Editor’s Note

Workplace wellness is evolving. In recent years, the concept has outgrown even the designation of “wellness” – a term that typically refers to employees’ physical health – and has found a broader identity as employee “well-being,” encompassing not only physical but environmental, emotional, financial and social health.

 

How are organizations like yours really implementing these ideas? What effects do they have? What role does advanced technology play in this new concept of well-being?
 
Cigna, partnering with HR.com, conducted a comprehensive study to provide insights and guidance about the future of employee well-being. Check out the featured research, Employee Well-Being: What's now and What's next, for more insights and key takeaways.
 
There are many complexities associated with employee leave management that non-HR professionals may not be able to understand. How do organizations approach leave management? What differentiates organizations that are more effective at managing leave from those that are less effective? How are organizations using technology or outsourcing to help with leave management? And, what are the biggest challenges of leave management?
 
To explore these questions, HR.com’s Research Institute conducted a survey, “Employee Leave 2019,” in partnership with UNUM Group, a leading provider of financial protection benefits in the U.S. and U.K. and the leading provider of disability income protection in the world. Catch up with this special report – ‘How Today’s Organizations Manage Employee Leave’ – for research highlights, and 10 key takeaways that HR professionals can apply or consider in overseeing their own leave policies.
 
The consumerization of healthcare has drastically changed how Americans interact with their health, both within and beyond the walls of the hospital, and health benefits. According to a 2018 Rock Health survey, 89 percent of respondents adopted a digital health tool in the last year. This month’s cover article by Deborah Conrad, How Digital Health Can Help Employers Drive Benefits Utilization, shares key tips on how to craft the perfect healthcare experience to your employees.
 
Also featured in this issue is Eric Harrell’s article, How To Help Your Clients When A Data Breach Hits that lists out 6 steps to protect you and your family from a breach.
 
This is not all! We have a variety of other informative articles on employee benefits and wellness in this issue. We hope you enjoy reading all the articles and get back to us with your valuable feedback.