Exclusive Interview with Mark Stadler, CEO, AccessHope

"We Need to Encourage Employees to Take Time Off to Focus on Self-Care"

 

Mark Stadler is CEO of AccessHope, a company delivering a novel employee health benefit that connects cancer patients and their families with expertise from National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers.  Visit www.myaccesshope.org  Connect Mark Stadler Follow @MarkLS54

“A confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP) should be in place to support employees and their families with mental and emotional health as they cope with isolation, uncertainty and change during this time”, says Mark Stadler, CEO, AccessHope.

In an interview with HR.com, Mark talks about how AccessHope is supporting its employees during unprecedented times with programs that promote workplace wellness and enhance an employee’s mind, body and spirit. As a company delivering a revolutionary employee health benefit that connects cancer patients and their families with expertise from National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers, AccessHope leverages its work supporting world-class employers to engage its own employees with benefits that enable them to be their best.

Excerpts from the interview: 

Q: With remote work being the current trend, is your organization offering any new benefits to ensure the well-being and safety of your employees?

Mark: When Covid-19 emerged earlier this year, AccessHope quickly transitioned its staff to a work-from-home environment. As businesses continue to adopt new ways of working as a result of the pandemic, our current remote arrangement will extend through at least Q1 2021.

To support employees and set up their work-from-home experience for success, we share tips and tools for leveraging technology, designating a dedicated workspace, and ensuring self-care. We also provide a monthly reimbursement to help with certain costs, like internet fees and supplies. 
 

The pandemic has especially created additional stressors for working parents, who have to manage the impact of school closures and distance learning while also working remotely. To support them during this time, AccessHope employees can take advantage of enhanced daycare and family services providing licensed in-home and center-based caregivers for children and elders, search engines for learning pods, virtual tutoring and educational support offered by community learning centers.  

A confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is also in place to support employees and their families with mental and emotional health as they cope with isolation, uncertainty and change during this time.

Q: What resources, if any, do you have in place to support employee mental health during and after the crisis?

Mark: AccessHope is committed to supporting employee health and well-being, so our employees are able to feel and contribute their best—in both their home and work lives. A culture of wellness accelerates the positive impact we make on AccessHope members, their families, the communities around us and each other. To support employees’ mental and emotional health, we offer a comprehensive employee wellness program and a confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to help with a range of issues including stress management, financial management, depression, and balancing family and work life. 
Additionally, interactive fitness and yoga classes, wellness webinars on relevant topics and videos are now available virtually to support employees’ well-being.  

Q: Is your organization offering telemedicine as a benefit? If yes, can you share any experiences?

Mark: AccessHope employees have a choice of medical plans that all feature 24/7 virtual medical and behavioral health care visits as employees stay safe in the comfort of their homes. Virtual visits are at a low copay and in some cases, at no cost during the pandemic. We have seen a significant increase in utilization this year, and our utilization reports show that virtual providers are spending an average of between 5-30 minutes with each member who contacts them.    

Q: Have you recently or do you plan to change your PTO policies?

Mark: AccessHope offers a generous PTO program—yet during Covid-19, we have found that employees are taking less time off. Avoiding employee burnout is a top concern as the pandemic has continued to impact our work and personal lives. With travel restrictions in place and the fact that most employees are less likely to take traditional vacations or travel over the holidays, we’ve found that we need to continually encourage and recommend that employees take time off to focus on self-care.

Q: What new trends do you expect to emerge in the employee benefits arena?

Mark: AccessHope is seeing demand from employers across the county for innovative cancer support programs to better support their employees coping with cancer. Further, Covid-19 has resulted in the number of cancer screenings and resulting diagnoses dropping significantly over the last several months. AccessHope anticipates that as a result, cancer diagnoses may come later, when cancer has progressed or is at a more advanced stage, making it even more vital for individuals to receive an expert review of their case and start on the right course of treatment the first time. This makes the cancer support services that AccessHope provides—which are location-agnostic and can be delivered remotely—more relevant than ever in supporting employees dealing with cancer.
 

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