By Debra Spamer, vice president of business development of Company Nurse LLC and Lintelio
Introduction
The pandemic has been a catalyst for changes in the workplace. The Great Resignation has left many employers understaffed and employees overworked. And with the shift to remote work, it has become more difficult for employees to access and navigate the healthcare, benefits, and communications with their employers that they need now more than ever.
Here’s how you can be more engaged in the health, safety, and wellness of your employees to increase employee satisfaction, productivity, and retention.
Health and Wellness
Organizations understand that employees need easier access to their health and wellness benefits via digital tools. In fact, a Mercer survey reports that 68% of employers globally plan to increase their spend on digital health and wellness.
The pandemic has increased the urgency for easy access to these services, but it can be difficult for employees to navigate through many benefits vendors. And with Mercer reporting that 44% of employees are less likely to leave employers who provide support for their well-being during the pandemic, employers must ensure they are not only providing care but supporting employees to access this care. A digital solution provides direct access to these benefits, which, in turn, increases employee satisfaction, productivity, and retention.
And we can’t forget the important of addressing mental health. With over 40% of Americans reporting increases in mental distress, according to the CDC, employee mental health has become a focus for organizations across the country. Mental Health America reports that 85% of employees believe their workplace affects their mental health and wellbeing.
Not only can investing in mental health resources greatly impact employees, but it can also improve an organization’s bottom line. In fact, employers see a return of $4 for every dollar invested in support of employee mental health, according to the National Safety Council.
As your organization looks to invest in a digital workplace health and safety tool, it is important that mental health support is a factor in your search. Ensure that this tool allows for easy access to employee assistance programs, where employees can receive the mental health care that they need.
Protect Your Employees
While it is not currently required for every organization, many employers are looking for a COVID-19 vaccination and testing reporting solution to protect their employees. Implement a digital solution with these capabilities to encourage employees to comply with your organization’s COVID-19 guidelines or, if applicable, with the OSHA ETS.
When searching for the right solution, make sure that employees can easily and securely report their vaccinations including: what type of vaccine; when they received their shot(s); and at what facility. Employees should also be able to upload appropriate documentation to ensure this information is accurate.
You can further ensure accuracy with a solution that offers nurse proctoring. With nurse proctoring, nurses can virtually guide and monitor employees’ testing.
For employees that are positive for COVID-19, you can educate them on how to get the care they need. For example, if an employee reports a positive COVID-19 test, they can receive instructions from your organization’s HR team, suggestions for facilities to receive care at, and a point of contact for further questions.
You may be wondering why your HR Director can’t just manage this information themself on a spreadsheet. Not only is a digital process easier and less manual, but health records must be kept in a secure environment, separate from your human resources files to comply with ADA requirements and prevent discrimination lawsuits.
Employee Communications
Another way to support your employees is with an alerting solution, vital in an organization’s communication plan. For example, in some organizations, not all workers have company emails to receive communications, but they do all have cell phones, meaning they can receive alerts.
These alerts can be for safety, events, general info, and overall employee communications.
Simple and Secure Solution
When investing in digital health and wellness, consider where these digital solutions should be accessed. House your benefits under one solution, especially with SSO, for easy and secure access. Your employees will have a seamless process, avoiding app fatigue and increasing their utilization of benefits.
It is also important to ensure your digital workplace health and safety tools can address the safety and privacy concerns of your employees. Look for a tool that works and feels like an app but that can be accessed via link, QR code, or easy-to-remember URL. Ensure that your solution supports HIPAA technical safeguards for encryption, multi-factor authentication, and audit logging.
Conclusion
With Lintelio DS, the digital solution for organizations’ health and safety services, you can provide both COVID-related tools in our Pandemic Module and other health and wellness solutions in one seamless experience.
Lintelio simplifies HR and admin processes by providing employees with increased employee satisfaction and retention; reducing employer claim costs; and improving the overall health and wellness of the workforce. Email info@lintelio.com to learn more!