The last year and a half has had a significant impact on employees and employers worldwide, from adapting to a remote workforce to balancing family time at home with work. One of the biggest effects it has had is on individual health: working from home has increased employees' anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.
Now as COVID restrictions lift across the country and companies return to in-person or a hybrid workforce, employees have increased their expectations when it comes to benefits — they are prioritizing their health and well-being now more than ever.
A recent survey from Prudential Insurance found that 77% of employees said benefits were a key component of their job description. Without the right benefits (especially in a post-pandemic world), employees are more likely to leave.
Fortunately, employers have an opportunity to provide this support to their teams through specific health and wellness benefits. Here are three ways that you can show you support your employees.
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Childcare
Working full-time and balancing the duties of being a parent is no easy feat, from choosing the right daycare to shifting schedules when a child is sick. When you add a global pandemic and stay-at-home orders on top of that, it becomes even more challenging.
A survey from Care.com reported that 85% of working parents do not have childcare benefits. However, two-thirds of the same group said they would trade sick days, vacation days, dental plans, and retirement plans for childcare benefits. Furthermore, 60% of employees said if they received childcare benefits, their job performance would improve.
What better way to show employees you care about their family and their career than by offering childcare benefits? 67% of employees said they would be more loyal to their employer if offered necessary childcare.
A few ways employers can integrate childcare into your existing benefits include:
- Child care subsidies: Contribute to spending accounts or offer bonuses in order to help cover the costs of daycare and educational expenses.
- Flexible schedule options: Allow parents to adjust their typical 9 to 5 working schedules to align with their child’s needs.
- Emergency childcare: Provide a backup childcare option for when an employees’ child is sick or if previous care arrangements fall through. This may include partnering with businesses such as Care.com.
- In-office care: Create a space for kids to hang out while their parents work or attend meetings.
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Mental Health Care
Since 2020, there has been a significant increase in anxiety and depression among employees. The stay-at-home order has disrupted their normal routines causing new stresses surrounding unpredictability and loss of structure.
Working from home comes with inevitable distractions that interrupt employees’ performance. Chief People Officer at Limeade, Laura Hamill, PhD says, “If you’re an extrovert and you really are driven by being around other people, and then all of a sudden, maybe you’re working from your home space and you don’t have that in-person connection, that can be really hard. And then of course, if you are a person who needs privacy and you suddenly have your three kids and a spouse at home, it’s not normally [the work environment] you are in.”
As a result, 77% of companies are now offering or expanding their mental health services. At Limeade, Hamill says they “...focus on what’s the most essential and give a lot of flexibility to [their] employees.” Due to the pandemic, our normal structures have shifted in our personal and work lives — now more than ever, mental health needs to be a priority.
Need some ideas for how to incorporate more mental health benefits into your company? Check out some below:
- Include mental health benefits as part of your health care plan.
- Promote employee well-being with events, lunch & learns, or speakers.
- Offer stipends for gym memberships, creative outlets like paint nights, and other mind-stimulating activities.
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Physical Health Care
86% of respondents from a MetLife Employee Benefits Trends survey said that health insurance was essential. Offering employees quality health care is a major way to avoid high turnover rates. 52% of employees said if they don’t have access to the “right” benefits, they are more likely to leave their job.
Employers also have an opportunity to expand health care benefits beyond the typical doctor’s visits and prescription coverage. Consider offering employees telehealth benefits or even more unique health perks like on-site eye care with 2020 On-site.
By scheduling an appointment with 2020 On-site, employers can provide quick and convenient eye care to employees right at the office, all while prioritizing their vision health. In fact, 41% of employees said vision care is a “must-have” — imagine the ease of receiving a routine eye exam from the convenience of the office. Our mobile vision clinics come to your place of work to provide eye exams, prescriptions, and a selection of quality frames and lenses.