PRIORITIZING EMPLOYEES’ HEalth

In her article entitled, “Fostering Employee Mental, Physical Health in a Remote World,” CHRO Emily Taylor explains that employees have new needs as remote works continues on and describes how employers can best support their employees’ well-being- physical, mental and also financial.  She endorses the notion that working from home is not a luxury and also not an option many employees were seeking pre-pandemic, so employers need to recognize this and act accordingly.  Employers should actively and routinely inquire as to how their employees are feeling and doing during these challenging times.  One-to-one meetings and surveys offer potential ways to capture this information.  Increased employee-driven decision making within a company can also lead to increased morale and productivity from employees who feel their employers truly care.  Employers should also review current employee benefits and consider offering plans that address not only mental health but also management of chronic conditions (i.e., obesity, hypertension, diabetes, etc.) as employee wellness programs not only benefit employees from a health standpoint but there’s also the potential for significant health care savings.  Typically for every one dollar put into a wellness program, there’s a six-dollar savings in health care costs.  Finally, while remote work continues on, employers should consider offering different types of e-learning opportunities for their employees whether podcasts or educational programs, as these opportunities can engage employees and also up morale.

Source: Taylor, Emily.  “Fostering Employee Mental, Physical Health in a Remote World.” NU Property Casualty 360, February 15, 2021. https://www.propertycasualty360.com/2021/02/15/adapting-employee-benefits-for-a-remote-world-414196957/?kw=Fostering%20employee%20mental%2C%20physical%20health%20in%20a%20remote%20world&utm_source=email&utm_medium=enl&utm_campaign=dailynews&utm_content=20210215&utm_term=pc360&enlcmp=nltrplt2. Accessed February 25, 2021.