Priority for workers’ health

The Company health plans It evolves based on the needs of its employees, and today, two aspects that employees value most are plans that provide coverage Specialist in family health and mental health. As the work context is changing and adapting to the new times in which the well-being of the individual has played an important role, concern for the physical and emotional well-being of employees is more important than ever and companies must take this into account. So much so that a file Cigna 360 Wellbeing Study Shows that the 98% of workers consider it important to have time to take care of and enjoy their family Thus preventing stressful situations that may affect their mental health.

One of the reasons employees experience higher levels of stress is that work and personal life are no longer separate and they have to deal with both worlds simultaneously. As a result, their priorities have changed, and while the basic coverage was sufficient before, they are now searching Health plans that help them improve their family, mental and emotional well-being To find that balance again. Companies understand this and many have already decided to change their health plans to make life easier for their employees, and that means giving them support and helping them with family problems. To achieve this, it is important to provide employees with the necessary support and tools to meet the demands of the new era, among them reconciling work and family life, generating greater commitment to the company and talent retention.

for Ana Sanchez, Director of Human Resources at Cigna “The greatest assets that companies have, the people who work in them, must be taken care of in an integrated manner. Gone are the programs that value health based only on company medical examinations, it is necessary today to implement a well-structured well-being plan implemented in line with the specific needs of workers on the All levels, making space and its importance to mental health. These plans should contain a clear and comprehensive strategy that delivers benefits to attract teams’ attention, improve their well-being and provide improvement in health, as well as stress reduction among other potential illnesses.”

Under this premise, Cigna proposes a series of keys to help adapt the company’s health plans, promote the family and mental health of the organization, and thus ensure the well-being of employees:

• Let the more human side. To properly adapt health plans to each person, it is necessary to establish a close relationship with employees, as well as good communication. The empathy process is especially important with remote teams, in order to know how they are performing or what they need consistently and to achieve a good work environment, thus increasing productivity, efficiency and a sense of belonging to the company.
• Find the origin for solutions. According to the World Health Organization, depression and anxiety are becoming more frequent in work environments and are estimated to cost up to $1 billion annually due to their impact on productivity. Since the arrival of the epidemic, psychology is one of the services that employees within companies demand the most and for this reason it is important and useful to promote psychological protection and support plans and programs that help prevent psychological and social risks arising from this situation. and promoting the improvement of workforce productivity and motivation.
• The greater the independence, the higher the productivity. Due to the new hybrid work models that give people the possibility to combine work in the office and at home, the need to travel is greatly reduced and as a result the number of arrivals as well. To mitigate this situation and be able to attract more talent to companies, it is important to strengthen and adapt mixed business models, creating flexible and easy positions for workers. For example, in the case of entrants, they could be offered to work remotely from their place of origin and go to their destination one week per month, thus reducing costs and avoiding the need for employee relocation and the stress and frustration that this could generate. .
• Family and the closest environment come first. In order to help promote the mental health of workers, many companies are already creating a counseling service that is available 24 hours a day to assist employees and their families at any time. The goal of these programs is to create a safe environment in which they can express their feelings and concerns, from aspects of work to aspects of their daily lives, in a transparent and honest manner.
• Moisturizing “always-on” effect. Increased workload and interruptions in rest time impair the mental health of many workers, leading to high levels of stress and low productivity. In addition, it can reach a point where the boundaries between personal life and work at work disappear, which directly and negatively affects both. Well-being, social and family relations. To avoid this situation and favor digital disconnection, it is important to have a wellness business health plan that focuses on promoting healthy habits such as breaks for disconnection, that informs about the importance of rest and sleep in the necessary hours and that motivates and encourages employees to do so. Find time for their routines, hobbies, family, and friends.