Employee wellness benefits are more important than ever

No one ever expected the pandemic to stretch into a third year. America is pushing ahead anyway. Most businesses have reopened, but they’re flexible about getting back to normal. Right now, there is no “normal.” 

As old and new employees help companies transition toward maximum functionality, your employee wellness benefits are more important than ever.

Mental Health and Wellbeing 

The National Alliance on Mental Illness’s COVID-19 Resource Guide briefly discusses the pandemic’s health ramifications. COVID-19 created mental health and wellbeing crises for people with and without prior mental health issues. To help affected employees, your company can quickly adopt NAMI’s care recommendations as employee wellness benefits. 

Mindfulness 

Mindfulness practices ease stress by helping employees focus on the moment. Programs incorporate meditation, breathing exercises, and yoga. The National Institutes of Health discusses these customs. Researchers found that mindfulness techniques may reduce depression, blood pressure, and help other conditions. In addition, breathing exercises provide a calming effect. 

Healthy Daily Routines 

When your office and remote workers maintain a healthy routine, they feel more productive and more in control of their well-being. Therefore, your employees would benefit from an employee wellness benefits program that encourages healthy habits.

• Dressing for work 
• Connecting with coworkers
• Eating nutritious food
• Taking regular breaks
• Getting adequate sleep

Exercise Benefit or On-site Classes 

Exercise improves the mind and body, promoting health, emotional welfare, and physical wellbeing. Major insurance programs include gym or exercise class benefits in their healthcare policies. In addition, you can add on-site classes or a gym benefit to your existing health and wellness programs.

In-House Health Information Resources

NAMI recommends that everyone arm themselves with credible health information. You can help fill employees’ information gaps by providing COVID-19 facts and other important health resources. This is important when you’re required to maintain a safe working environment and your employees want to feel safe. 

Health Insurance Benefits

Healthcare adapted over the past two years as well. For example, insurers temporarily modified their coverage to ensure beneficiaries had access to medical treatment. As a result, you can continue this trend with employee wellness benefits that fill existing coverage gaps. 

Telehealth Programs

Phone, chat, and video medical consultations have been a healthcare staple during the pandemic. As hospitals continue to be understaffed and filled to capacity, employee healthcare coverage and employee wellness benefits must continue to support remote options. 

Substance Abuse Treatment

The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention documented 100,306 drug overdoses from April 2020 to April 2021. That’s a 28.5% increase over the prior 12 month period. It would help to review their benefits programs to make sure employees have access to substance abuse treatment. 

Grief Counseling

As of January 25, 2022, over 868 thousand Americans have lost their lives due to COVID-19 infections. Innumerable families and friends are grieving over pandemic-related deaths. Others are dealing with debilitating post-COVID health conditions. As your employees try to move on with their lives, grief counseling will help them deal with their losses. 

Catastrophic Illness Coverage

Some insurance companies made coverage concessions and paid high (possibly uncovered) COVID treatment expenses. The disease has still left people struggling with extreme medical bills. Most of your employees probably never imagined needing catastrophic healthcare coverage, but it’s time to reevaluate this benefit. 

A Wellness Challenge

The pandemic will eventually stop ravaging the country, but employees will continue dealing with the consequences. As an employer, you have an opportunity to create a menu of wellness benefits to address their continuing needs. 

Contact Health Consultants Group

We’re always available to help you reevaluate your health and wellness benefits plan. For more information, please visit our contact page or reach out to us at (800) 367-2482.