve employee well-being through various special initiatives.

2. Few organizations deem their well-being programs as highly effective, but most organizations rate them as being at least moderately effective.

3. Although there are many potential benefits to well-being programs, none were chosen by a majority of organizations, perhaps because many initiatives are still just not effective enough.

4. Remote and hybrid work flexibility is among the most commonly provided well-being initiatives at present and this is expected to continue into the future, but its effects on employee well-being are not seen as robust.

5. Negative stress is prevalent in many organizations, but just 31% say they are excellent at helping employees address stress issues.

Exclusive Study By The HR Research Institute

6. Mental health is a priority for HR in the majority of organizations and is most commonly dealt with by using Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).

7. Organizations primarily offer healthcare benefits to support employees’ physical wellbeing.

8. Employees are plagued by a number of competing financial stressors, and half of organizations offer financial education to improve employee financial well-being.

9. Well-being leader organizations provide more initiatives to support all types of well-being and are better able to maintain employee well-being levels.

Which Types of Well-being Do Organizations Enhance via Specific Initiatives?

Well-being is multifaceted, and organizations that seek to improve employee well-being must focus on various aspects of it. Respondents were asked to rate the initiatives their organizations look to to improve via specific initiatives. Results indicate that more than 7 in 10 organizations use initiatives to increase mental/emotional well-being, and about two-thirds aim to improve work environment wellbeing (64%) and physical well-being (63%). Over half of the organizations improve financial well-being (54%) through their initiatives.

their organization strives to enhance social well-being via

Which types of employee well-being does your organization

Mental/emotional well-being

Work environment well-being (e.g., physical, vir tual)

Physical well-being

Financial well-being

Career well-being

Social well-being

None of the above

How Well Are Organizations Doing with Regard to Employee Well-being?

The last three years have been challenging for employee well-being. In that short span of time, employees have dealt with Covid-19 pandemic restrictions and challenges, social justice movements, economic upheavals, a sudden shift to remote work, and political instabilities. A good measure of the success of well-being initiatives is their ability to maintain employee wellness levels through these tumultuous times. About three-quarters (73%) of respondents say they have maintained employee well-being to only a moderate degree or lower while just over a quarter claim to have done so to a high (20%) or very high degree (7,7)

How do employee well-being initiatives benefit organizations? About two-fifths of organizations that implement well-being initiatives report greater employee engagement (43%), increased employee experience (40%), and improved employee retention (37%). However, none of the outcomes are chosen by a majority.

We asked respondents who rated the effectiveness of their organization’s well-being initiatives as low or very low to elaborate on reasons for this ineffectiveness. Half (49%) say their organization does not have enough well-being efforts. About two-fifths say the initiatives they do have are lackluster (41%), and many employees continue to have concerns about well-being (39%).

What Well-being Initiatives Have Employers Used in the Past and What Will They Use in the Future?

We asked respondents to choose initiatives their organizations have deployed to ensure employee well-being over the last two years. More than half have allowed more employees to work remotely at times (60%), provided more informational sources to help employees cope with stressors (59%), and ensured employees had the resources and support to do their jobs (56%). While these are good initiatives, just over a third have created regular well-being check-ins/conversations for employees (36%).

Over the last two years what types of initiatives has your organization used to better secure employee well-being? (select all that apply)

Allowed more employees to work remotely at times

Provided more informational sources to help employees cope with stressors

Ensured employees had the resources and suppor t to do their jobs

Provided resources and/or training to managers to better suppor t employees

Provided additional employee benefits

C reated regular well-being check-ins/conversations for employees

Offered more paid-leave oppor tunities

Other - Write In

training to managers to better suppor t employees

What initiatives have organizations offered to support the physical well-being of their employees?

More than 8 in 10 organizations offer healthcare benefits (85%) to promote employees’ physical well-being. However, the focus on preventive care

is considerably less commo, with just over half (54%) offering these initiatives. Since the pandemic, we believe there’s been a rise in the popularity of telemedicine/virtual healthcare (58%) and wellbeing apps (41%).

How Are Organizations Securing Employees’ Mental and Physical Well-being?

Employee mental well-being is a priority for HR in most organizations. In almost 9 in 10 organizations, employee mental health is among the top ten priorities for HR, with half saying it is among the top three (36%) or the top priority (13%).

What Organizations Do to Ensure Financial Wellness?

We asked respondents to choose the top three sources of employee financial stress. Difficulty

in saving to enjoy life's simple pleasures (e.g., vacation, new car, etc.), childcare expenses, and unexpected emergency expenses are tied for first place (33%). Closely following are running out of money before payday (30%) and difficulty saving for retirement (29%). About a quarter also deal with credit card debt (25%) and medical expenses and/ or debt (26%). The financial issues employees face depend on unique situations and may require a personalized effort to handle some of these issues.

Notes

1 Vanian, J. (2023, February 2). Meta's 'year of efficiency' was everything wall street needed to hear from Zuckerberg. CNBC. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/01/metas-year-of-efficiencyeverything-wall-street-needed-to-hear.html

2 Goetzel, R. Z., Fabius, R., Fabius, D., Roemer, E. C., Thornton, N., Kelly, R. K., & Pelletier, K. R. (2016). The stock performance of C. Everett Koop Award winners compared with the Standard & Poor's 500 index. Journal of occupational and environmental medicine. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/26716843/

3 HR.com’s HR Research Institute. (2021, February). The state of employee health and well-being 2021. Retrieved from https://ww.hr.com/en/resources/free_research_white_papers/ the-state-of-employee-health-and-well-being-2021-r_kkz1ij2w. html

4 HR.com’s HR Research Institute. (2022, June). The state of employee well-being 2022. Retrieved from www.hr.com/en/resources/free_research_white_papers/thestate-of-employee-well-being-2022-report_l3wm44c2.html

For more insights on this topic and key takeaways, check out the complete report.

Employee engagement toolkit

Employee engagement has proven effects on performance, retention, innovation, and more. Learn how to understand your employees – and take meaningful actions – with templates, tips, and real-world examples from our toolkit. Learn more at cultureamp.com/understand-your-employees

Leave as a Benefit 101: The Ins and Outs of Paid Parental Leave

Seth Turner, AbsenceSoft

In the past few years, there has been an upward trend in companies offering new types of leave benefits. Whether it’s to recruit or retain talent, it seems that the future of US workplaces looks to be one where paid leave is commonplace. Campaigns such as #showusyourleave have taken the internet by storm, demonstrating just how prevalent modernized leave has become and how important transparent benefits are to both employees and job seekers.

In the 2023 Employee Leave of Absence Forecast Survey done by AbsenceSoft, 70% of respondents had either recently added or will be adding paid parental leave in 2023. In this blog, we will focus on the importance of paid parental leave and how you can implement a modernized policy of your own.

Why Is Offering Paid Parental Leave Important?

There is no federal leave law, FMLA or otherwise, that provides paid parental leave today. When an employee goes out on FMLA for maternity leave, their job is protected for up to 12 weeks, but they are not receiving a paycheck to be able to support their new family. Many employees will opt to take less than 12 weeks or use PTO to ensure they are getting partially paid for their leave.

Because FMLA is unpaid, it can deter fathers from taking paternal leave as well. Although they are

eligible for up to 12 weeks of FMLA for the birth or placement of a child, 70% of fathers take ten days or less for paternal leave, according to the DOL. Logically this makes sense, as many families cannot afford for both parents to be unpaid, especially during the first few weeks of a newborn’s life.

Taking unpaid leave can be impossible for many parents, and unfortunately, it’s the only option that is federally guaranteed in the US today. But ensuring that employees get time with their newborn is vital not only to the parent’s health but the child’s health as well. The World Health Organization recommends a minimum of 18 weeks of paid leave maternity leave – and encourages raising the benefits to the full amount of earnings. Although we have yet to see those recommendations implemented federally, many employers are adopting policies that allow new parents to take the paid leave they need.

States Are Starting to Offer their Own Paid Parental Leaves to Residents

As many companies are catching on to the importance of offering paid parental leave, some states are as well. As of January 2023, there are eight states that have publicly funded parental leave. These states include California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Washington, and Oregon.

Although each state has its own policy and set of qualifications, most do provide paid parental and family caregiving, as well as temporary disability. There are more states on the horizon planning to implement paid family leave in 2024. So far, each state implements maternity and paternity leave as one and the same, meaning fathers receive the same benefit as mothers.

Short-Term Disability (STD) Is an Often-Overlooked Option for Paid Parental Leave

Short-term disability can also be an option you can offer expecting parents for paid parental leave. Standard STD works like an insurance policy provided by your organization. STD offers two weeks of paid leave prior to delivery and six weeks after, but policies and coverage can vary greatly. It is not job-protected like FMLA, but it is paid instead of unpaid, so some new parents choose to use it.

There are five states that have state-mandated disability insurance requirements, but the other 45 do not. STD can be applied regardless of FMLA qualification. But it’s only good for those taking maternity leave – it does not cover paternity leave. It’s also important to keep in mind that STD can be stacked with FMLA or taken concurrently. This adds yet another complexity to managing parental leave. As a best practice, you should thoroughly communicate how STD interacts with other benefits to ensure your employees understand their options.

A Look at “Stacking Leave” and Its Complexities

To spend as much time as possible recovering after a birth and bonding with their newborn, many employees will “stack” their paid leave benefits.

We’ll use an example to walk through how leave entitlements can be “stacked” and how difficult it can make the process of managing parental leave. Let’s say an employee like Jennifer is pregnant and expecting. Her employer offers her six weeks of paid bonding leave. She also has short-term disability insurance through her employer, which entitles her to two weeks of paid leave prior to giving birth, and six weeks of paid leave after. To recover fully, Jennifer takes short-term disability leave first until she is no longer disabled by pregnancy. Then, she begins her company bonding leave after that ends, giving her a total of 14 weeks of paid leave.

To make matters more complicated, Jennifer also lives in the state of New York, which allows her to take up to 12 more weeks of paid family leave at 67% of her pay. Because her employer’s STD and bonding leave policies don’t have any restrictions regarding interactions with New York’s paid family leave, she uses it to extend her paid leave to 16 weeks total.

If you are Jennifer’s leave manager, you have quite a leave case in front of you. Knowing which policies she is (and isn’t) eligible for and keeping track of the time taken against different entitlements can be a huge challenge without the right tools. When cases like Jennifer’s aren’t properly managed, it leads to confusion around return-to-work dates, improperly denied leave benefits, frustrating employee experiences, and even lawsuits. Leave management software will ensure that you are keeping compliant with leave eligibility, as well as track leave usage accurately to be clear about their return-to-work date—even if an employee is stacking multiple policies.

Tips for Implementing a New Paid Parental Leave Policy at Your Organization

Let’s say your company has decided to implement a paid parental company policy, which is wonderful for prospective parents. But what comes next for those managing these new policies? Companypaid leave policies can come in all different shapes and sizes. Each policy will have its own eligibility criteria, and those criteria will likely be decided by HR executives within the company.

As a leave manager or HR leader, it will be your job to:

● Successfully implement the new paid parental policy

● Ensure it is fully compliant with FMLA, STD and state leaves

● Communicate the change with employees

When implementing a new policy, the first step is to gather all the information needed to calculate

eligibility. You’re going to need to know if this policy will have rules such’s as years worked, hours worked and qualifying leave reasons. During the implementation process, it’s faster and easier when you have a leave management platform in place. Leave management software allows you to build this policy from the ground up on your own or with the help of our support team. You will be able to customize this policy exactly to your liking and test it before rolling it out to ensure it works as expected.

It’s always important to keep compliance in mind. Just because your company has a paid parental leave policy doesn’t mean that FMLA or STD cannot be applied. Employees may be able to stack different policies to get the outcome best for them. As we mentioned earlier, if an employee is stacking short-term disability with a state leave and a company leave, things can get really complicated, really fast.

Employee communication is a final, critical step in successfully implementing a new paid parental leave policy. Announcing the new policy to your employees is only the first step. Once people start to use the policy, it is vital that you communicate frequently before and during their paid leaves to establish expectations and return to work dates.

Employee self-service portals not only help you communicate with employees but also allow employees to easily communicate with you. When an employee wants to request parental leave, they will be able to do so directly from their phone or computer. The portal will guide them through a set of choices and show what their eligible for immediately, so you can get an accurate request right away. Communications can be added to each case in the software, so everything is kept documented and accurate. These types of leave

management platforms ensure that you are keeping employees up to date with their leave so that they can focus on their families and not HR stuff.

Conclusion

As paid parental leave becomes more prevalent, not only through company policies but also through changes in state policies, it is important that your HR team has the tools in place to prepare for these transitions. The right leave management solution will ensure that every leave is compliant with federal, state, and company leave policies. These leave systems will be automatically updated anytime there is a change in the law, whether that be state or federal. This way your team does not have to worry about keeping compliant with numerous, ever-changing state leave laws.

Seth Turner is the Chief Strategy Officer at AbsenceSoft. He has over 20 years of experience working with clients to solve their HR and leave management struggles. Seth discovered early on that leveraging technology can revolutionize how HR approaches leave and set out to build an automated, scalable, and robust solution to make our customers’ lives easier.

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The Solution Your DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Strategy is Missing

Davida Rivens, E4E Relief

Right now, in the U.S., a billion-dollar disaster occurs every 18 days. Few parts of the country are spared: 90% of counties in the U.S. suffered a weather disaster over the past decade. That leaves many individuals vulnerable to hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and more.

But, while disasters are becoming a near-universal challenge, affecting individuals across the country with increasing frequency, their impact is not equal.

People of color and those who are economically disadvantaged suffer disproportionate impacts of extreme weather events, and as companies look to support employees in need with an eye toward diversity, equity, and inclusion, it’s important to understand how these populations experience a disaster and how employers can help.

The Unequal Impact of Disaster

There is no shortage of real-life examples of disaster inequity, including recently when Hurricane Ian struck Florida’s Gulf Coast in the fall of 2022. In Dunbar, a historically Black community in Fort Myers with a growing Hispanic and Latino community, roughly a quarter of the population lives below the poverty line. Many residents there lacked the financial resources to prepare for the storm as it approached, let alone to evacuate,

which costs an average of $1,200. Instead, they stayed and suffered the consequences. Nearly a week after the storm hit, they were still without power, had lost thousands of dollars in food, and the extent of the damage they suffered was staggering.

In addition to the hard costs of evacuation – gas, hotel accommodations, and food – there are income losses to consider. For hourly workers for whom remote work isn’t an option, taking time off to evacuate can have a serious impact on their families. They must choose between financial and physical safety. In addition, some businesses remain closed in the aftermath of a weather event due to lost power, damage, or other reasons. No work means no income for the families that need it most.

And for those who experience property damage, there’s the cost of rebuilding or relocating, which can be particularly significant as housing prices and inflation continue to rise and as many in the communities hit hardest by recent storms lack the insurance coverage they need to make a full recovery. In the case of Hurricane Ian, only 18.5% of homes in the counties where residents were told to evacuate had coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program. The rest were forced to find a way forward on their own.

Research shows us this isn’t just an issue between the “haves” and “have nots.” Race and ethnicity play a role here. And, as a recent study from Rice University and the University of Pittsburgh shows, disasters don’t just impact the immediate financial outlook of families of color. There are long-term wealth effects to consider, as well.

For the study, researchers followed nearly 3,500 families across the U.S. from 1999 to 2013 and looked at how disasters affected personal wealth over time. The results were striking: Blacks living in counties with at least $10 billion in damage lost an estimated $27,000, while Whites living in counties with similar levels of damage gained nearly $126,000.

“Whites accumulate more wealth after natural disasters while residents of color accumulate less,” one researcher said. “What this means is wealth inequality is increasing in counties that are hit by more disasters.” Homeownership plays a key role in the widening wealth gap: After a disaster strikes, insurance companies pay out claims to homeowners, and fewer renters are likely to take out renters’ insurance because the monthly costs add to an already tight budget.

The increase in wealth inequality is compounded by other issues. A study by the Urban Institute found that people living in communities of color that were hit by medium-sized disasters experienced an average 31-point decline in their credit score, in part due to pursuing loans or other lines of credit to afford increased disaster-related expenses. Individuals living in majority White communities, on the other hand, experienced a 4-point decline.

Why Does Financial Well-being Matter?

Financial well-being is defined as a state of

financial security and financial freedom of choice, both now and in the future, and it’s a critical part of our overall well-being. Gallup identifies it as one of five core elements that play a role in personal wellbeing, alongside a career, social wellness, physical health, and a sense of community. Trouble in any one of those areas jeopardizes our health and wellness, and for many individuals, that trouble lies in financial well-being.

Right now, 63% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. According to the American Psychological Association’s annual Stress in America survey, money-related stress is at an all-time high, and 88% of employees agree inflation and rising costs of living have notably increased their financial anxiety in the past year. In addition, 57% say they are unable to afford a $1000 emergency expense.

Financial instability leaves many individuals vulnerable to disasters and hardships that are affecting communities with increasing frequency. It also has a significant impact on businesses as research repeatedly shows a direct correlation between employee stress and lower rates of engagement, productivity, and retention. In fact, disengaged employees cost companies between $450 and $550 billion every year. The annual cost of lost productivity is $322 billion. And voluntary turnover costs companies $1 trillion every year.

The Rocky Road to Financial Recovery

Facing disaster-related expenses, employees in financial hardship have few places to turn.

One option for immediate expense coverage is a payday loan, which charges high-interest rates for small personal loans. While these loans can provide immediate relief, they come at a significant cost. A 2015 study by the Pew Charitable Trusts found that 12 million Americans take out payday loans each year and spend $9 billion on loan fees. The interest rates on these loans are significantly higher than credit card rates: Debt.org says they effectively range from a 300% to 500% annual percentage rate (APR).

If an individual can’t afford the emergency expense, chances are near certain they cannot afford the extra cost of high interest, which is part of the cycle that keeps economically disadvantaged groups in a state of financial strain.

In addition, many (but not all) major companies give employees the option to take a hardship withdrawal from their 401ks, which alleviates the 10% penalty that would typically apply to a withdrawal. There are, however, drawbacks to this option: First, employees are not allowed to repay any money withdrawn back into the plan. Employees also must provide documentation to their company as evidence of the hardship need, which can violate personal privacy. Furthermore, some hardships don’t qualify under IRS rules, such as burial expenses or prevention of eviction or foreclosure.

Emergency financial relief programs allow companies to offer charitable grants to their employees and other key stakeholders during times of disaster and hardship. These direct cash grants can help cover the cost of evacuation or repairs. There is no interest, and there is no hit to long-term savings and retirement. They are a lifeline to individuals in need, and when done right, they protect the privacy of employees and ensure equitable access across the workforce. In providing emergency financial relief grants, companies can deliver timely support and help bring an end to cycles of poverty and disadvantage. And research shows it is a solution employees want: 47% of workers said an employer-sponsored emergency fund would entice them to leave their current job for a new opportunity.

Disasters create opportunities to rebuild better and stronger than before. This is as true for our infrastructure as it is for our people. Companies can facilitate this process by offering their workforce financial support when it is needed most.

Davida Rivens is the Managing Director, Growth & Development at E4E Relief  She has been a driving force at E4E Relief for more than a decade, playing a leading role in the growth and development of the organization that now serves 140 companies and 6 million individuals worldwide. She has a passion for service and a deep commitment to creating workforce solutions that meet the needs of all populations.

The good news: There is another option for companies that decide to support their employees in the wake of disaster – emergency financial relief.

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The ROI of Employee Mindfulness and Mental Health Programs

Russell Glass, Headspace

The modern workplace has shifted significantly, creating new challenges for employees as they work remotely, in a hybrid policy, or full-time in the office. Burnout has become more prevalent as employees face increased workloads, a lack of staff, and a diminished work-life balance.

Investing in mental health is beneficial and necessary for employees as well as employers. According to the National Safety Council and NORC at the University of Chicago, employers spend an average of more than $15,000 annually on each

employee experiencing mental health issues. This cost stems from days of work missed, employee turnover and replacement costs, and greater healthcare use by workers and family members.1

At a time when employers are facing a tight labor market and budget cuts, implementing a mental health and mindfulness program can be a game-changer. When employees have the tools to improve their well-being, employers have the potential to benefit from increased engagement and productivity, less absenteeism, a higher level of job satisfaction, and improved employee retention.

How Can Employers Support the Mental Well-being of Their Employees?

To guarantee that employers are supporting each employee at every level of mental health need, it’s important that mental well-being offerings are easily accessible and comprehensive. Headspace offers mindfulness and meditation tools rooted in science, combined with behavioral health coaching, therapy, and psychiatry.

Headspace provides companies with end-to-end mental health support for their employees, ensuring they have the resources to improve their everyday wellbeing and access personalized, one-on-one care when needed. A multi-level, collaborative care model makes sure that employees are using higher-cost care only when clinically appropriate, and that they’re supported at every step of their mental health journey.

Proving the Value of Mindfulness and Mental Healthcare

56% of employers want to do more to improve staff well-being, but they don’t feel they have the right training or guidance to make it a reality.2 How can employers ensure that the mental health benefits they offer to their employees are driving value, both for employee well-being and for the company’s bottom line? With data-driven, science-backed solutions with proven ROI.

Mindfulness has been proven to help employees feel more present and engaged at work. It doesn’t take long for employees to see improvements to their mental well-being while engaging in meditation and mindfulness practice using the Headspace app:

● 14% increase in focus after 1 session

● 32% less stress within 30 days of Headspace

● 29% decrease in depressive symptoms within 8 weeks of Headspace

● 19% decrease in anxiety symptoms within 8 weeks of Headspace

And, when science-back meditation is partnered with comprehensive, quality mental healthcare, employees see the benefits. Through our research, we’ve found that when employers implement Ginger’s on-demand mental health system, they see significant outcome improvements for their employees, including:

● 59% of members showing improvement in anxiety symptoms at follow-up3

● 70% of members showing improvement in depression symptoms at follow-up4

● An average increase of 3 healthy mental health days, per employee, per month, after one month of Ginger

What’s more, Headspace recently developed a real-world cost impact model with Accorded (formerly Cerebrae), an actuarial consulting firm, in order to reliably infer how much an employer can expect to save by implementing the Ginger solution for their employee population. Applying the model to a sample engaged population5 , an employer can expect between $101,000 –$302,000 in savings per 100 engaged employees by implementing the Ginger care model, in comparison to the amount they would spend implementing a traditional care model.6

How Mental Well-being Support Makes the Difference

When employers support their employees’ mental well-being with comprehensive tools that meet employees where they are, both individuals and businesses see the benefits, including improved engagement, productivity, and reduced absenteeism. At a time when employees are seeking more support from their employers, mental well-being solutions can be a tool to build happier, healthier, more resilient teams.

If you’re interested in learning about how a comprehensive mental well-being offering can benefit your organization, contact Headspace here

NOTES

1 National Safety Council, 2021. “New Mental Health Cost Calculator Shows Why Investing in Mental Health is Good for Business.”

2 Mind. Taking care of your staff. (2022). https://www. mind.org.uk/workplace/mental-health-at-work/ taking-care-of-your-staff/

3 Follow-up in this study was between 6-16 weeks

4 Follow-up in this study was between 6-16 weeks

5 McKinsey & Company, 2021. “Using digital tech to support employees’ mental health and resilience.”

6 Headspace 2022. “The Value of the Ginger System.”

Russell Glass is the CEO of Headspace Health, where he leads the company with his experience as a technology entrepreneur and a passion for digital mental health, strategy, and building great cultures. Most recently, Russ was CEO of Ginger, which merged with Headspace in October 2021 to create Headspace Health.

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5 Workplace Solutions For Employee Burnout And Well-Being

Moving beyond the norm

By Laura Putnam, Motion Infusion

June marks National Employee Well-being Month. The annual event is designed to raise awareness about the benefits of a healthy workforce, emphasizing the relationship between employee health, employee productivity, and organizational success.

While employee well-being has become standard fare, with 84% of employers with 200 or more

employees offering wellness, more can be done. For starters, employers should regularly review their existing wellness programs so they can critically analyze whether the offerings are actually making a meaningful difference. As evidenced by a Rand study, most workplace wellness programs fall short of their intended objectives, with an average of 80 percent of eligible employees opting out.

Moreover, the impact is often minimal, even for those employees who do participate. According to a recent McKinsey Health Institute 2022 Survey of nearly 15,000 workers across 15 countries, a quarter of employees are reporting burnout symptoms - despite an increase in mental health resources offered by their employers. The reason? These programs are solving the wrong problem. The vast majority of organizations target the individual and fail to address the workplace. Meanwhile, according to leading burnout researchers Michael P. Leiter and Christina Maslach, the six leading causes of employee burnout have nothing to do with the individual and everything to do with the workplace itself.

Having worked with hundreds of organizations and over 20,000 CEOs and managers to implement workplace well-being strategies, I continue to encounter company leaders who believe they can improve workplace well-being with check-the-box, individual resources instead of doing the hard work to empower managers to lead well-being, hold top

leaders accountable in supporting well-being, and fix the workplace culture itself.

As the McKinsey Health Institute survey spells out, since most employers are failing to employ a systemic approach, most are achieving little in the way of addressing the issue, despite their increased investments in mental health solutions. As their research shows, along with longstanding Gallup research, the key influencers of culture are leaders, especially managers.

Top leader endorsement can create a broader acceptance for well-being on an organizational level, but where the rubber hits the road is on the team level. In fact, according to a 19-country study conducted by ADP Research Institute, the “culture” that employees experience at work (whether in person or remotely) is largely the one that they experience within the context of their team. As such, every team member is looking to their direct supervisor to “give them permission” to actually engage in wellness, tuning into the signals that the boss sends.

What this means is that every manager has an opportunity to serve as either a gatekeeper or multiplier of well-being for team members. Take, for example, time spent on after-hours emailing. The more time a manager spends on sending after-hours email time, the more time their team members will do the same. A Microsoft analytics survey found that for every hour that a manager engages in after-hours email, time roughly translates into an added twenty minutes of after-hours email time for team members.

On the positive side, our research shows that in organizations where managers have learned to become multipliers of well-being, participating managers and their team members reported increased engagement with work, enhanced well-being, and improved productivity.

To help organizations implement well-being strategies that actually work, here are five practical ways they can effectively improve employee well-being:

1. Eliminate cookie-cutter employee benefits perks and programs. Ask the average employee about their company wellness program, and they will likely tell you about a buffet of disconnected, often hard-to-find, activities, challenges, and questionnaires that do little to actually improve their quality of life. The truth is that no amount of cookie-cutter solutions such as a mindfulness app, online yoga class, or health risk assessment can make up for a toxic boss, for example.

2. Identify root causes. The real work begins with taking a hard look at why employees are unwell in the first place. What are the systemic forces that are taking a toll on the workforce? According to a Gallup study derived from a survey of over 7,500 employees, the top drivers of employee burnout, for example, are the workplace itself, including unfair treatment at work, unmanageable workload, and unreasonable time pressure.

3. Recognize that well-being needs to be a collective responsibility. For decades, businesses have perpetuated the “personal responsibility” narrative, placing the onus on the individual to seek help rather

than addressing the larger issues at hand. Today, businesses need to understand that employee well-being is a collective responsibility that requires holistic solutions, such as policies that discourage after-hour emails, ensuring that positions are filled to prevent understaffing, or building a culture in which toxic leadership is not tolerated.

4. Managers can be multipliers of well-being. A crucial aspect of the success of any well-being initiative lies in empowering managers to support and lead well-being for their teams, as a recent Deloitte Well-being at Work survey reveals. In our longstanding “Managers on the Move” program, we train managers on how they can lead by example (Do), engage in conversation with team members about well-being, encourage them to take advantage of company resources (Speak) and devise team-based systems and rituals of well-being (Create).

5. Encourage team care, not just self-care. While managers may have little control over what’s happening across the organization, they can carve out an oasis of well-being for their team. Teams can implement rituals, such as a moment of silence or expressions of gratitude at the start of meetings. These kinds of team-care rituals can go a long way in building both friendships as well as psychological safety - a boon to both well-being and performance.

Laura Putnam is a leading voice for well-being at work, an international public speaker, and the author of Workplace Wellness That Works . As CEO of Motion Infusion and creator of the leadership training program “Managers on the Move”, she infuses well-being and vitality into the workplace to help employees, teams, and organizations thrive.

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The High Cost Of Financial Stress: How Employers Can Empower Their People To Thrive

The role of employers in supporting employee financial well-being

By Neha Mirchandani, BrightPlan

Financial stress is a significant challenge for today's workforce, and it's only worsening as we continue to grapple with economic uncertainty. With ongoing high inflation and interest rates, a possible recession, and rampant market volatility, it's no wonder that employees and business leaders alike are feeling the pressure.

According to the BrightPlan 2023 Wellness Barometer Survey, 92% of employees are stressed about their finances. And leaders are by no means immune — 76% of the C-suite and human resources (HR) leaders report financial stress. The survey reveals what’s top of mind for employees, HR decisionmakers, and the C-Suite at U.S. companies with 1,000 or more

employees - and how employers can best respond in the reality of the current market environment. Below is a summary of the key findings.

Current State of Financial Preparedness

The U.S. is facing a financial wellness crisis that continues to worsen. Only 18% of respondents surveyed have basic financial literacy. 85% have debt, and nearly half have more debt than they can manage. Additionally, 35% have no emergency savings, and over half are saving less than 10% of their income, or nothing at all, for retirement. 63% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, and even half of those earning more than $100,000 annually, are struggling to make ends meet.

Impact on Employees & Employers

This financial stress is taking a toll on workers' mental, social, and physical health. 64% of respondents say financial stress has worsened their relationships, and nearly three-quarters have missed out on opportunities to spend time with family, friends, and co-workers due to financial constraints. Additionally, 72% of respondents report that financial stress negatively impacts their mental health, and 60% say their physical health has suffered due to financial stress.

The impact of financial stress isn't just limited to employee well-being; it's also affecting their engagement and productivity at work. 50% of respondents reported reduced engagement, and 48% reported a decline in productivity due to financial stress. On average, workers are

losing an entire day of productive work per week, costing U.S. employers potentially nearly $200 billion annually.*

Role of Employers

While workers are trying to take steps to improve their financial situation, with 80% cutting expenses and 81% improving their financial habits, business leaders recognize that employees cannot solve the problem alone. Nearly all HR leaders and C-suite executives surveyed believe that their companies should provide guidance and tools to help their employees improve their financial literacy, grow their wealth, and manage their money on a day-to-day basis. Yet, businesses are also faced with an uncertain future and are becoming more cost-conscious, with many investing in automation to drive efficiencies, cutting back on travel, closing brick-and-mortar

locations, reducing or deferring bonuses, and laying off workers.

So, what can organizations and HR leaders do to help alleviate financial stress in the workplace while balancing costs? Here are four crucial steps:

1. Turn to data: To prioritize what matters most and better support their people, HR leaders need concrete evidence that reveals areas of opportunity. This means delving into comprehensive workforce analytics to uncover critical trends and challenges faced by employees. For instance, the data might reveal that a significant portion of the workforce is grappling with living paycheck to paycheck or burdened by student debt that exceeds the national average within a specific employee population.

Armed with this information, employers have the insights necessary to implement targeted practical solutions, such as personalized guidance and education related to budgeting and building emergency savings or student loan assistance programs that ultimately help reduce personal stress and improve employee well-being.

2. Address their top concerns. High inflation is a primary contributor to financial stress, with 96% of employees and leaders reporting it's impacting them. To help employees alleviate inflation-related concerns and stretch their paychecks, employers can offer creative solutions beyond just raising wages.

For example, some companies are increasing employer contributions to healthcare plans to combat rising premiums, offering additional insurance coverage, or providing subsidies for essential expenses like housing or transportation. This approach demonstrates a commitment to a culture of care and provides tangible relief to employees facing the brunt of economic uncertainty.

3. Upgrade financial wellness benefits: The survey reveals that 74% of employees are dissatisfied with their financial benefits. Employers can

bridge this gap by investing in the areas employees need and want the most. With the unpredictable nature of the current economic climate, it's more important than ever that businesses invest in providing meaningful support and value to employees, offer benefits that matter most, and provide a safety net.

For example, by prioritizing emergency savings programs, debt management services, and homeownership assistance, employers can offer holistic and targeted financial benefits that extend beyond traditional retirement plans and meet employees where they are in their life journey.

4. Boost benefits optimization: Employers can leverage data to identify areas of low benefits utilization and develop initiatives to address these gaps, such as providing education tailored to their benefits program as well as access to financial planners trained in their company’s benefits package. A year-long communication strategy that extends beyond open enrollment season and meets employees where they are through the communication channel of their choice can also help yield positive results.

Ultimately, by utilizing data-driven strategies, employers can create a

comprehensive benefits ecosystem that empowers employees to make informed decisions, resulting in increased engagement, higher enrollment rates, and improved utilization of financial benefits.

Financial stress has a significant impact on employees' well-being and productivity at work. Without access to the proper financial support, tools, and resources, the anxiety surrounding money can be overwhelming. Employers have a crucial role in helping their employees alleviate financial stress by offering the benefits their employees and families need and want the most and driving utilization of those benefits.

By taking these steps, employers can create a supportive and productive work environment, leading to happier and more engaged employees and a thriving business.

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Neha Mirchandani is the CMO & Head of People at BrightPlan. She holds expertise in enterprise software, SaaS, cloud communications, employee and customer experience, HR tech, Fintech, and IoT.

The Future Is Diverse. Not Diverted

How mindfulness can mitigate ageism and improve employee well-being for all ages

By Berit Lewis, Thriving Life

Across the world, governments are raising the retirement age to accommodate the changing demographics[1]. As we live longer, the future of employee well-being needs to take into account the unique needs and preferences of a more age-diverse workforce. Overcoming generational stereotypes is crucial for the future of employee well-being, not only for older employees but for all. It promotes a more holistic understanding of individuals' skills, experiences, and perspectives, enabling better teamwork, knowledge sharing, and innovation. It also promotes intergenerational learning and mentorship opportunities, benefiting both junior and senior employees.

Nevertheless, generational stereotyping is common and often shows itself as prejudice and discrimination against people based on their age, also known as ageism. In their report[2] on ageism, the World Health Organization (WHO) declares that 1 in 2 people are ageists against older people. The report also announces the profound negative consequences it has on older adults' health and well-being, which include poorer mental health, higher levels of depression, anxiety, and lower subjective well-being.

While there is increasing attention to the issue of age discrimination and its impact on individuals and organizations, it is a difficult issue to combat as ageism is so commonly accepted and ingrained into policies, laws, institutions, and general beliefs. Ageism

is often not recognized as a problem as we are simply not aware of it being present.

The Comfort of Boxes

One of the dominating ageist stories of our society, which most of us unconsciously adhere to daily, is that everything is downhill from the time we turn 50. When we buy “anti-aging creams” or applaud each other for “looking good for our age”, we are agreeing to a cultural narrative that considers being young as something positive and old as negative. Young people are seen as more beautiful, healthy, physically powerful, cognitively sharp, and energetic. Old people are considered less beautiful, physically and mentally slower, and less flexible.

If we go beyond the dichotomous old/young distinction, we also like to classify ourselves as belonging to a certain generation. Are you a Boomer or Zoomer? We all love to make sense of a complicated world by placing ourselves and others into boxes. It is a comforting way to create rules and patterns in an otherwise complicated and unpredictable world, and it gives us a sense of identity.

But stereotyping of any kind hinders cooperation and innovation in organizations and limits the well-being and potential of the individual. Instead of allowing ourselves to see the potential of a person, we treat and judge each other on the base of preconceived ideas.

Well-being Starts with Awareness

Of course, organizations play a crucial role in creating age-inclusive environments by implementing age-inclusive policies. But as with all cultural changes, the change ultimately depends on the people who are making up the culture. When it comes to stereotyping and ageism, we are all perpetrators and victims. It is up to each one of us to look inside and explore how we see and treat ourselves and our colleagues.

We need to step out of automatic pilot and see beyond those self-created limiting boxes. Mitigating ageism starts with awareness, simply because we cannot change anything if we are not aware of its existence. Once we see our patterns, we gain the freedom to, over time, re-wire our inner and collective neurological patterns of thoughts and behavior. Mindfulness is a way to gain this awareness.

Mindfulness as a Tool to End Stereotyping

Mindfulness is widely recognized as beneficial for our overall well-being[3]. So far, it has mostly been used in organizations to reduce stress, enhance emotional regulation, focus, and attention, or generally create better well-being. However, the changing

demographics call for a new reason for organizations to offer mindfulness training to their employees; as a way to end generational stereotyping and improve collaboration across a multi-generational and diverse workforce.

One of the reasons why mindfulness improves well-being is because it increases self-awareness. This insight, coupled with the compassion training that is inherent in any mindfulness training, makes it an astute tool for stepping out of automatic pilot and recognizing and rectifying when we stereotype and limit ourselves and each other.

Aging Is Not the Problem. Ageism Is

Stopping ageism is not the same as closing our eyes to the challenges that come with age. As responsible employers, we need to address the specific needs and challenges faced by the aging demographics of our workforce without letting it become ageist. While some employees may require additional health and wellness offers that address age-related health concerns, it doesn´t mean that all employees over a certain age need this attention or that younger employees couldn´t benefit from similar special care.

Offering flexible work arrangements, such as part-time work or phased retirement options, is often mentioned as a way to be an age-friendly workplace, but why does this flexibility have to be limited to older employees?

A society or organization with an increasing amount of older people is usually not seen as something favorable. But what if we step out of automatic pilot and see the changing demographics as a catalyst for a positive transition in which we are all seen as individuals with individual potential, wishes, and needs – not just as belonging to a certain box with a number on? It could be the impetus to allow all employees to mix the 3 spheres of working, learning, and resting in a more balanced way throughout their lives, which would allow all to stay healthy, happy, and employed for years beyond the current retirement age.

Aging is not a problem for our well-being or contribution. The challenge is our (self-) limiting thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors. Most of us could use some help to be mindful of those.

Notes:

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/may/11/uk-will-haveto-raise-retirement-age-after-election-minister-says

[2] https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240020504

[3] Keng SL, Smoski MJ, Robins CJ. Effects of mindfulness on psychological health: a review of empirical studies. Clin Psychol Rev. 2011 Aug;31(6):1041-56. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2011.04.006. Epub 2011 May 13. PMID: 21802619; PMCID: PMC3679190.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3679190/

Berit Lewis is the author of the book Ageing Upwards: A mindfulnessbased framework for the longevity revolution . She has done research into mindfulness and aging and is the owner of Thriving Life, which offers mindfulness-based training workshops, courses, and retreats in mental well-being. Website: www. thrivinglife.eu

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Are Employers Doing Enough To Support Working Fathers In Canada?

Addressing parenting challenges for working fathers

By Kiljon Shukullari, Peninsula Canada

When it comes to supporting working parents, it is typically overshadowed by the overwhelming challenges faced by working mothers. However, it’s important to note that mothers and fathers both face challenges in different ways.

According to a study by Monster. com, 55% of working mothers struggle with the difficulties of leaving their children at home to go to work, and most men (41%) battle with the constant pressure to provide for their families.

Supporting fathers in the workplace is essential for promoting gender equality, work-life balance, and overall employee well-being. Here are some effective ways employers can support fathers in the workplace.

Paternity leave: Encourage fathers to take advantage of parental leave benefits offered by the Canadian government. The Employment Insurance (EI) program provides paid parental leave for both parents, allowing

fathers to take time off work to bond with their newborns or take care of their children. Employers can further support fathers by offering additional top-up benefits to ensure they receive a reasonable income during their leave.

Flexible work arrangements: Implement flexible work policies that allow fathers to manage their work responsibilities while being actively involved in their children's lives.

Workplace culture and support: Foster an inclusive workplace culture that values work-life balance for all employees, including fathers. Promote an environment that recognizes and respects the importance of family and encourages employees to prioritize their well-being. Encourage open communication and provide support mechanisms, such as employee assistance programs or parental support groups.

Encourage involvement in family activities: Recognize the significance of family involvement and encourage fathers to actively participate in their children's school or extracurricular activities. Provide flexibility for fathers to attend events or appointments related to their children's well-being without facing negative consequences at work.

Employee benefits: Review and enhance employee benefits to meet the evolving needs of fathers. Consider offering benefits such as childcare subsidies, backup childcare options, or wellness programs that address

parenting challenges and promote work-life integration.

Leading by example: Encourage senior leaders and managers to actively support fathers in the workplace. When leaders prioritize work-life balance and familyfriendly policies, it sets a positive tone and promotes a supportive environment for all employees.

Parental Leave

Parental leave is a benefit provided under the Employment Insurance (EI) program. The parental leave allows eligible parents, including fathers, to take time off work to care for their newborn or newly adopted child. Here are some key details about parental leave in Canada:

1. Length of leave: Eligible parents can take up to 35 weeks of parental leave. This can be shared between the parents, allowing flexibility for both fathers and mothers to take time off work.

2. Employment insurance benefits: During the parental leave period, eligible parents can receive Employment Insurance benefits, which provide partial income replacement. The benefit amount is generally 55% of the average insurable weekly earnings, up to a maximum amount set by the government.

3. Eligibility: To be eligible for parental leave and EI benefits, individuals must have accumulated enough insurable hours of employment and have made sufficient contributions to the EI program. The specific eligibility criteria can be found on the Service Canada website.

4. Starting date of leave: Parents can start the parental leave at any time, within 52 weeks after the child's birth or adoption. However, it's important to note that the duration of the leave does not extend beyond the 52-week mark.

5. Job protection: Employees who take parental leave are entitled to job protection. This means that they have the right to return to their same or a comparable position after the leave ends. Employers cannot terminate or penalize employees for taking parental leave.

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Kiljon Shukullari is HR Advice Manager at Peninsula Canada. He holds extensive experience in the field of talent management and human resources.

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