Mental Health Wellbeing Will Continue To Be The Hot Topic For 2022
Valerie Kading, Group Chief Executive Officer and Rachel Behrens, Human Resources Manager, Sierra Tucson
Posted on 12-24-2021, Read Time: Min
Share:
Valerie Kading
|
Rachel Behrens
|
"Employers who are employee-centric and resourceful will gain and retain satisfied employees. Offering wellness can prevent burnout and increase staff’s resiliency,” says Valerie Kading, Group Chief Executive Officer and Rachel Behrens, Human Resources Manager, Sierra Tucson. In an exclusive interview with HR.com, Valerie and Rachel discusses about the importance of physical and mental wellness while working from home, top apps/tools/programs in employee wellness, hot topics and trends for 2022, and more. |
Excerpts from the interview
Q: In today’s uncertain situation, how can organizations help employees ensure physical and mental wellness while working from home?
Valerie and Rachel: Some employees thrive working at home while others may not. Managers need to be accessible more than ever to provide consistent and regular feedback, support, and resources for their employees – this could include a weekly in-person, Covid safe, gathering to assess mental and physical wellbeing. Virtual opportunities to enhance wellness and team building are also critical to keep the employee working from home feel connected to other colleagues. Educational wellness seminars on preventing burnout and ways to cope during the pandemic are also beneficial.
Q: How does your organization promote employee wellness? And, which components of wellness programs are most important today?
Valerie and Rachel: Wellness programs should be holistic and address various facets such as mental, physical, spiritual and financial health. All of us need support from time-to-time and the support we need can change at any given time. Sierra Tucson promotes employee wellness by encouraging work-life balance from day one. Our onsite gym and pool are accessible to staff to use to promote wellness. Sierra Tucson employees were also offered free access to HeadSpace to encourage work-life balance.
Q: The majority of organizations are offering wellness along with their benefits plans. Do you think great wellness programs can help improve employee retention?
Valerie and Rachel:: Absolutely. An employee’s wellness, or lack thereof, will affect their ability to perform their job. Especially in our field of work, how can we expect an employee to support others in need when their own needs are not being met outside of work? Employers who are employee-centric and resourceful will gain and retain satisfied employees. Offering wellness can prevent burnout and increase staff’s resiliency. More than ever, team members are feeling challenged with the demands of the job and the increasing stress from the pandemic and its related consequences, including isolation and anxiety.
Q: How can leaders impact employees by demonstrating wellness practices?
Valerie and Rachel: Communication, education and accessibility. Frequent communication of wellness services should be made available to employees via text, email, physical materials, and/or in-person meetings. And when this communication comes from company leaders, it shows employees that they are more than a number, and are valued outside of their job.
Q: Do you believe employee wellness has a direct impact on the business? If so, how and why is it important?
Valerie and Rachel: Employee wellness unquestionably has an impact on a business. If we have an employee, without resources, who is on the brink of a personal crisis, those emotions will flow over into their work life, thus possibly creating crisis at work which may equate to loss of clients. On the other hand, if you have an employee who has been supported through an employer wellness program, they are more likely to provide better service, which may lead to more clientele.
Q: What are the top apps/tools/programs in employee wellness that you would recommend to our readers?
Valerie and Rachel: Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) is a common wellness resource for many employers and if promoted well, the program can make a significant impact for employees. EAPs can cover a range of supportive services such as counseling, financial assistance, substance abuse, estate planning, legal assistance, elderly care…just to name a few. And most EAPs have various platforms for accessibility (apps, website, phone). At Sierra Tucson, we also utilized HeadSpace, which was a success!
Q: What benefits programs would you offer employees with substance abuse problems from coping with pandemic-sparked mental health issues?
Valerie and Rachel: Utilizing an EAP service is a good start along with mental health services provided through an employer’s medical plan. For those who may not have an employer medical plan or access to an EAP, an employer should become familiar and keep abreast of local mental health resources.
Q: What do you perceive as the biggest employee wellness hot topics or trends for 2022?
Valerie and Rachel: We can all agree the pandemic has been a game-changer for many people. Employees are re-evaluating their lives, expectations, and what it means to be happy and well. Mental health wellbeing will most likely continue to be the hot topic for 2022.
Error: No such template "/CustomCode/topleader/category"!
