Voluntary benefits

Employees expect wellness programs that add value. Due to the ripple effects of COVID-19, those programs will need to be more flexible than ever.

“The world as we all knew it changed in a very short amount of time this spring and continues to evolve as the pandemic remains an ongoing reality,” says Jonathan Finkelstein, CEO of Credly.

From providing accessible tools to better employee training, here are some top strategies employers can employ to support staff with special needs.

Just because it’s not safe to be outside doesn’t mean employees can’t help working parents schedule a plethora of activities to keep kids busy while they work.

Both employer clients and CVS employees will have access to an app that helps people manage their anxiety and stress.

“The U.S. desperately needs more care policies, spending, and federal and state infrastructure, so that Americans with care responsibilities can stay in the workforce,” says Lindsay Jurist-Rosner, CEO of Wellthy.

“What this tool does uniquely is it takes the depersonalized delivery of benefits and really helps the individual determine how best to get the most out of their benefits,” says Voya’s Andrew Frend.

Sixty-percent of parents say they have no idea how they’re going to keep their children occupied all summer, according to data from the American Psychological Association.

The coffee giant has introduced several new mental health benefits including free Headspace subscriptions and 20 mental health sessions with a therapist a year for free.

Employees’ caregiver responsibilities have grown during the pandemic and will not abate when they return to a physical work environment.

This crisis has brought to the forefront a renewed sense of urgency for employers to take a more inclusive approach to meeting the diverse needs of workers over the long term.

TIAA is offering technology firm Savi’s solution to client institutions to help them expand financial wellness benefits.

High levels of stress associated with loss and trauma increase employees’ risk for physical and mental health problems including diabetes, heart disease, anxiety, depression and substance misuse.

Employees are grateful to their animal companions for keeping their mental health high as they navigate the new normal of working from home.

Keeping threads of connection strong and vibrant during the current working environment is more important than ever.

As with all disruption, however, we now have the opportunity to adjust our structures, mindsets and ways of working to emerge from the crisis stronger than ever before.

Working mothers are bearing the brunt of the disruptions caused by coronavirus. Without individualized workplace support, they’re at risk of falling behind professionally.

The Ava bracelet predicts a woman’s fertility window with 89% accuracy, which is helpful for employees struggling to become pregnant.

Employee mental health is a workplace crisis, with frontline workers struggling with increased anxiety and depression during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Employees really want to feel if they are going back to the office that they will be safe,” Sequoia CEO Greg Golub says.