An ounce of prevention
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Facing post-pandemic headwinds, successful disability programs depend on employers approaching employee well-being holistically
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PREVENTION IS an increasingly important component of disability coverage, and while wellness programs have historically included things like subsidized gym memberships and biometric screening, in today’s landscape the traditional approach is no longer enough.
“Especially in the face of everything we’ve come through in the last two years, the old programs aren’t going to be as effective as they were in managing or affecting employee health,” says Shawn Wakley, assistant vice president – client relationships, health solutions at Aon. “We might technically be post-pandemic, but it’s not bright and sunny on this side of the situation either.”
Organizations are facing increasing costs and are eager to take control of their disability programs for cost sustainability, but also to effect positive change from a global perspective, so that, should they ever face another pandemic or similar challenge, they will not have to deal with the same issues in getting employees back to work safely.
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“Especially in the face of everything we’ve come through in the last two years, the old programs aren’t going to be as effective as they were in managing or affecting employee health”
Shawn Wakley,
Aon
Finding value in prevention
Success in minimizing the negative effects external pressures can have on disability and absence hinges on shifting from employee wellness to thinking more about employee well-being. Employers can take prevention to the next level by actively changing the culture of the organization to an employee-first and employee-health orientation.
Currently, employers are tackling a secondary pandemic: employee burnout. Taking an employee-first strategy in this context means looking at different types of time off, like extra paid vacation days or more flex time, or a shift in the design of work that will allow employees the freedom to achieve the work-life balance that fosters well-being.
Hybrid work arrangements or full-time work-from-home options allow people to manage competing priorities in their lives, such as child or elder care. Giving employees the flexibility to cope with other responsibilities – however that works best for them – is a practical way to show that an organization considers the well-being of its employees holistically. The ability to handle stressors reduces burnout.
67%
Stress
Cultural fibre starts with leadership
Successful disability policies and practices reflect the cultural values of an organization, and while they are typically framed as a top-down matter cascading from the C-suite, this is another area in which things have changed.
“It’s more about front-line leaders and leaders at every level shifting expectations and thinking,” Wakley says. “Empathy is a great one to start with, where leaders are sensitive to the needs of their employees and view them not as cogs in a machine but as actual human capital – the most valuable asset any organization has. If leadership at every level is taking an empathetic view of people’s needs, acknowledging their limits, and accepting that their wants must be met by the organization, that cascades positively toward disability management.”
In that kind of environment, people are more likely to come forward when they’re struggling, feel comfortable asking for resources, and have a greater drive to find ways to stay in the workplace when facing challenges. Though people should always take time off when needed, Wakley says if employers are willing to consider job modification or accommodation to keep people in their positions, employees are more apt to explore the option to stay. And while it’s inevitable some people will need to take time off due to injury or illness, empathetic leadership means onboarding them again in more creative – and effective – ways, he notes.
“It’s about finding solutions, meeting folks where they’re at with their restrictions and limitations, and figuring out how to welcome a valuable resource back into the organization.”
“If leadership at every level is taking an empathetic view of people’s needs, acknowledging their limits, and accepting that their wants must be met by the organization, that cascades positively toward disability management”
Shawn Wakley,
Aon
Facilitating successful returns
Conversations with clients are focusing on getting ahead of return-to-work accommodations because getting employees safely back into the workplace is not only good for their health, but also important for the disability program’s bottom line. Bringing someone back involves planning from day one, “which really means, again, keeping the whole employee at the centre of the disability management process,” Wakley says.
Leadership should offer ideas for how to keep employees at work in some capacity, but if they must take disability leave, organizations should find regular intersection points along the continuum of the journey to see whether the employer can effect positive change for these employees and bring them back to work. It shouldn’t be a situation where there’s no contact for three months until the insurer or case manager reaches out to inform the company that an employee has been cleared by a doctor for return.
It's also important for employers not to lose sight of the impact of these matters on the employees who are still in the workplace. Employers must address the health risks faced by teammates whose workloads or duties may change and who could experience associated stress when a member of the team is absent or returning with modified conditions of work.
“Managing those employees, managing expectations, and managing the burnout actually make the return to work easier down the road for everyone,” Wakley says, adding that holistic partnerships mean bringing all stakeholders together to make sure a return to work is successful, sustainable – and as early as possible.
“Work is healthy for all of us. The sooner you can bring employees back, the better for them, the better for the organization, and the better for the bottom line. Nobody loses when there’s a positive return to work.”
Top well-being risks affecting company performance, according to employers
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46%
Burnout
37%
Anxiety
27%
Musculoskeletal
26%
Physical inactivity
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Holistic partnerships
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Going forward
One of the most significant moves employers can make is to look at the existing disability management program from the perspective of strategic alignment with corporate objectives. The program shouldn’t work in isolation, but as part of a bigger organizational goal. Look for cross-functional synergies where applicable: for example, many organizations aren’t leveraging occupational health and safety when it comes to non-occupational disability. They work in silos, or often prioritize workers’ compensation arrangements such that financial incentives or legislation fuel very strong communication and accommodation in returning to work. Bringing them together so each stream learns from the other can be a great strategic step in moving the disability management program forward and addressing absence and returning to work more holistically.
Another great tip is a classic one that’s critical in creating strong and vibrant cultures: solicit feedback from employees and listen to what they have to say. Specific to disability, ask them how the program is working and whether they can identify any gaps that would have helped them return to work sooner, made the overall experience better, or even helped them avoid disability altogether.
“As the effects of the pandemic linger, employers have an opportunity to take a more prominent role in influencing disability experience by turning their attention to well-being strategies and effecting positive change in disability experience,” Wakley says. “The best thing employers can do is demonstrate empathy and create a safe and connected community where employees facing health challenges feel supported.”
Top well-being risks affecting company performance, according to employers
“If leadership at every level is taking an empathetic view of people’s needs, acknowledging their limits, and accepting that their wants must be met by the organization, that cascades positively toward disability management”
Shawn Wakley,
Aon