Ways technology can boost employee well-being

6 ways technology can boost employee well-being

February 24, 2021 9:00 AM

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When the move to the virtual workforce was made, employers turned to technology to address their employees’ wellness and productivity.

Throughout the pandemic, employers launched a number of new benefit programs to support employees dealing with the pressure of balancing remote work and their personal lives. Technology has continued to play a huge role in maintaining that balance.

“A quarter of employees in a recent PwC survey report that their physical and mental health has gotten somewhat or much worse during the pandemic,” says Christine Randazzo, PwC benefits and rewards consulting co-leader. “I’ve seen greater interest in on-demand and tech-enabled resources for mental health including stress management, meditation, and therapy.”

With remote work a continuing reality for 2021, technology is a vital tool to promote a healthy and cooperative work environment. These organizations are tapping into the power of technology to help employees navigate pregnancy care, mental health, job training and other needs:

MGM

Virtual family health platform Ovia Health has partnered with hospitality and entertainment company MGM Resorts International on an employee benefit specifically designed for high risk pregnancies.

“We've noticed there's been a significant portion of prenatal visits that have moved online or been canceled throughout this pandemic,” says Gina Nebesar, Ovia Health co-founder and chief product officer. “MGM was really excited to introduce this as a way to continue to support people in between those appointments, help them understand their risks and seek care.”

Read More: MGM Resorts debuts pregnancy monitoring benefit from Ovia Health

HealthJoy

Benefits and compensation advisory firm First Person Advisors has teamed up with benefits software company HealthJoy, to provide its employer clients with a new suite of tools to simplify administrative tasks and maximize their benefit offerings.

“Last year showed us that employees value their health benefits more than ever before, and companies need a way to guide them toward high-quality, affordable care,” says Dave Mallen, executive vice president of strategic partnerships at HealthJoy. “Together with FirstPerson’s innovative consultative process, our simple and smart solution will help Indiana companies maximize the value of their benefits and improve healthcare outcomes.”

Read More: HealthJoy partners with First Person Advisors to foster better benefits utilization

PwC

PwC’s ProEdge is a training program and digital tool that helps employers understand the current capabilities of their employees and then pinpoints the digital skills they’ll need to improve based on labor data and industry trends. The program will also help employers identify skills gaps and design a plan to close them.

“HR pros are dealing with an aged workforce, they’re dealing with a skillset that has been the same for 20 to 30 years,” says Suneet Dua, chief product officer at PwC. “There are new skills coming into the workforce in the next two or three years, but CEOs and leaders in corporate America are worried about this post-pandemic, because they don't know where to start.”

Read More: PwC wants to close the digital skills gap with latest tool

Buoy Health

Buoy Health launched a new tool that utilizes artificial intelligence and behavioral science to keep employers informed of vaccination rates among their workforce. This vaccine launch is an expansion of Buoy’s Back with Care platform, which provides employers with daily screening and workplace return guidance.

“During the pandemic, employers have become de facto public health leaders, with the majority of COVID-19 education, strategy and response efforts falling on the shoulders of HR and benefits teams,” Dr. Andrew Le, CEO of Buoy Health, said in a release. “The vaccine is the most viable path to ‘returning to normal’ based on the available science.”

Read More: Buoy Health launches tool to gauge employee vaccine concerns

Noodles & Co.

In the fall of 2019, restaurant Noodles & Company teamed up with the financial app Even to provide its more than 8,000 employees with early pay access, which the organization has seen improve retention and employees’ financial wellness.Since then, a quarter of Noodles' workforce is actively saving every month and have collectively deposited more than $550,000 into their Even savings accounts, according to the company. Employees have also accessed $2.6 million through Instapay to safely resolve cashflow emergencies, saving more than $700,000 in payday loan interest.

“On-demand pay really captivated our attention. The system of paying people on a monthly or bi-weekly basis has just been the way for so long,” says Amy Cohen, director of total rewards at Noodles & Company. “Hearing about [on-demand pay] really made me think that this is no doubt the future of payroll processing.”

Read More: Noodles & Co increased employee retention, financial wellness with on-demand pay

Lyra Health

Lyra Health, a mental benefits provider, is adding the Calm app to their benefit offerings to help manage the added stress. Over 1.5 million employees will have access to the popular resiliency training app, as the new partnership expands mental health support to employees who may be resistant to more traditional modes of therapy.

“The urgency has never been greater than it is now to provide holistic mental health services,” says Joe Grasso, clinical director of partnerships at Lyra Health. “It's a way to support people who maybe aren't ready to engage in therapy but want to dip their toe into some kind of wellness support.”

Read More: Lyra Health adds Calm app to ease COVID-19 mental health strain