As we continue to grapple with the pandemic and the obstacles it presents, Desjardins Insurance is providing insight into what it calls the human side of these difficult times. Although it has forecast growth of 6.1% and 4.3% in 2021 and 2022, respectively, and expects the Canadian economy to do well in 2023 with low unemployment, it also very aware of the boomerang effect. Thanks to this Optimal Recovery, Desjardins prepares employers to transform their employees’ anxiety into physical, financial, and psychological well-being.
In this presentation of the 2021 edition of the Humanization of Care conference, which is also available here, Daniel Dufour, Product Manager, Disability Prevention and Management at Desjardins Insurance, describes what indicators to look for to assess how employees have been affected in any of the above-mentioned ways. As he points out, trauma at some level inevitably ripples through the workplace, which is why employers should be equipped to support a more lasting return to normalcy.
Indicator 1: Productivity
While productivity has remained high, if not increased, throughout the pandemic, it has come at the cost of employee transformation health. By looking at their company’s absenteeism rate, employers can find out what impact the working-from-home year, with its longer days and blurring work-life boundaries Optimal Recovery, has had on their employees.). How can employers transform their corporate culture into a more flexible one? Looking at these four points:
Workload: motivating employees while remaining flexible with deadlines and goals to avoid further stress.
Social support: providing an open team environment with a supportive leader.
Decision-making autonomy: let employees take control so that they feel empowered.
Recognition: Reward employees and resume unfinished pre-pandemic conversations about promotions and opportunities for advancement.
Indicator 2: The demographic profile
Findings from various sources showed that those who left their jobs during the pandemic were mostly women and young people. Women, who are always more likely to care for children, often couldn’t juggle childcare and family while working from home. The young people, for their part, took the opportunity to rethink their professional careers Optimal Recovery.
In this context, employers should get to know their employees better. By being more mindful of their lifestyle and needs, they can adjust the coverage and support available to them.
Indicator 3: Employee lifestyle habits
As weight gain and substance and alcohol abuse are on the rise, chronic disease and obesity will be part of the post-pandemic effects. Here are three simple ways employers can assess and control these issues:
Usage analytics, which insurers can provide, to give your insight into which resources employees access most.
Employee health questionnaires, to allow employers to assess the transform health and wellness needs of their employees.
By completing these simple tasks and promoting the benefits, the employer’s toolbox becomes a treasure chest for everyone in the company.
Indicator 4: Mental Health
Although this is a fairly obvious indicator, employers should examine how stress has affected their employees and how it continues to do so. Again, there are simple and effective ways to monitor these stress levels and deal with them:
Investigate the use of antidepressants by people in the workplace.
Review the number of long-term and short-term disability cases and their causes.
Train managers on the effects of stress and how they can talk openly about it with their teams.
Everyone was reminded of the importance of compassion during the pandemic. As workplaces changed drastically to work remotely and provide more open and honest environments for their employees. By showing compassion and taking concrete action to promote the overall health of employees. Employers are moving from what was once the human ECO-system to what is now HUMAN. Economic system because humans are now the priority in the workplace.
