As an employer, you do have responsibilities when it comes to your employees. They’re not all about preventing harassment, discrimination, or ensuring a fair wage, either. Given how employer-reliant the health care system is, you should take your responsibility for their health further than just the bare minimum to be compliant with the law. As such, here are a few ways to make sure that you’re not putting undue pressure on your team’s health.
Take their concerns seriously
First and foremost, you have to ensure that you are able to provide a workplace that is not going to cause or exacerbate any health problems. Typically, employers would think about reducing the risk of accidents and injuries but, nowadays, you also have to consider how you need to adapt to the ongoing pandemic. If you haven’t, already, then it may be time to look at establishing a remote working setup with your team, instead. A lot of businesses have already made the transformation successfully, so there’s plenty of advice on doing it available on the net, too.
Choosing the right insurance plan for them
If, like many employers, you are the entity that your employees get their health care coverage through, then it’s crucial to make sure that you’re offering them the level of cover they need. Fail to do so, and you can find it hard to keep hold of your best workers. Aside from basic health care provisions, you should look to make sure you know does insurance cover rehab, mental health needs, and more. If you’re thinking about changing insurance providers, make it a discussion with your employees to find out their needs and incorporate them into your decision-making process.
Be mindful of how much stress you induce
Stress as a part of work-life should be accepted, to some degree. A little stress can be a good motivator. However, if you’re consistently asking employees to work overtime or doing little to consider their existing workload before delegating to them, you may be taking advantage of your relationship in a way that pushes undue stress onto them. Work to reduce workplace stress by ensuring that employees have the means to openly communicate their issues without fear of reprisal, such as an anonymous feedback system.
Incentivize healthy choices
If you’re paying for employee insurance, then it only makes sense that you should be invested in them staying healthy. After all, you will be the one paying the bill in part should they need any treatments at the hospital. To that end, there is plenty of ways you can incentivize healthier choices in the workplace, such as a wellness program that can offer employees benefits in exchange for things like eating healthier lunches or using the local gym.
Personal responsibility does come in at some point, of course. You can’t do it all for your team. You can, however, be aware of what power you have in your employee’s health and make sure you do what you can to protect it.
