3 wellbeing trends likely to outlast the pandemic
Mental and physical wellbeing benefits are now a top consideration for companies responding to the needs of their people.
Companies may be returning to the office, but the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic will not quickly be forgotten. From financial insecurities to disruptions in daily routines and lack of access to childcare, the pandemic has highlighted the ongoing need for enhanced wellbeing resources for all employees.
Last fall, Sequoia surveyed over 400 companies on a plethora of issues about the future of work and the findings showed a greater emphasis on wellbeing. In fact, 86% of respondents reported having implemented new strategies to address their employees’ overall wellbeing (or plan to do so in the near future). Even starker: 98% of respondents reported their company is currently expanding (or planning to expand) mental health resources while nearly two-thirds (60%) of respondents reported expanding physical health programs.
Related: The ‘wellness’ of your employee mental health benefits
These statistics illustrate that mental and physical wellbeing benefits are now a top consideration for companies responding to the needs of their people. And while the pandemic may have driven an unprecedented need for these offerings, many of these benefits are here to stay.
Here are three wellbeing trends that are most likely to outlast the pandemic and what companies should consider when investing in these programs:
1. Customized offerings
Prior to the pandemic, many companies looked at what offerings would serve the most people. In the last two years, the need for customized programming has become apparent. Parents trying to juggle long hours are simultaneously entertaining young children. Others are managing in-office assignments while seeking to keep elderly parents healthy and safe. And recent grads cut off from their once social lifestyles are struggling with mental health like never before. All are under unprecedented stress, yet what is most valuable to one person may mean little to another.
Employers are unlikely to return to “one-size-fits-all” benefits, instead opting for programs as diverse as the employees they serve. Sequoia’s Wellbeing data shows that 11% of companies offer childcare stipends, 5% offer eldercare benefits, 41% offer mindfulness services such as Headspace, and 34% offer third-party therapy from vendors such as Ginger.io or Lyra.
How businesses will look at wellbeing benefits post-pandemic will largely be triggered by employee feedback. From there, benefits brokers can help break down the innovative programs and tools that take into consideration the needs of different groups. There are more wellbeing vendors than ever before, and companies will need expert help identifying the best fit.
2. Virtual services
When many people began working from home in 2020, the lines between work life and home life became blurry with employers responding to emails and taking calls outside of normal office hours. With workers isolating at home and spending less time commuting, employers demanded more of their time.
In response to the added stress of the “constant on” work environment, employers added access to things like virtual therapy resources or Zoom exercise classes as an employee benefit. Workers value and have grown accustomed to the flexibility of these services, and many are unlikely to embrace a return to more traditional resources.
3. Concierge care
The demand for concierge care, which offers personalized medical services, has grown quickly during the pandemic as patients seek direct access to physicians. People enjoy having more frequent access to their care providers, especially when encounters can easily take place via phone or computer from the comfort of their home. Workers see the value and benefits of more on-demand care relationships and concierge care is likely to continue to thrive.
The permanent effects of the pandemic likely won’t be known for years. What we do know already is that employees are more mindful of their relationship with their employers and what they expect from them than ever before. Many changes in benefits initially because of necessity were for the better and are likely to last long after the pandemic comes to an end.
Kaleana Quibell is the vice president of Wellbeing and Platform Partners at Sequoia, where she helps clients and employees to come through for the various needs of their people. She has more than 10 years of experience in the Total Rewards sector, with a background in recruiting and onboarding, benefits and human resources, and employee wellbeing program design.