Employee Wellbeing SEPTEMBER 2022 | FUTUREOFBUSINESSANDTECH.COM How HERO is meeting a critical moment for our workforce’s mental health Health ResearchEnhancementOrganization Learn about the keys to better bene�ıts for your employees 02 Why �ınancial wellness bene�ıts matter so much to employees 04 An Independent Supplement by Mediaplanet to USA Today A Mediaplanet Guide to Maintaining a Happy and Healthy Workforce
HERO has identified some employer best practices and key areas where organizations can take action and have meaningful impact: Raise awareness
care as part of your benefits plan. Evaluate your mental health benefits for specific mental health and substance use conditions. Consider reduced co-pay costs. Evaluate your employee assistance pro gram provider for diverse rep resentation among clinicians (e.g., LGBTQIA+ informed care, race, ethnicity, languages) and delivery methods (e.g., on-site, tele-behavioral health).
Partner with local and national organizations to inform, extend, and share guidance
Leverage resources available through public health depart ments, parks and recreational agencies, and community cen ters. Connect employees with vetted and quality-assured online resources from trusted mental health and wellbeing organizations. n Images
At the Health Enhance ment Research Organiza tion (HERO), we continue to advance our understanding of the evolving workforce men tal health landscape, sharing evidence-based best practices and facilitating discussions to support businesses, employ ees, and communities as we address this challenge.
READ MORE AT FUTUREOFBUSINESSANDTECH.COM2 @MEDIAPLANETUSA @FUTUREBUSINESSTECH Publisher Helen Chappell Business Developer Adrienne Macaluso Managing Director Jordan Hernandez Lead Designer Kayla Mendez Designer Keziah Makoundou Lead Editor Dustin Brennan Copy Editor Cynthia Puleo Director of Content and Production Joelle Hernandez All photos are credited to Getty
unless otherwise specified. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve USA Today.
INQUIRIES: Emily Wolfe MSW, LCSW, Director of Experience,LearningHERO
Reduce stigma and normalize mental health and wellbe ing. Facilitate conversations among employees at all lev els, from frontline workers to
Serving as a convener of
Reduce psychosocial risks related to work, environment, and culture Invite employee involvement and increase autonomy. Pro vide opportunities for employ ees to advance knowledge and skills through job training and development. Enhance employee recognition pro grams. Examine existing policies to ensure they are inclusive, diverse, and equita ble (e.g., caregiver and family leave policies that include same-gender couples). Main tain a healthy and psycholog ically safe work environment.
US.EDITORIAL@MEDIAPLANET.COM AND US.ADVERTISE@MEDIAPLANET.COM PLEASE RECYCLE
employee resource groups and peer-to-peer support.
An Informed Approach to Workforce Mental Health and Wellbeing
Provide and promote access to evidencebased, affordable, quality mental healthcare Include quality mental health
The mental health and wellbeing of our nation’s workforce has taken center stage since the pandemic began, with historic events adding new stressors and amplifying existing ones.
managers and senior leaders. Train managers and workplace mental health champions to identify and respond to mental health concerns appropriately.
The HERO Health and Well-being Best Practices Scorecard in Collaboration with Mercer© further supports employers in understanding and implementing practices that support workforce mental health and wellbeing.
Strengthen the connection between mental and physical health by integrating mental health support strategies into wellness initiatives (e.g., men tal wellbeing days, flextime, access to fresh air and natural light). Require warm handoffs between EAP and wellness providers. Host vendor partner summits to facilitate relation ships between them. Sup port social wellness through
E mployers are eager to under stand the role of evolving work models, workplace culture, policies, and practices in support of their employees’ mental health. The increased awareness and desire to address these urgent needs have led to the development of many new mental health solutions for employers and the workplace. But even with myriad resources, guidance, and partner solutions avail able, many employers are still asking, “Where do we begin?”
Making an impact
thought leaders and spotlight ing employers’ mental health strategies through video interviews are but two ways in which we serve as part of a larger global effort to improve the mental health and wellbe ing of America’s workforce.
Integrate mental health into a wellbeingcomprehensivestrategy
Employees’ mental health is at an all-time low, according to a recent survey by Lyra.
MEDIAPLANET 3
Offered as a benefit for self-in sured companies, Lyra Health is changing the way employ ers across the globe offer men tal healthcare services.
“Having a quality mental health benefit is a part of that equation.”Morethan 1 in 5 Americans has a mental health issue like depression or anxiety. If employers want an engaged workforce, they need to end the stigma and support their employees’ mental health. n Lyra Health
Nearly a third (31%) of workers surveyed said their mental health has declined over the past year, up from 24% at the end of Workers2020. were also more likely to say they’d faced stress, anxiety, burnout, and depression over the past year. The biggest jump was among employees with anxiety, which affected 14% more employees than in 2020. These challenges aren’t just individual issues; they’re organizational issues as well. Untreated mental illness impacts companies through lost productivity, higher healthcare costs, more dis ability claims, and higher turnover.Leading companies have recognized this and are offer ing mental health benefits to help employees get the care they need — however, not all employee benefit programs are created equal. Too often, traditional EAPs and health insurance plans don’t provide timely access to therapy, psy chiatry, or other behavioral healthcare. These networks
Transforming mental health
also tend to offer a limited range of available providers, care types, and specializa tions, meaning they’re less equipped to treat employees’ unique needs.
With Lyra, your employees and their dependents can access a network of worldclass therapists, mental health coaches, and more. Appointments are available
the same day you book (the national average wait time for a mental health visit is three weeks).Plus, employees who have Lyra have 24/7 access to live messaging with mental health professionals and unlimited access to self-led cognitive behavioral therapy lessons and“Organizationsexercises. should pri oritize psychological safety and mental wellness while modeling healthy self-care behaviors,” said Joe Grasso, Ph.D., clinical psychologist and Lyra’s senior director of workforce transformation.
SPONSORED
Forward-Looking Employers Are Leading the Charge on Cultural Transformation
Join Lyra’s effort to transform the way our nation confronts mental health by visiting lyrahealth.com
“Humana is thrilled to be working with Jet Dental to bring mobile dentistry to our customers,” Tilton said. “It’s an innovative, convenient solution that is a win-win for both employers and their employees.”Ifyouare interested in learning more about mobile dentistry in your workplace, connect with your broker and see the Humana difference today. Feel free to connect with Humana if you have any addi tional questions. n
“Fromorder.caring for their eyes or teeth to managing stress or losing weight, employees want to feel better, and they appreci ate employers who help them do so,” said Mike Tilton, senior vice president of specialty for leading health and well-being company Humana.
Humana offers — the com pany was recently ranked No. 1 in customer satisfaction with dental plans in the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Dental Plan Satisfac tion Study.
Better benefits can help improve employee loyalty. Research shows employees have increased interest in the benefits offered by their employers and that they’re closely evaluating the benefits theyWhenneed.
A new must-have benefit in healthcare that provides this high level of flexibility is mobile dentistry. Mobile dentistry has rapidly become a fixture in offices across the country because it not only helps employees improve their health in a convenient way,
To learn more, visit www.humana.com
Improving loyalty
hile employers are in search of ways to retain their best employees, workers are looking for flexible sched ules, more money, and better or additional benefits.
This material is provided for infor mational use only and should not be construed as medical advice or used in place of consulting a licensed medical professional. If you are in a life-threatening or emergency medical situation, please dial 9-1-1 and seek medical attention immediately.Thiscommunication provides a general description of certain identified insurance or non-insurance benefits pro vided under one or more of our health benefit plans. Our health benefit plans have exclusions and limitations and terms under which the coverage may be continued in force or discontinued. For costs and complete details of the coverage, refer to the plan document or call or write your Humana insurance agent or the company. In the event of any disagreement between this communication and the plan docu ment, the plan document will control.
The Key to Keeping Your Best Employees? Better Benefits.
Humana works with more than 500,000 vision and den tal providers across the coun try, giving its members the convenience and flexibility they love. They’ll also love the unparalleled customer service
Jet Dental is a third party vendor. Humana’s contract with Jet Dental does not eliminate a member of any obligations under the policy or change the terms of the policy. Participation in the Jet Dental program is voluntary. All representations and warranties contained in this marketing material are made solely by Jet Dental, not Humana. Humana and Jet Dental, including each party’s respective affiliates and sub sidiaries, are independent, non-affiliated entities. Humana, its parent and affiliates are not liable to members for the negligent provision of services by Jet Dental.
Bringing care to employees
research and con sulting nonprofit LIMRA asked full-time employees with insurance benefits what ben efit changes they made during their 2020 open enrollment period, 30% said they’d made changes, with 80% saying they added or increased coverage. Life, medical, and dental insur ance were the top three bene fits that were added/increased, in that
but also provides employers with an important tool to recruit and retain talent.
Kristen Castillo
Jet Dental is a pop-up dental clinic for workplaces nationwide. They set up at businesses in spaces like spare conference rooms or training rooms and allow employees to get their dental care done right in the office.
Humana Dental received the highest score in the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Dental Plan Satisfaction Study of customers’ sat isfaction with dental plans. Visit jdpower. com/awards for more details.
More than 47 million Americans quit their jobs last year. It’s all part of “The Great Resignation,” a movement marked by the largest number of resignations on record in U.S. history.
W
SPONSORED
Humana has introduced an exciting collaboration with Jet Dental to help make access to this type of oral healthcare eas ier and at no additional cost to employees and employers.
While dental and vision insurance used to be seen as optional, these days, they’re a priority. According to MetLife’s 2022 annual report on workplace trends, 72% of respondents say dental insurance is a must-have, and 70% say vision insurance is a requirement as well.
READ MORE AT FUTUREOFBUSINESSANDTECH.COM4
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the oral health of Blacks, Hispanics, and American Indians.
factors also place them at a disproportionate risk of devel oping oral disease.
In summary, COVID-19 has impacted the oral health sta
tus and outcomes of the same population disproportionately affected by COVID-19. It has led to progression of oral disease that should have been treated earlier and a decrease in the availability of oral care. n
Prioritizing Oral Health for COVID-19EmployeesMinorityAfter
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the oral health out comes of Blacks, Hispanics, and American Indians. In the pandemic’s early stages, oral healthcare was not classified as an essential service and dental facilities were forcibly closed to patients except for emergent and urgent oral healthcare. The interpretation to individuals with low oral health literacy levels likely was that oral disease without acute signs and symptoms did not need to be treated.
Pamela S. Alston, D.D.S., MPP, FACD, 2021 President, National Dental Association
Dental health
Dental facilities with mostly publicly insured patient popu lations, including private prac tices and dental public health
Blacks, Hispanics, and Amer ican Indians are at a dispro portionately higher risk of contracting COVID-19 in the United States. If they develop COVID-19, they are at a higher risk of having complications andUnderlyingdying. chronic dis eases and healthcare barri ers are contributing factors. Additionally, socioeconomic factors, such as poverty and impoverished living con ditions, contribute to high COVID-19 risk. These risk
disease conditions that had progressed in their patients. Disease conditions may have progressed to a level of severity requiring services not covered under the public dental insur ance’s scope of basic care. As a result, some patients have fallen through the dental safety net.
COVID-19 and oral disease share underlying factors that place populations at disproportionate risk
clinics, often operate on a thin to nonexistent margin. During the period of office closures, dental facilities were at risk of shuttering permanently for financial reasons. For students, school closures and distance learning may have removed access to dental care in schoolbased dental programs. Dental facilities that reopened likely saw oral
MEDIAPLANET 5
Katie Lee, Deputy Director of MentalDirector(MHA);MentalCommunications,HealthAmericaandTaylorAdams,ofWorkplaceHealth,MHA
A staggering, but unsur prising, 80% of workers said work-related stress affects rela tionships with friends, fam ilies, and coworkers, accord ing to MHA’s 2022 Mind the Workplace Report. While a job can affect everything around you, the numbers also showed that workers have difficulty concentrating at work (71%), are actively looking for a new position (56%), and don’t feel like their managers care about their personal wellbeing (59%).
E xpressing job-re lated frustrations is an tradition.AmericanHow ever, many employers across the nation over the past year took time to listen to their employees, examine policies, and update benefits that have a direct, personal impact on worker wellbeing. The result: Mental Health America (MHA)
Seal organizations reported, among many benefits, offer ing employees: full coverage of mental health counseling visits, regardless of provider or network; increased com pensation, transparency, and equity; permanent flexible work schedules, enhanced leave policies, and encourage ment to use paid time off; and an inclusive environment by revising hiring practices, cele brating different cultural holi days, and talking openly about physical or mental illness to reduce stigma.
To learn more about the cer tification process and see other ways employers creatively boost morale, visit tional.org/bestemployers.mhana n
awarded the Mental Health Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health to 92 organizations in 11 fields.Created in 2019, the Bell Seal is awarded to employers that are committed to creating mentally healthy workplaces in four areas: workplace cul ture, benefits, compliance, and wellness programs. For those that don’t meet one of the levels of certification, MHA provides information on how to create workplaces of mental health healthchallengesprogram.opedMHAworkplacesaidoritizingtionstionfrom“Theexcellence.mixofapplicationshealthcaretoconstrucreallyshowsorganizaacrosstheboardarepriemployeewellbeing,”TaylorAdams,directorofmentalhealthatandtheonewhodevelandmanagestheBellSeal“Weknewthereweretoemployeementalbeforethepandemic.
With the ‘The Great Resigna tion,’ many employers realized big changes needed to be made to increase worker retention and overall mental satisfaction while on the job.”
Employers Making Strides to MentalWorkplaceImproveHealth
Adams said that Bell Seal recipients understand their workforce’s needs and responded to employee feed back with meaningful policy changes, improved benefits, and additional support. Bell
READ MORE AT FUTUREOFBUSINESSANDTECH.COM6
As workplace stress continues to rise, some employers are making changes to increase benefits that promote self-care, wellbeing, and life-work balance.
grams for a broad range of sleep disorders — apnea, insomnia, circadian rhythm disorders and more, based on a next-generation model of eCBTi, as well as cutting-edge treatments for disordered breathing, which have been shown to reduce the number of times people suffering from sleep apnea stop breathing per hour.When offered as a benefit, SleepCharge® provides workers a single point of contact and a personalized approach to learning more about the importance of sleep, identifying the underlying causes of their sleep challenges, and implementing treatments and assessments on their own schedule.Better sleep has a profound effect on the body and mind. Deep, restful nighttime sleep is a time of active renewal, critical to ensuring the body and brain are able to reset, renew, and power back up in the morning. Solutions like SleepCharge® by Nox Health represent a new wave in sleep health that will change the way people sleep for the better. SleepCharge® by Nox Health is bringing the sleep revolution to wherever people are in their health journeys — powered by science, enabled by tech, and supported by a world class team of sleep physicians and sleep coaches. So everyone can wake up to a brighter day. Every day. n
MEDIAPLANET 7
Sleep is deeply misunderstood. Many people mistakenly believe foregoing sleep in order to gain extra working hours carries minor risks—when in fact getting less than six hours of sleep at night strongly correlates with a higher risk of several chronic conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, and dementia. And pushing yourself to stay awake in order to boost productivity — a misguided badge of honor among driven professionals — has diminishing returns, as studies have shown that long periods without sleep result in cognitive impairment equivalent to having several alcoholic drinks.
Not getting enough sleep is more than an inconvenience — it’s a serious health risk. Our attitudes towards sleep need a revolution.
Lack of education
STEVENSONPHOTO:QUIN
tal therapeutics and connected devices to telehealth platforms and virtual medicine to help them understand and treat their sleep disorders.
To learn more, visit www.sleepcharge.com
The EpidemicHiddenofSleepDeprivation
Jeff Somers
tive behavioral therapy (eCBTi) have been shown to be highly effective for many common sleep disorders, for example, but it is often difficult for people to even learn about eCBTi, much less engage with it.
impact that has on their lives. This in turn has an enormous cost in terms of healthcare: Chronic diseases cost the U.S. healthcare system trillions of dollars each year, and many of these conditions correlate strongly with sleep deprivation.
One of the most comprehensive sleep solutions is SleepCharge® from Nox Health (whose motto is “All we do is sleep®”). It brings end-to-end program management to the diagnosis, treatment, and ever-present aftercare together via a robust telehealth platform that connects individuals with a team of board certified sleepSleepCharge®specialists. offers pro-
SPONSORED
Digital sleep solutions
The true impact of sleep deprivation comes into focus when you consider that 50 to 70 million Americans suffer from one of the 90 recognized chronic sleep disorders. The conclusion is obvious: Sleep is foundational to our health, and insufficient sleep negatively impacts not just employees’ health, but also their productivity and overall wellness.
A major obstacle in the pursuit of better sleep is a lack of focus on the topic in top medical schools. According to a survey conducted by Dr. Daniel Goh at the National University Children’s Medical Institute in Singapore, medical schools provide an average of less than three hours of instruction in sleep science — total.
That presents a challenge in dealing with sleep disorders. Treatments like digital cogni-
As a result, many turn to pharmaceutical sleep aids — which can induce undesirable side effects and often come with a risk of addiction — or simply learn to live with fatigue all the time and the
Fortunately, increased awareness of the importance of treating sleep disorders combined with innovative digital technologies has led to robust new sleep solutions. People leverage a range of solutions from digi-
being productive, creates an employment brand that will attractKnowledgepeople.” is power, and Harter believes the secret is combining data with self-awareness of strengths.
ADVERTORIAL
Dr. Jim Harter, Chief Scientist of Workplace and Wellbeing, Gallup®
To that end, the MGWP is leveraging Magellan’s millions of members to create what Harter describes as “probably the largest wellbeing study that’s ever been done.” Ultimately, he hopes the evolving data will help organizations develop and support a “thriving culture.”
I
A new collaboration between Gallup® and Magellan Healthcare seeks to empower people to increase their wellbeing.
It’s important to note that these dimensions interact with and aff ect each other.
Measurement is key What makes the MGWP unique is its focus on real data and actionable insights. “We need to first understand what dimensions we can measure,” Harter explains, “and whether we can act on them to increase the likelihood that we’re thriving in our overall lives, having more good days and less of those negative emotions. We have to get ahead of it by helping
“For each of these dimensions, we can measure both high energy and points of pain,” explains Harter. “There’s thriving and suffering in each one.”
MEDIAPLANETREAD MORE AT FUTUREOFBUSINESSANDTECH.COM8
The First Step in Increasing Wellbeing Is Measuring It
t’s not news that negative emotions are on the rise. “Gallup® has been tracking global trends for quite some time, and we’re seeing that the percentage of people who are thriving in their overall lives is just 29%,” says Dr. Jim Harter. “So, about 70% are either struggling or suffering in their overallNegativelives.”emotions not only impact our mental health, but they’ve also been shown to have an impact on our physical health as well. That makes increasing wellbeing and reducing negative emotions like anger, stress, and anxiety a priority.
“A thriving culture will be one of the most sought-after characteristics of organizations,” Harter asserts. “An authentic culture where people come to work and their lives get better, in addition to
Magellan Health and Gallup have joined forces to empower individuals to improve their wellbeing. Why? Because everyone deserves a thriving life, a resilient mind and a healthy body.
The Wellbeing Project Gallup® has partnered with Magellan Healthcare to create the Magellan-Gallup® Wellbeing Project (MGWP) that combines deep research data with healthcare solutions designed to personalize the approach to total wellbeing.
To read more about this project, visit www.gallup.com
“We found that when wellbeing drops for people, it tends to be the result of not just one thing going wrong,” Harter notes. “People are pretty resilient to one thing going wrong — it’s usually compounding effects. And in the past couple of years, we’ve had a lot of compounding effects coming at us. So, keeping your eye on all elements and how they affect one another can have a big impact on whether people have a chance to continue thriving during tough times.”
people measure what matters the most and give them some insights into how they can improve their overall lives. That’s one side. The other part is to make it personalized.”
“Gallup® has been studying human behavior through global analytics for the past 80 years,” notes Harter. “And Magellan has been developing huge expertise in behavioral health for over 50 years. We decided to combine forces because we felt that together our organizations could do a lot more than either oneThealone.”unique approach taken by the MGWP starts with research. Gallup® has conducted global surveys and has identified five core dimensions of wellbeing: career, social, financial, physical, and community. Magellan then added a sixth element around emotional wellbeing.
“Get the starting point right,” he advises. “We don’t have to pursue the same solutions that other people are using. Take a step back and say, ‘Here’s who I am individually, here’s what I lead with, here’s what I’m best at,’ and aim that at improving your emotional, career, social, financial, physical, and community wellbeing. I think we have a better chance of being resilient and thriving if we do that.” n
We have to get ahead of it by helping people measure what matters the most
The appeal of financial well ness benefits varies across age demographics as Organizationswell. should approach changes to their financial wellness benefits by considering the needs of both existing employees and their future workforce, which will include a substantial number of the currently unemployed. The expansion of financial wellness benefits is critical to address ing the previously unmet needs of workers and candi dates who have endured two years of economic upheaval, while simultaneously advanc ing talent recruitment and retention. This represents an opportunity to strengthen the connection between workers and the workforce as each has a vested interest in the success of the other. n
istoric turn over, andwagesustainedinflation,awiden
ing skills gap are producing an ultra-competitive talent mar ket. The Great Resignation is leading to losses in productivity, performance, and, ultimately, profit. Organizations are scrambling to find a compet itive edge in the labor market to boost recruitment and stave off attrition. In the race to find strategic solutions, businesses are scrutinizing everything from compensation to work place culture. As many are find ing, workers’ preferences and expectations have dramatically shifted. The traumatic impact of 2020 has fundamentally altered the perspective of work ers. The persistent threats to lives and livelihoods have had a catastrophic effect on workers’ physical, mental, and economic health. For workers, this era of economic instability has led to widespread financial hardship andThesestress.challenges also pres
Cause the Effect: Financial Wellness Benefits Have Value for Employers and Employees Alike
H
ent opportunities for busi nesses to reset their workplace strategies to transcend the current economic trends and discover new avenues for suc cess. Workers’ financial stress presents a window to broaden businesses’ appeal to current and prospective talent. Accord ing to a recent SHRM study, 74% of HR professionals indicate their employer has not added new benefits or expanded exist ing benefits to help employees manage their financial stress since the start of the pandemic. Employers have not offered any significant response to the financial stress plaguing workers. Such financial stress detracts from workers’ focus, engagement, and performance, exacerbating the problem of an already depleted workforce.
In the wake of the pandemic, employees are placing great importance on financial wellness programs and benefits.
MEDIAPLANETREAD MORE AT FUTUREOFBUSINESSANDTECH.COM10
Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., CEO, Society for Human Resource Management
Financial wellbeing ascribes individuals the ability to meet current and ongoing financial obligations, secure their finan cial future, and make choices
Financial wellness programs Financial wellbeing benefits encompass financial educa tion, coaching, and planning. Finance seminars and webi nars on investing basics and planning for retirement fall under the umbrella of financial education. Financial coaching offers more detailed advice about the basics of personal finance, e.g., budgeting, sav ings, debt, and credit manage ment. Financial planning offers the most personalized support, with individual sessions with
that allow them to enjoy life. But until recently, employers paid little attention to their employees’ personal financial circumstances beyond pro viding standard retirement savings plans, safety net insurance, and health savings accounts. Employers did not equate employees’ financial wellbeing with organizationalOfferingsuccess.tailored financial wellness programs can gener ate a strong return on invest ment via a less stressed and more engaged workforce. The SHRM report also delineates the difference between the needs of working and unemployed indi viduals to separate strategies for these two different groups. Just 6% of working Americans have contacted a financial advisor because of financial stress. In contrast, 22% of unemployed Americans have taken this approach to their financial wellbeing. In fact, unemployed Americans are likely to place a higher value on benefits, such as insurance, emergency funds,
a financial adviser on wealth management, investments, and estate planning.
Strengthening your workforce
and financial planning and coaching than their employed counterparts. The unemployed represent a significant talent source for the future workforce.
For workers, financial wellness benefits represent an oppor tunity to magnify the impact of their income by helping workers utilize sound financial strategies. For employers, it strengthens their position in the talent market for attracting new workers and retaining cur rent ones.
As Millennials and Gen Zers make up more than half the American workforce by the end of this decade, recognizing younger workers’ need for financial education and addressing it as part of your health and wellness benefits can help set your company apart as an employer of choice. A 2022 VantagePoint study published by Forbes2 found that six in ten job seekers say well-being benefits (financial, mental, social, physical and career) are top priorities for them, with financial and mental well-being rated the highest. Human Resources teams looking to differentiate their companies in today’s highly competitive hiring market would be wise to use financial education as one of their recruitment and retention
• Flexible educational sessions for employees to learn about financial wellness and how to take control of their finances. We offer virtual, in-person and hybrid options to ensure all employees can attend.
• A full range of banking and financial products, including special banking discounts and cash incentives3 that support employees’ financial needs.
1. Laurel Road Brings on Financial Therapist to Strengthen ‘Mental Wealth’ Initiatives | Laurel Road 2. Forbes Vantage Point study 3. Subject to credit approval ©2022 KeyCorp. KeyBank Member FDIC. 220909-1713878 Key@Work¨
• A complimentary Financial Wellness Review and personalized advice that is tailored to employees’ individual income levels, life stage, and financial goals.
Employers: Help your workers reduce stress with financial wellness education
news is adding financial wellness to your employee benefits offering is easy to do with KeyBank’s complimentary service called Key@Work ®. This comprehensive financial wellness program provides a unique solution to our business clients and their workers. While many financial institutions may partner with employers to provide banking discounts, Key@Work goes further by offering in-person and virtual financial education and banking resources that address the full spectrum of needs across an employer’s workforce demographics. Components of the program include:
Interested in finding out more about Key@Work and how it can help your business and employees thrive?
Thetools.good
Offering a comprehensive set of personalized financial tools and resources shows current and prospective workers of all generations that your company is invested in their financial health and future. Let KeyBank help you enhance your benefits program with financial resources that can attract and retain talent, improve employee mental health, and drive performance that leads to better productivity for your business.
About the author:
A recent Mental Wealth survey by Laurel Road1, KeyBank’s digital banking platform for healthcare and business professionals found that 72% of Americans under the age of 40 – the so-called Millennials and Gen Zers – say managing their finances is a strain on their mental health. The survey also suggests that the strain can be alleviated through financial education, as 79% said they would feel less stressed if they were further educated on topics such as student loan repayment, debt repayment, understanding investment options, and smart money management. This is especially the case as these individuals navigate the uncertainty and risk associated with ‘financial firsts’ – such as purchasing a home, buying a car or having a child. Many younger individuals haven’t had experience with interest rates, or the implication of rate increases with student loans, credit cards, and other variable rate loans.
Why is this important to you as an employer?
• Digital tools and resources that enable employees to track their spending, set budgets, create goals, and document their progress.
By Rachael Sampson, National Director, Key@Work
Visit: key.com/k@w
As Director of KeyBank’s Key@Work program, Rachael Sampson leads a national team of banking professionals that bring a comprehensive, no-cost employee financial wellness program to businesses and their employees. KeyBank is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, providing a full complement of banking and financial solutions to individuals and businesses through more than 1,000 branches in 15 states from Maine to Alaska. For more information, visit www.key.com
role-model healthy behaviors and boundaries.
READ MORE AT FUTUREOFBUSINESSANDTECH.COM12
Can you speak on the relationship between corporate culture and employee wellbeing?
What is the main challenge HR professionals and leaders are facing today when it comes to empowering employees in a hybrid work model?
eration opportunity to rede fine work and productivity — not going back to the way things were, but shaping an employee experience that pri oritizes human skills: empa thy, resilience, collaboration, team-building, and creativity. It’s clear that these qualities are what allow individuals and companies not just to navigate uncertainty and change, but to grow, get better, and thrive.
CM: I think we’re all going to have to test different solutions before we find what works best for empowering our own employees, whether they’re working from home, in per son, or finding some combi nation of the two. Again, it will come down to your company culture — it’s no longer a onesize-fits-all approach.
The Keys to Establishing a Corporate Culture of Caring
How has COVID changed how people care for themselves?
Dave Jacobs HomethriveCo-CEO,
Joe Grasso, Ph.D. Senior Transformation,WorkforceDirector,LyraHealth
Healthcare is one of the last industries that has really put the consumer or patient at the center. Having telemedicine visits isn’t really a thing of the future; it’s a thing that’s happening. One of the silver linings of the pandemic is that healthcare was able to acceler ate leaps and bounds in lever aging technology and personal centricity to deliver an optimal experience. n
Christine Muldoon Senior Vice President of Marketing and Strategy, WebMD Health Services
How can caregiving benefits effectively increase employee retention and prevent burnout?
In 2022, why is it crucial for employers to effectively support their employees from a holistic approach?
DJ: Whether you know it or not, family caregivers are an ever-growing portion of your team. The crunch of our times requires unique solutions that align with the demographic shifts in your organization. If you’re striving to be a top workplace of choice, a care giving benefit is no longer a “nice-to-have.” It’s a “musthave.”
Industry leaders weigh in on the latest trends in employee benefits and wellbeing, and explain why a compassionate corporate culture can help organizations attract and retain top talent.
Christine Muldoon: There are many factors that influence workplace culture and cre ating a culture of wellbeing: Have empathy and compas sion — this is an essential skill for understanding the needs of others; lead by example: we believe it’s important to encour age leadership and managers to
Arianna Huffington: With most companies moving to an ever-evolving hybrid model of work, we have a once-in-a-gen
Dave Jacobs: There’s no denying it: Happy, supported employees are also productive, loyal employees. That’s why it’s crucial for employers to holisti cally support their teams, espe cially those who care for family outside of the office.
Heidi Anderson: One major thing is flexibility: recognizing that certain benefits are going to work really well for employ ees and for others not so much. It’s about providing a variety of choices of benefits, programs, and solutions, taking a whole health approach, and then having the flexibility where employees can choose what meets their needs during every stage of their lives. Adding a solution that makes all their benefits work harder, like men tal health support or a resource for getting the sleep they need, because we all know good sleep makes everything work better.
HA: COVID taught us a lot of things. It taught us that we can get really good care without necessarily having to go to the traditional model. The advent and growth of telemedicine democratized healthcare and improved access for people.
Heidi Anderson President & Chief Growth Officer, Nox Health
JG: Employers need data on how the hybrid work model is affecting employees in terms of burnout risk, wellbeing, and performance, and what specific aspects of the hybrid work experience are causing the greatest impact. The lack of measurement in these areas prevents employers from taking a data-driven, strategic approach to tailoring work support for hybrid work ers that keeps them engaged.
Arianna Huffington Founder and CEO, Thrive Global
Joe Grasso: Our mental health is shaped by our environments, including the workplace, which means corporate culture directly influences people’s wellbeing — for better or for worse. Corporate cultures can foster positive wellbeing when there are policies and practices in place that cultivate psycho logical safety, champion civility and respect, fully recognize and reward work effort, and ensure that employees are provided with necessary resources, role clarity, and a feasible workload, so that they can succeed in their jobs.
Are there any initiatives or upcoming trends in the employee wellbeing space that you personally support?
It takes brave and vulnerable leaders to create change and foster an environment of wellbeing. If leaders’ actions match their words and their policies, it provides employees the motivation and safety to make personal change as well.
How can large organizations (who may be late to the party) offer a voluntary benefits program that is both scalable and robust?
Why is company culture so important for employee wellbeing?
It was a profound period of reflection that resulted in a cul tural shift; no one wants to be a number, and no one wants to dedicate the majority of their time on this earth to just col lecting a paycheck to make ends meet.
GK: The biggest trend is the fusion of initiatives around wellbeing and performance. It’s not logical to separate the two, any more than it is to separate a house from its foundation. The more we can help workers and organizations go after both of these as one, the better off they will be. n
How can employers encourage a culture of health and wellness within their organization? Why is this crucial to overall business Gabriellasuccess?Kellerman:
Richard Branson: Too many com panies are too keen to put multi tudes of rules and regulations on their staff. Not only does this stifle flexibility, but it also suggests a
lack of confidence in your team to do their jobs as efficiently and effectively as possible. Give your people freedom to be independent, and your business will reap the rewards. I truly believe that if you take care of your employees, they will take care of your business.
MEDIAPLANET 13
There is no doubt that the loss of connec tion was a huge area of concern during the pandemic.Therehas been a global surge in anxiety and depression according to the presti gious journal Nature.
I am also really concerned especially for our younger generation who not only didn’t have the support for their mental health concerns, but also missed out on vital years in their development.
How Employers Can Bring Wellbeing Into Focus
Neil Vaswani: I would advise ben efits professionals to take the time to speak with established volun tary benefits technology providers, specifically those that have already done all the heavy lifting and offer organizations the ability to reap the benefits quickly.
Wellbeing
How to MindfulnessPrioritizeatWork
Chelsea Pottenger is an international wellbeing speaker, ambassador for mental health charities including RUOK? and The Gidget Foundation, and author of “The Mindful High Performer.” Here she offers advice for leaders looking to encourage mindfulness in the workplace.
Noting increasingly remote workplace dynamics, how has this negatively impacted employee mental health?
Neil Vaswani Chief Executive Officer, Corestream
Gabriella Kellerman Chief Product BetterUpOfficer, Richard Branson VirginFounder,Group
is the bedrock of performance, in the sense that if we are not psychologically and emotionally centered, we cannot sustain peak productivity in the ways our orga nizations need. Managers have a critical role to play in supporting wellbeing by modeling their own commitment to it and showing care for the wellbeing of their employees.
Our expert panel examines the emerging trends in workplace wellbeing, and shares tips for helping workers feel appreciated, healthy, and engaged.
What are some top tools or resources companies can employ to incorporate mindfulness and mental wellness into daily life?
My company, EQ Minds, is an educational platform that empowers and educates people and employees to take care of their mental health. We have online work shops available for corporations to run over Zoom or self-paced online programs and keynote presentations. We cover what we believe to be the foundations of good mental health, so that we can be suc cessful at work and in life..
NV: I would say that the trans actional era is over. The big picture is that during COVID, employees took a pause and then hit the reset button. This pause and reset represented a period of reflection — on such a massive scale — where employees asked themselves and continued to ask: Why am I doing this?
What is one key piece of advice you have for corporate leaders looking to foster a corporate culture geared toward employee wellbeing?
Employers are redefining benefits plans to meet the needs of employees, especially in the face of a hybrid/remote workforce.
Embracing virtual care
The price of delayed care
What the great resignation has underscored is what has been true all along: Employees want to feel con nected with what matters most. They want to feel connected with others, they want to feel connected to their deepestPeoplepurpose.arefeeling that sense of truly wanting meaning in how they’re spending their days. They want a sense of dignity and feeling like they matter to the organization, and then feeling like they are appreciated not just for what they do, but for who they are as human beings.
I often will frame it as this: Is your organization a place that people feel like that they have to go to? Or is it a place that they want to go? Often there’s a disconnect between the well-intended wellness programs and then the way of life, and a lot of times it’s the companies that have the most bells and whistles, but people don’t like the way they’re treated.
Understanding the challenges of the workforce
The first thing is to understand it really is not about the perks and benefits. It’s about an organization’s way of life. Put another way, it’s not the bells and whistles; it’s the way the work gets done.In
Laura Putnam, Author; CEO, Motion Infusion; Creator, Managers on the Move
What Does the Future of Employer Benefit Plans Look Like?
A menu of programs that help address real-life issues is key. Ben efits such as caregiving, child care, mental wellness, financial health, paid time-off, resiliency training, and a choice of working from home or office or a hybrid model show that employers understand the needs of their workers. According to the SHRM 2022 Employee Benefits Survey, 63% of employers allow their employees to opt-in to a hybrid work model.
The way we defined our business culture and what we considered ”engagement” in the past cannot be how we define it for our future.
Now is the time to study your data and strategize on your virtual health program offerings. IBI’s research shows that much of the
Making DestinationWorkplaceYouraforEmployees
Retention, Satisfaction, Burnout, Oh-My!
Kelly McDevitt, President, Integrated Benefits Institute
MEDIAPLANET 15
And lastly, the folks who han dle all these challenges on a dayto-day basis need support too. Employers must support, train, and reward them as well as the rest of the workforce to avoid burnout and turnover. n
virtual care utilization through out the pandemic occurred at the employees’ own traditional providers. According to SHRM, the percentage of employers who offer virtual care in 2022 (93%) increased 20 points from 2019 (73%). Are you planning to expand your virtual mental health options to address ongoing access issues?
Employers must find ways to identify the issues their employ ees and their families face before designing a solution. Surveys, in-person interviews, coffee time with leadership, town halls, etc. will help to define pain points and preferences.
Redefining culture and engagement
To attract and retain a productive, thriving, and happy employee, we must address a new set of social circumstances. Executive leader ship must ”walk the talk” to show that they understand and empa thize with the issues of the day. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion must be practiced and supported by a flexible benefit offering.
the day to day, what I see so often is just a real disconnect between the benefits of the pro grams that are offered and the way of life outside of the programs. It’s that disconnect that so often creates the discontent for employees.
IBI’s research and review of outside research has shown that some of these challenges continue in 2022 and beyond, and employers who are addressing them as a pri ority might have a leg up.
We know that delayed and avoided care was, and in some cases still is, an issue for employ ers and employees. Employers should review their current strategy around the basics: com munication campaigns around preventive care, chronic disease management program engage ment, incentive programs, wellness programs, and driving patients back to the appropriate care schedule.
Designing with flexibility
Workplace wellness author and Motion Infusion founder and CEO Laura Putnam explains why having the best benefits isn’t necessarily the key to better employee retention and morale.
The past two years have been chal lenging for many reasons, but for the benefits professionals of the world, it has been a whirlwind of new products, defining new cul ture, deciding new work/home/ hybrid constructs, new safety protocols, and, most importantly, redefining their social contract and responsibilities to the workforce.
Read more about employee wellbeing at futureofbusinessandtech.com
