There are four key aspects to overall wellness: mental, physical, financial and social. Employees who score well across the board are more likely to be loyal, engaged and productive, according to the latest employee benefits research by MetLife.
“Now more than ever, it’s critical to understand employees’ needs,” said, Todd Katz executive vice president, Group Benefits, MetLife. “In this time of crisis and beyond, providing a mix of benefits and programs can help mitigate stress, improve employees’ holistic well-being and support them when they need it most – which in turn can help bolster engagement and loyalty from the workforce.”
Support Workers with Better Employee Benefits in 2020
The coronavirus pandemic continues to reshape the working world challenging businesses everywhere to adapt to the new normal. Strategizing how employee benefits can better support workers in a time of crisis is a must.
This year, MetLife’s 18th annual U.S. Employee Benefits Trends Report considers how resilient employees are when faced with uncertainty and then looks at the important role employee benefits plays in the overall wellness of workers, identifying the perks and programs that matter most.
Financial Wellness Programs
More than half of U.S. employees told MetLife their biggest concern in the wake of the novel coronavirus is their financial health. According to a survey by Freedom Debt Relief:
- 41 percent of employees are worried about being able to afford to feed themselves and their families.
- 41 percent report are struggling to make their rent or mortgage payments.
- 37 percent will miss payments on some bills in the next six months.
- 35 percent will use credit cards to pay for groceries.
Over 60 percent of employees say the $1,200 pandemic relief check they received as a part of the CARES Act will not be enough to get through the current economy.
“The coronavirus is clearly contributing to employees’ overall stress, especially as it relates to their financial well-being,” said Katz. “It should come as no surprise that this is particularly true among those with incomes below $50,000, and those in healthcare. Across industries, employers have an opportunity to be a source of support for employees facing unprecedented challenges by offering tools and resources to address their immediate concerns.”
Nearly 80 percent of workers with access to financial wellness programs told MetLife they’re satisfied with the employee benefits their employer offers.
The best financial wellness programs, like Best Money Moves, are gamified and harness machine learning to guide employees to the resources they need most. If you want to learn more about how Best Money Moves can bring financial wellness to your company download our whitepapers and sign up for a demonstration here.
Mental Health Benefits
Close to 60 percent of employees struggling with mental health said their employer doesn’t offer mental health programs that meet their needs, or that the programs they do offer are too difficult to access or understand. Effective mental health programs can help ease stress, anxiety and depression that can fuel burnout and disengagement at work.
Flexibility
There was a trend towards flexible work arrangements long before the coronavirus pandemic began. Now, flexibility has shifted from being a highly sought after perk to a crucial necessity to maintain operations and accommodate workers.
Assigning reasonable workloads, offering flexible work hours or arrangements and providing sufficient time to address personal needs can mitigate stress, burnout and depression. At the same time, MetLife finds these practices are also top drivers of productivity, engagement and loyalty.
Over 80 percent of employees believe their employers have a responsibility to address their health and well-being. Employers can leverage the right mix of benefits, perks and programs to better support employees and in turn boost engagement, job satisfaction and retention.
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