Let’s redefine “normal” when it comes to employee wellbeing

As organizations first started grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, a small silver lining emerged: many of them prioritized employee mental wellbeing and took critical steps to make sure they provided the right support in this area.

For many observers, this was a welcome sight. Physical wellbeing has long dominated conversations around health-related employee benefits, but there’s been a growing push in society at large to bring more attention to the importance of taking care of mental health. The pandemic accelerated that movement in many workplaces.

But what will happen in the next few years? According to a study from Modern Health and Forrester Consulting, 67% of C-suite leaders say their mental health strategies will return to what they were before the pandemic.

However, as the Society for Human Resources Management notes in the article below, many employees want more — and many could leave their jobs if employers don’t continue to offer the support they need.

I’ll echo SHRM and say there is no going back to the old “normal” when it comes to employee benefits and our overall approach to employee wellness. In the new war for talent amid the “Great Resignation,” organizations that remain forward-thinking in their approach to employee mental wellbeing are more likely to attract and retain the best people. Myra Altman, the vice president of clinical care at Modern Health, put it this way: "Although leaders may not realize it, there is no returning to normal. Employees need something different now, and mental health support is core to where and how they work.”

In mobility, we typically don’t deal with benefits directly tied to mental health, such as access to a therapist through an insurance plan. But we know that relocation is uniquely stressful, so how we support employees through the journey can have a big impact on their mental states. With the topic on the forefront more so than it’s ever been, now is a great time to dig into your mobility philosophy and ask yourself: Are we properly addressing the mental wellbeing of our relocating employees?