What’s at the Heart of the Employer-Employee Bond?
The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the limitations of traditional benefit programs and policies, leading organizations to look differently at how they support their employees. Our just-released Health on Demand survey of 14,000 workers in 13 countries around the world (including 2,000 US workers) found that employees who feel their employers have provided good or very good support during the pandemic (53% of US employees) are more likely to stay at their jobs as a result. Importantly, when asked about the personal impact of the pandemic, these employees were much less likely to experience the pandemic as mostly or entirely negative than those receiving poor support – suggesting that employer support boosts resiliency in times of crisis.
The pandemic is still far from over and we will be dealing with its after-effects for a long time. The lessons we have learned can be used to strengthen and enhance health and well-being programs for good times as well as bad. The Health on Demand research points to a number of areas where employers should focus now to support workforce health and well-being for the years ahead. Here are four:
Provide something of value to everyone
Employees who are offered a broad range of benefits feel more positive about their employers. Crucially, they are more likely to say that benefits are a reason to stay at their jobs. They are also more confident that they can afford the health care they need. Different segments of the population have different needs and preferences, and providing varied benefits means it is more likely you are providing something of value to everyone.
The survey asked workers to rate the value to them of nearly 50 health and well-being offerings. It’s notable that significant pockets of the workforce placed high value on a number of benefits that were almost unheard of a couple of years ago: for example, platforms to connect socially with colleagues, home testing kits for common health conditions, and digital helpers for elderly relatives. Understanding the preferences of your workforce through surveys and focus groups is a critical step in designing an optimized total rewards package.
Flex your schedules, especially for caregivers
Flexible working emerged as the single most valued type of health and well-being support, with well over half (59%) of US employees saying that flexible working arrangements are highly or extremely valuable. Caregivers in particular appreciated being able to flex in order to meet the needs of their family. This will continue post-pandemic. And while 71% of companies are introducing, or planning to introduce, more flexible working arrangements, it will take creativity – and listening to employees – to make this transition successfully. Employers that commit to offering flexible working will need to support employees working remotely in new ways, such as by addressing ergonomic health and social connectivity.
Embrace the shift to digital health
The pandemic has introduced many employees to telemedicine – 20% of US workers say they tried it for the first time during the pandemic and most say they will continue to use it after the pandemic. Importantly, openness to digital health care goes well beyond telemedicine. Compared to our 2019 survey, we saw significant growth in the percentages of employees assigning high value to virtually all digital health solutions, from apps that help people self-manage health conditions to smart pill bottles that improve medication compliance. Another encouraging finding is that the majority of US employees say they trust their employers to provide high-quality and secure personal health solutions. Employers have an opportunity to build on this trust and employees’ growing acceptance of digital health to incorporate virtual health care as an integral part of their health and well-being programs – targeting quality improvement and savings while meeting a broader range of employee needs.
Improve access to mental healthcare
Across the 13 countries surveyed, US employees were the most likely to say they feel “highly” or “extremely” stressed in their everyday life – 25%, with another 34% feeling somewhat stressed. Disturbingly, 40% believe it is difficult to find and access quality mental healthcare, and among certain populations, including low-earners, younger employees, and LGBTQ individuals, that number is even higher. The desire for help with mental health issues is clear: Half of employees (49%) say benefits or resources that make mental health care more affordable would be highly or extremely valuable to them.
Employers looking for cost-effective way to broaden access should take note that many employees would value digital mental health care options – including virtual mental health advice via AI-powered text chat. Committing to supporting mental health also means reducing stigma. Employees indicated that they would value a work environment in which it is easier to address difficult topics, and where managers are equipped to help employees dealing with mental health problems.
Perhaps the greatest opportunity highlighted by the research is in understanding the range of employee preferences and providing benefits and resources that feel meaningful and personal for all. That’s an important step towards the goal of creating a culture of health aligned with the organization’s diversity, equity and inclusion principles.