Three weeks ago I returned to the office. That return matched my start date at Wickens Herzer Panza. I decided that it’d be difficult, if not impossible, to learn a new firm and its systems, and build camaraderie and teamwork with my new co-workers, if I’m working remotely. Thus, I made the decision to break free of my self-imposed COVID-19 cocoon and start working most days in person in the office.
54 percent of employees say that they would want to work remotely if permitted post-COVID-19.
Yet, over 60 percent of employees report that remote work has increased their time spent in meetings and their work hours, and nearly 50 percent report that it has decreased their work-life balance.
In other words, employees are in favor of remote work as a concept, but in practice, they may not understand that it is doing more harm than good.
Without a real physical separation between work and nonwork, people won’t ever stop working. They will be on the clock 24/7, ultimately burning themselves out at great cost to themselves and their employers. The most recent episode of Depresh Mode with John Moe expertly addressed this issue.
What does this mean for your remote employees? It means that they are likely working too much, some to the point of burnout. If you value your employees’ mental health and wellbeing, factor it into your decision when and whether to bring your employees back to your physical workplace, at least part time. They might think they want to keep working remotely, but they may not necessarily know what’s best for them.
In the meantime, if your employees are going to continue working remotely, consider these tips to help them maintain the balance they need to avoid overworking and burning out.
1. Set a schedule for your employees and strongly encourage them to stick to it. Alternatively, make available technology that allows employees to designate when they are available and not available. In either case, it must be clear to managers, supervisors, and coworkers that these boundaries must be respected except in the case of a 911-level emergency.
2. Require that employees take breaks during the workday, including a lunch break.
3. Prioritize days off so that employees can recharge their batteries.
4. Remind employees who might be struggling with their mental health of the services you have available for them, including an EAP and counseling and other mental health services via your health insurance plan.
COVID-19 clearly has severe and potentially deadly physical symptoms. But that doesn’t mean mental health is something that can be sidelined for now.
Parents with children they must homeschool are feeling the stress of working, teaching and having little to no free time to take care of themselves. People who have certain mental illnesses may find themselves especially vulnerable in times of social or physical distancing.
And employees on the front lines like health care workers, delivery people and grocery store employees may find themselves stressed due to the nature of their jobs and having a greater risk of interacting with people who have COVID-19.
“With the workplace a defining part of many individuals’ lives, managing employee morale and mental health, as well as providing resources and support to help them cope, is understandably top of mind with employers,” said Brad Hammock, co-chair of employment law firm Littler Mendelson’s Workplace Safety & Health Practice Group and a leader of the firm’s COVID-19 Task Force, in a press release.
While businesses must manage many other legal and operational issues, progressive employers are also focusing on resources and means of support to help employees cope, according according to a recent report from Littler.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people who may respond more strongly to the stress of the COVID-19 crisis include those are especially vulnerable to the virus (older people and those with chronic diseases), children and teens, people with mental health or substance abuse issues and caregivers and health care providers who are helping others deal with health issues.
The CDC provides ways to cope with mental health issues — including taking breaks from watching the news, making time to unwind and connecting with loved ones. But the workplace has a role as well.
HR plays a central role in tempering employees’ feelings of anxiety, according to Human Resource Executive. “Remind employees that every single person in the organization, including the CEO, is facing unprecedented upheaval, fear and uncertainty — and that the only way to get through this is by pulling together and supporting each other like never before,” the article advised.
Further, while employee assistance programs have generally been underutilized, now is an ideal time to communicate the usefulness of EAPs to employees, according to HRE. EAPs address personal and professional challenges that employees may face, including financial problems, substance abuse issues, grief, family issues and stress. These areas of one’s life are also areas that could be greatly impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak, the article noted.
Nonprofit news organization Marketplace suggests that employers offer and communicate the availability of telehealth mental health care. It also noted that accessible, affordable care is important. For example, Starbucks is offering all U.S.-based employees and their family members with access to 20 free therapy sessions starting April 6. These sessions are available through video appointments as well as in-person appointments.
The Canadian Mental Health Association advises that employers communicate in a reassuring manner. “Know that work will likely be impacted — work will slow down, necessary travel may be canceled. Reassure staff that expectations will shift accordingly, and that’s OK. The company will get through this.”
Organizations can also refer employees to reports indicating that most people who become infected with the virus will recover, the Canadian Mental Health Association noted. They can also emphasize with employees that they know this is a stressful time and that it’s OK to feel anxious.
For Workforce.com users there are features on our platform available to keep communication lines open during this difficult time. Engage your staff, schedule according to operational changes, manage leave, clock in and out remotely, and communicate changes through custom events, among other things.
Employee assistance programs were originally created to address alcoholism and drug use in the workplace.
These programs have since matured to address a broad range of issues that can affect all aspects of employee performance and engagement. From the misuse of drugs and alcohol to stress, anxiety, sleep disorders and depression, they take on “virtually every problem an employee could have,” said Gregory DeLapp, CEO of the Employee Assistance Professionals Association.
This evolution has also changed who runs the programs, he added. In the beginning, most EAP leaders came to the role through the training department or because of their own recovery. But today, most EAP professionals have a social work background or mental health training.
“It reflects what’s being offered and when,” he said.
Today, mental health is a leading driver of EAP investments and the services provided, and thanks to the growing social dialog about depression and anxiety, employees are more open to taking advantage of these offerings, said Barbara Veder, vice president of employee support solutions for Morneau Shepell, an HR technology and consulting firm in Toronto. “That leads to more early engagement, which is always the focus for EAPs.”
She noted that stress, depression and anxiety are among the top reasons why employees access EAP services, and she encourages employers to provide tools and services that help employees to be more proactive in their mental health care. These may include online assessments to gauge risks, rapid access to counseling rather than waiting weeks for an appointment, and wellness apps and self-directed programs to help “get people back to their best selves,” she said.
On the employer side, EAP providers are offering more data and analytics to help them understand whether these programs are being used, and what impact they may have on the business. “Having access to meaningful data allows employers to tailor their programs to the needs of the workforce,” Veder said. It isn’t just about gauging whether employees use these services. Good metrics also help them understand what intervention types are most appealing and how their use breaks down among employee groups. “A lot of people want to take ownership of their care, while others respond better to human interventions,” she said.
DeLapp noted that companies should be sure the data they are getting demonstrate actual business impact. “So much of what is sold today is based on measures of activity, like number of therapy visits, or calls to a call center,” he said. He argued that employers should be asking for outcome measures that demonstrate results.
Workplace Outcome Suite Impact
Many benefits leaders are finding this kind of data through the annual “Workplace Outcome Suite” report developed by Chestnut Global Partners, which uses workplace surveys to demonstrate the effectiveness of EAPs in business terms related to absenteeism, presenteeism, work engagement, workplace distress and life satisfaction. For example, the most recent WOS annual report found that before implementing an EAP program, companies saw an average of 10.92 hours of work missed over a 30-day period due to mental health related issues; after the implementation, it dropped to 5.64 hours — or an improvement of 48 percent. “It helps employers anticipate what impact an EAP will have on the business,” DeLapp said.
While EAPs are often considered separate from other benefits programs, it is also important to find synergies between EAPs and benefits offerings, he said. For example, financial pressures can cause stress and anxiety, so offering financial planning services, student debt repayment and other voluntary financial benefits can have the knock-on effect of easing workplace anxiety. “It’s an interesting dichotomy that should be considered when crafting any EAP program.”
When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico on Sept. 20, 2017, HR consulting company ADP jumped into action to support its 36 employees living in the U.S. territory.
In the event of a major emergency that impacts its employees, ADP conducts associate safety and welfare checks, which involve an emergency notification system that reaches out to workers via call, text and email to ask if they need assistance, said Zona Walton, senior director of global business resiliency at ADP. Her team achieves 100 percent response in these instances, no matter what it takes. In the event of Hurricane Maria, though, ongoing power outages made these safety checks more challenging and involved search and rescue efforts.
“It can take us hours, it can take us days, and it can take us weeks,” she said. In Puerto Rico, it took several days to locate all employees around the island. “We’re continuing to support Puerto Rico, and we probably will for quite some time, just because of the devastation on the island and the needs of our associates we have there,” Walton said at the time of publication.
ADP provides whatever the workers need, particularly MREs (meals ready to eat), water, flashlights and batteries, but they can also support employees financially. Through its ADP Cares fund, its employees make donations, which are then matched by the company. These funds are available as donations to workers in crisis. Financial support and outreach from employees — particularly in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria — have been incredibly heartwarming, Walton said.
“We see that from one event to the next,” she said.
Balance a corporate statement between acknowledging the tragedy but not panicking.
Walton said her team has activated crisis management for 12 events between Aug. 1 and Nov. 2 of 2017. These events have included hurricanes, wildfires and terrorist attacks that could affect the safety of their employees. Her team had to account for about 8,800 ADP workers.
Walton has seen an uptick in crisis management, partly due to an increase in terrorist attacks and extreme weather events, and partly due to an increased emphasis on employee safety and security, both at ADP and at companies as a whole.
“This is an evolving space,” said Trusha Palkhiwala, vice president of global HR services at ADP. “I think companies are trying to figure out where their right role fits.”
Sharing Sympathy
Although the humanitarian efforts in Puerto Rico have largely been about the physical safety of workers, other tragedies can call for emotional support, Palkhiwala said, leading ADP to communicate their employee assistance programs or even bring counselors to offices.
ADP CEO Carlos Rodriguez also reaches out in some cases. Without sharing political views, it’s normal for him to express sympathy for victims, Palkhiwala said.
Another CEO advised to take a similar approach to corporate communications. If it’s the CEO’s personality to contact employees or the company as a whole in the aftermath of tragedies, then they should, said Adam Ochstein, founder and CEO of StratEx, a Chicago-based human resources software company. However, if they don’t usually make a statement, doing so could come across as panicked.
And communication doesn’t have to be from the CEO, necessarily. “Whoever is kind of like that culture cop for the company should be the one that’s writing or driving the message on it,” he said. At a large enterprise, this could be a supervisor for a department or region who then accesses corporate resources such as EAPs. Also, it’s crucial to communicate these services in common areas, such as the company break room or portal.
Ochstein suggested balancing a corporate statement between acknowledging the tragedy but not to panic. “We’re not putting our heads in the sand. At the same time, we also don’t want to get everyone panicked either, but let’s talk about this, and let’s share how we’re all respectively feeling about it.”
“It’s OK to come across as vulnerable, upset and to show your humanity.”
— Adam Ochstein, founder and CEO of StratEx
As an example of how not to respond after a tragedy, he cited New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s statement about the Oct. 31, 2017, terrorist attack in New York City, which left eight people dead and 12 more injured. “The reaction by New Yorkers, as evidenced last night, this morning, people got up, they went to work, children went to school, and that’s what makes New Yorkers special. That strength. That resilience,” Cuomo said.
Ochstein liked Cuomo’s business-as-usual attitude, but if the statement “doesn’t have an empathetic chord struck along with that tough New Yorker bravado, then it comes across as cold and insensitive and callous,” he said. “One without the other causes issues. If I’m too mushy, then no work gets done and you paralyze people. If I have too much of that bravado, then I’m seen as insensitive and callous and unkind.”
In events that impact workers the most, Ochstein suggested business leaders post a blog, have a town hall session and have opportunities for the company and its employees to give back to their communities.
Additional advice from Ochstein includes expressing that an event is impacting them. “It’s OK to come across as vulnerable, upset and to show your humanity,” he said.
Ochstein also advised business leaders to be as prepared as possible ahead of events. In instances of natural disasters that are predictable, preparation is feasible. “The unnatural tragedies, unfortunately, there’s been a lot of those over the last several years, so sadly, we’re getting good practice,” Ochstein said.
Employers should consider a more inclusive definition of “caregiver,” argues employee caregiving platform Torchlight, which released its annual report titled “Modern Caregiving Challenges Facing U.S. Employees” in January. While caregiving has traditionally been defined as “care for an aging loved one or child with a diagnosis or disability,” the report says, the “modern caregiver” may or may not fit in that limited box — but they may have similar problems regardless.
Torchlight analyzed its user data to see the top caregiving challenges people face whether caring for a child or an elder. Some of these relate to a specific disability, but others don’t.
For elder care, the most pressing problems include housing (tasks such as helping a loved one move or helping them create safe home environments) and cognitive impairment (managing Alzheimer’s or other causes of dementia). For child care, the most pressing problems are mental health (addressing anxiety or depression in one’s child with a concrete strategy) and executive functioning (teaching children organizational skills and basic skills like managing time and setting goals).
This fine line between a caregiver and someone who simply has family responsibilities outside of work is difficult to define, according to Adam Goldberg, founder and CEO of Torchlight. Still, what makes it necessary is that it provides proactive rather than reactive caregiving support, he added. “So many of the things associated with caregiving can be mitigated or avoided by taking steps upfront, and we feel that’s a really important part of caregiving,” he said.
For example, an employee’s child might be experiencing “homework hell” at school. An employee knows to look out for red flags that might signal a problem like a learning disability, executive dysfunction or emotional issues like budding anxiety — all things that can be chronic, costly disorders. These red flags might not turn out to be a traditional caregiver challenge like a diagnosed disability, but if they do, employees can be proactive.
Adam Goldberg
Many caregivers don’t report their caregiving challenges to their manager or HR until there’s a crisis, Goldberg said. That means that when HR hears about it and they want to help, they’re often struck by the suddenness of it. What may end up happening then is that HR decides to deal with the situation by implementing a point solution, also known as coming up with a solution without considering the underlying issues.
“Leading employers are speaking out and saying the traditional benefits approach [to caregiving] has not worked, so we need to take a fresh look at this,” Goldberg said.
One of PepsiCo’s strategies to address the caregiving population includes something that a company of any size could consider: It looks at the perks it already provides and considers how they could be expanded to help caregivers. For example, the company extended its second-opinion medical service provider perk to extended family members and parents of employees, said PepsiCo Vice President of Global Benefits and Wellness Erik Sossa. It’s a good example of taking advantage of something they were already paying for.
The large organization — with 108,000 U.S. employees — offers other perks that caregivers (as well as other employees) benefit from, like flexible schedules and compressed work weeks, parental leave for mothers and fathers, and onsite day care.
Erik Sossa
“I don’t think an employer is going to distinguish themselves anymore in having a really great pension plan or a really great benefits plan. Those are the prices of admission now. How do you bring value beyond that? That’s going to distinguish some of the leading employers,” Sossa said.
In general, large organizations have more resources and opportunities to offer richer caregiving benefits, like leave time, but small- and medium-sized employers can get creative, said Candice Sherman, CEO of the Northeast Business Group on Health.
Even the smallest employers, she said, can do things like provide a list of nonprofits that offer services caregivers could take advantage of, she said. Also, many communities have community organizations, religiously affiliated or otherwise, that may offer relevant services.
“The more recognition there is about the fact that in any employee workforce, there are caregivers in our midst, I think employers will definitely get more creative and expansive in terms of the kinds of things they think about offering,” Sherman said.
Law firm Balch & Bingham, based in Birmingham, Alabama, is another organization trying to appeal to the broader needs of the modern caregiver. While 20 years ago the term primarily described a woman caring for a child or parent, now it applies to a much bigger demographic, said Director of Human Resources Lisa Arrington. The law firm’s caregiving population includes men caregiving with a partner, grandparents caring for a grandchild and employees in less traditional, blended families.
With caregivers in different circumstances, their first and foremost approach is to listen to employees and ask questions, Arrington said. “What are their needs? We have people in all different seasons of life, and all those needs are completely different from one another. It’s important to find and target things for each of those different groups.”
Balch & Bingham, which has about 425 employees, promotes getting this type of feedback from employees through ongoing discussions rather than one-time conversations. This could happen in a formal context like a one-on-one meeting between a manager and an employee or an organized discussion among the workforce to tackle a specific topic. It can also happen informally, just by passing someone in the hallway and asking how their day is going.
Some of the ways the law firm uses to appeal to caregivers include flexible work arrangements; EAPs that offer caregivers support resources about budgeting, dealing with stress and navigating blended families; and hosting family-friendly holiday events like a Halloween costume parade.
One major thing employers of any size can do differently is have top level executives be open about their caregiving experiences, Sherman said. Many executives have personal experience with it, and as more of them that share their experiences, that can help unveil some of the stigma that may exist in the organization around caregiving.
For example, employees may worry that if they label themselves as a caregiver and admit they have competing caregiving responsibilities outside of work, they may not get put on a big project they’re interested in or get the promotion they’ve been working toward.
Senior leadership has a promising role in relating their own personal stories to their people, Sherman said. “That goes a long way in creating what we as a business group call a ‘caregiving-friendly working environment.’”
Be prepared about how to spot signs of behavioral health problems and the appropriate ways you can respond.
An estimated 23.2 percent of Americans aged 18 and older experienced symptoms of a diagnosable mental health or substance use condition in 2016. At the same time, fewer than half of those diagnosed with a behavioral health condition received treatment. When left unaddressed, these conditions may contribute to various workplace challenges, including loss of productivity, low morale and turnover.
Although behavioral health conditions are prevalent, there remains a lack of understanding in the workplace on how to properly support them. Given that employees spend a great deal of time at work, this presents you with the opportunity to better assist those with a behavioral health condition to foster trust and aid in recovery.
Understanding the typical progression of a mental health or substance use condition and its corresponding symptoms can help you better identify employees in need and connect them to available resources. While these conditions often begin with a relatively mild impairment that has a minimal impact on the employee’s performance, symptoms can progress and ultimately hinder their work.
Be prepared by knowing how to spot the signs and the appropriate ways you can respond. The following five stages explain the cycle of behavioral health conditions that an employee may progress through and tangible ways you can help:
Risks emerge
A challenging aspect of behavioral health conditions is that they often begin without being noticed. In fact, a manager may confuse the symptoms of a health condition with poor performance. While conditions may be hard to identify at this stage, it’s important for employers to create a safe climate and culture for employees to speak out and seek help.
All managers should be trained on how to document performance on a regular basis, noting any observed performance changes. Managers should also be familiar with resources the organization has available to support employees, such as management coaching and employee assistance programs.
Symptoms escalate to impact performance
In the second stage, an employee’s symptoms may increase to a moderate level and are more likely to noticeably impact work performance. An employee may be absent more frequently or request an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act to help them cope with the situation.
Referrals to an EAP are more common at this point, and the employee may be more likely to seek treatment on their own. Absence management approaches may also help employees address issues and stay at work in this stage. That’s why stay-at-work disability management strategies, such as referrals to workplace resources and accommodations, are best initiated at this point.
An increase in severity
In this stage, the employee experiences severe symptoms that could directly impact their work performance and abilities. Performance problems and employee absences may escalate to the point where they require a disability leave. In many cases, the need for accommodations to support recovery becomes more visible to employers.
For those who are able to stay at work, it’s important to work with the employee to develop accommodations tailored to their specific limitations or restrictions. Proactively implementing accommodations may help keep an employee engaged in their work, successful in their role and supported by their peers. For employees who require a leave, being supportive of the employee’s FMLA application also is important.
At this point of an employee’s condition, they may continue to experience severe or chronic symptoms and apply for long-term disability benefits. The employee may also start seeing themselves as “disabled,” struggling to find a sense of purpose or meaning in life.
During this stage, goal-directed case management and return-to-work strategies are generally initiated or continued. But the impact is generally lower than during the previous stages. With earlier interventions, there’s a better chance that the employee will return to work.
Recovery occurs
The last stage is where employees begin to see their condition improve — either through treatment or as part of the natural course of the condition. But with the proper employer response and intervention, recovery can occur at any stage in an employee’s journey.
Recovery before severe or chronic symptoms develop often depends on an employee connecting with timely and effective care and support. Effective support can empower the employee and rebuild confidence.
Given that mental health and substance use conditions are common in the Unites States, it’s important to address this issue through effective services and support for your employees. Research shows that only 50 percent of employees return to work after having been out of work for six months. When you’re prepared, you can intervene earlier and increase the chances that the employee will return to work.
Being prepared for a behavioral health condition means supporting employees in their time of need. Without the proper strategies, resources and assistance, an employee’s work performance may suffer. By offering your employees various programs and benefits, you can help ensure a timely and safe recovery and return to work.
On the employer side, EAP providers are offering more data and analytics to help them understand whether these programs are being used, and what impact they may have on the business. “Having access to meaningful data allows employers to tailor their programs to the needs of the workforce,” Veder said. It isn’t just about gauging whether employees use these services. Good metrics also help them understand what intervention types are most appealing and how their use breaks down among employee groups. “A lot of people want to take ownership of their care, while others respond better to human interventions,” she said.
