Of all the challenges facing HR and benefits leaders today, the employee health crisis is perhaps at the top of the list. There’s a good reason for that.
Nearly three-quarters of employees surveyed feel at least moderately stressed, and 57% experience at least moderate burnout, according to a new report from Aflac. “When stress is high, employee absenteeism tends to increase, employee relationship issues become more severe, and productivity tends to decrease,” says Jeri Hawthorne, Aflac’s chief operating officer. .
Hawthorne, who joined Aflac in 2019 and became CHRO early last year, said the insurance giant’s human resources team has long considered employee health a priority, but the pandemic has made it even more so. . Hawthorne said Aflac now aims to provide benefits and policies based on a “whole person mindset,” and she says managers and leaders are key to that approach.
HRE I recently spoke with Hawthorne about Aflac’s employee wellness strategy and other pressing HR issues.
Hawthorn: As an organization, this is something we have been intentionally focused on for many years, and like many other organizations, I think the pandemic has further heightened our focus.
We take a multifaceted approach to employee health. We have a variety of support vendors, including online options for remote employees. We offer our employees as much flexibility as their roles allow. We want to meet our employees where they are. And it doesn’t just come from human resources or the organization. We’re asking leaders to engage with and support their employees in this way.
HRE: How important is personalizing benefits to your employee health management efforts?
Hawthorn: It’s important and always has been. We offer perhaps one of the most robust wellness benefits offerings we’ve ever had the opportunity to offer to our employees. This allows employees to choose the services that are most important and impactful to them. This goes beyond health insurance, vision, and dentistry to include fitness and wellness apps, gym memberships, daycare access, career support, resume writing, and more.
It all comes from a comprehensive pillar approach. We think about employee health not only in terms of employee growth, but also in terms of social, physical, economic, and mental health.
HRE: And how has the pandemic affected Aflac’s benefits?
Hawthorn: We believe, as our CEO has said many times, that we care about our people, and they care about our customers. That spirit of compassion was present at Aflac even before the pandemic.What happened during the pandemic is that we realized that delivering services is not just HR’s role. [that show caring] But it’s also so that leaders can talk to their employees and help them when they’re facing difficulties. When employees worked from home during the pandemic, managers and leaders treated them as whole people.
Post-pandemic, we saw a whole-person mindset become even more pervasive in the workplace. Before the pandemic, I would probably have said, “Don’t talk politics with people, don’t ask them personal questions.” But now we know that employees want their employers to think of them as more than just a human being during the 9-to-5 shift. This was a big focus for us. How can leaders engage with employees, make them feel seen, and de-stigmatize conversations about mental health and wellness? But at the same time, don’t cross the line.
HRE: What skill sets do HR leaders need to develop to ensure employee health remains a priority for executives?
Hawthorn: I think HR professionals need to understand the balance between helping the business succeed and understanding that they are the voice of the entire employee experience. In some cases, HR is the only person in the business leader’s room who actually knows the voice of the employee. Therefore, HR departments must be able to think about the business through the lens of business success, but also need to make decisions focused on how they impact the daily lives and well-being of employees. there is.
HRE: Other than employee health, what are your HR focuses this year?
Hawthorn: Mental health and burnout will continue to be a big topic for us as an organization. That’s probably going to be the main focus for the next 12 to 24 months, given the global and political situation that we’re facing.
Other areas we are looking at include increased employee spending. We want to help them understand how to maximize their take-home pay in an environment where inflation seems to keep rising with every turn. Employees need to have access to a diverse menu of benefits, but they also need to know how to get the most value from the various benefits your company offers.
AI and technology will continue to be a top priority for all leaders, not just HR. We need to consider how it impacts the day-to-day operations of our organizations, how it impacts our privacy, and how it impacts the way we get work done.
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HRE: How do we continue to learn amidst these changes?
Hawthorn: I am actively involved in a variety of organizations and feel fortunate that Aflac has provided opportunities for growth and development through membership in professional organizations. I also have personal mentors that I have grown with in my career. I probably email once a week to people who say, “Hey, I’d love to run something alongside you,” former colleagues who were in this seat before me. These are great resources for HR professionals.
I also read a lot and listen to my team and employees. There are many members of the team at lower levels than me, and I meet regularly to ask for feedback on the progress of the feature and areas we think can be improved. I think of it as a personal 360 degree thing. Talk to my boss and senior HR leaders outside of my role. Having these thought partners is important.
HRE: What is something your colleagues might be surprised to know about your life outside of work?
Hawthorn: Perhaps not surprisingly, I sometimes wonder how I got here in total transparency. I started my career in human resources in a non-traditional way, which may surprise people. I’m in a fortunate professional situation, but he only started thinking seriously about career moves probably seven or eight years ago. Up until then, I had been doing what I was interested in, working hard, growing, and learning. But then I started saying: And I want to see what I can do. ”
