COVID-19 has accelerated many trends that had begun before the pandemic by showing companies that basic benefits are not enough to keep partners happy and loyal; it is also necessary to take care of the well-being of employees, which is as productive as it is profitable.
Over the last year, the importance of health and well-being in all its areas has become clear and has become a non-negotiable factor for employees in the labor sector. This is highlighted in a statement by the company Marsh, in which they say that is why HR professionals are having a unique opportunity to reinvent themselves, as well as to design and provide valuable health and wellness plans for employees. .
Companies have realized that by caring for and protecting their staff, they are also protecting their profitability and giving them a competitive edge in the job market as challenging as they currently face.
Given this scenario, the global professional services firm recommends that companies assess the current situation of their employees and design plans that provide significant benefits in the aforementioned aspects. Also, understand that a single solution for all cases will not meet the different needs of a workforce that is currently quite diverse.
When a company provides significant profits, it shows its employees that it cares about their health and well-being and at the same time drives positive business results, says Enrique Valdéz, president of the Marsh Franco Acra company, from which they offer the following recommendations to take as a reference to establish or review the welfare strategy in companies:
Establish a mission, objectives and guiding principles.
Have a vision focused first on people, focused on individuals. This is critical to understanding the health needs of employees and how they are being cared for.
-Understand employees’ perceptions of new types of support, including digital innovations in health, and how they can give easier access to tools and resources to care for the people where they are.
-Identify anxieties, skepticism and barriers to adoption, as well as the role of employers in addressing health care needs.
The company also suggests considering the following points to implement these employment benefit plans or strategies focused on wellness and health:
-Organizational and leadership support: Demonstrate the commitment and responsibility of the organization in terms of health and well-being, involving employees at all levels of the organization.
-Comprehensive programs: use a human-centered design approach to develop wellness programs, rather than an initiative review list.
Program integration: Integrate wellness programs with other human resource efforts, risk management, employee benefits, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Motivation: Provide intrinsic and extrinsic incentives for specific behaviors and activities such as ensuring that programs allow employees to monitor their personal progress.
It is important to keep in mind that sound well-being strategies mitigate health risks, contributing to building healthy and equitable societies, as well as positive business outcomes.