■ Human Resources
■ Human Resources
spin, Zumba, on-campus flu shots, physical exams, free gym membership, massages and reflexology, and more.
◾ Emotional-An employee assistance program is offered to all full-time employees, available on a virtual or in person basis.
◾ Social-Gatherings, affinity groups( working parents / parents of children with special needs), recognition programs, Employee Appreciation Day, Fall Fest.
◾ Intellectual-Employees have access to campus lectures and tuition benefits for continued education both on campus and at other educational institutions.
◾ Occupational-Managerial and business training is offered throughout the year on a variety of subjects through internal and external speakers. Topics have included project management, problem analysis and decision making, having difficult conversations, etc.
◾ Spiritual-Meditation.
◾ Financial-Estate Planning, Saving for Retirement, Social Security.
◾ Miscellaneous-Service Awards / Staff Recognition Program, summer Fridays.
“ We’ ve always had wellness activities, but it’ s more concentrated now, more enhanced,” says Brown.“ We’ ve really expanded and are continuing to grow the program.”
Brown says the challenge to running so many wellness options is really a matter of seeking out people to provide the programs. Ramapo has used internal people on campus to lead some events, as well as contracted with external people and companies, like Hackensack Medical Center.
“ They do free basic screenings for our employees … They’ ve also partnered with us to give a discounted rate to our employees, and they came on campus and set up AngioScreen, which was amazing. Employees received comprehensive, discounted medical testing in an office space that was totally transformed into a medical testing site for the event,” says Brown.
Ramapo maintains a wellness page on its website to promote activities and allow people to register in advance for workshops.“ Vaccine clinics like the flu shot, the health screenings, and yoga and strength training would be the probably top four [ for participation ],” says Brown.
Virtual Wellness Initiatives
While fully virtual or hybrid remote working arrangements offer employees flexibility that can contribute to better mental health, working remotely also creates the conundrum of how to provide wellness support outside of the office.
Aon, a global professional services firm whose colleagues provide clients with the clarity and confidence to make better risk and people decisions, has some experience in virtual support.
“ Aon continually evolves its well-being framework, leveraging data and feedback to drive meaningful change in how we support our colleagues,” says Sean Radford, Chief People Officer, North America, Aon.“ We provide our
Jill Brown, Director of People Operations, Ramapo College of New Jersey.
workforce with tools, resources and programming to support their physical, mental, emotional, social and financial well-being.”
One particularly impactful program that Aon provides colleagues with is Thrive, a science-backed platform designed to sustain well-being and performance.“ Thrive focuses on Microsteps— small, science-backed steps that build over time to create meaningful change,” says Radford.“ It offers individual, team, and company-wide challenges, and is accessible through web, mobile, and Teams, making it easy for colleagues to integrate well-being into their daily routines.”
Other programs include:
◾ Living Our Values Award: This award honors colleagues who exemplify Aon’ s values in their service to clients, colleagues, and communities.
◾ E-cards: Personalized messages to recognize colleagues for various achievements or milestones.
◾ Aon Milestone Appreciation Program: Colleagues are celebrated for their anniversaries with personalized digital Yearbooks and tokens of appreciation.
Programs like Thrive have been particularly well-received for their accessibility and practical support, Radford notes.
“ At Aon, our colleagues are the heartbeat of our firm. Recognizing and celebrating our colleagues is an important way we help them feel more relevant, more connected and more valued in ways that enable them to reach their full professional potential.”
At UnitedHealthcare, workplace wellness is a priority because“ we believe that healthy employees are often more productive, engaged, and satisfied with their jobs,” notes Cerniglia.“ By offering innovative wellness programs, we aim to improve the physical and mental health
Photo: Jeff Auger / Ramapo College of New Jersey
Chuck Cerniglia, Executive Director, UnitedHealthcare of New Jersey.
of employees, help lower healthcare costs, and create a more positive work environment that better supports overall employee well-being.”
UnitedHealthcare offers a broad range of wellness programs designed to support employees’ physical, emotional, and financial well-being. For eligible employees with an employer-sponsored health plan, programs include UnitedHealthcare Rewards, a digital experience where eligible members can earn rewards for completing tasks like taking a health survey, getting an annual checkup, walking 5,000 steps, tracking hours slept and more. Employees choose which activities to complete and earned rewards may be used toward additional wellness offerings, such as a subscription to One Pass Select ®, a flexible fitness membership that gives employees access to a nationwide network of fitness locations. According to Cerniglia, 76 % of employees who signed up for the program were actively engaged.
Calm Health is another program. The evidence-based mental health app from Calm offers on-demand support, including mental health screenings, coaching and / or therapy referrals, and personalized programs and daily self-care content.
“ Through Calm Health, millions of UnitedHealthcare members have access to on-demand mental health screenings and support based on results, personalized programs written by psychologists for chronic conditions, mental health challenges or life experiences, and referrals to counseling and therapy in-network,” says Cerniglia.“ It will also provide a library of self-care content for members looking to manage stress and anxiety, find better sleep, and build life-changing habits. By integrating Calm Health with our health plan benefits, we aim to make mental health care more accessible and
Continued
8 COMMERCE www. commercemagazinenj. com