Why Wellness Should Be a Cornerstone of Your Return-to-the-Office Strategy

“RTTO” may sound like a sci-fi character from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, but it actually stands for Return To The Office. Its impact on the workforce will challenge HR and benefits leaders in a variety of ways.

Just over a year ago HR leaders were asking “how do we go remote with our workforce?” — and now it’s “how do we get them back to the office safely?”

RTTO anxiety – the worry that returning to the office environment won’t be safe — is an issue that HR must contend with. For some employees, it is anxiety-inducing to think about leaving a controlled environment (your home) where you feel safe and returning to the office where the pandemic has dramatically changed the rules and routines.

For others, returning to the office may represent a loss of personal freedom. Many have grown accustomed to their homes, the relaxed dress code, and the extra time spent with family in the absence of a daily commute. Many may not want to return at all to the office on a full-time basis. In fact, recent research from The Conference Board and reported in SHRM shows that 31% of employees surveyed are “not comfortable with returning” to their workplace.

Benefits professionals know that employees’ physical health is always top-of-mind for HR departments, but the pandemic has shown us that the mental health of our workforce is just as important. And mental health problems, such as stress, anxiety and even rates of depression have increased for many in the past year. According to The Standard and Versta Research, nearly half (46%) of full-time workers are dealing with mental health issues, up 17% from a year ago.

Clients will be expecting guidance on the new mix of wellness programs that are a fit for 2021’s unique landscape, and brokers who can demonstrate knowledge of these shifting trends will be able to offer a differentiated experience and new revenue streams. Below are three hot wellness services that brokers may want to have in their portfolios this year to help their clients navigate RTTO anxiety:

1. Use the Power of Social Circles

Facilitate a dialogue about prevailing anxieties and let employees help each other by offering a tool that fosters socially interconnected people through online conversations among employees on specific topics. Employees can readily connect with co-workers with similar anxieties about returning to the office, and they can share tips with each other and new strategies they are using to get their anxiety in check. There will be more success discussing anxiety in a group setting, especially if the company shares its RTTO strategy and its commitment to the safety of the returning workforce in a transparent and inclusive manner.

2. Leverage Employee Health Risk Assessment Data to Gauge Anxiety Levels

Employees need to know that their employer recognizes RTTO anxiety as an important topic that will affect their successful transition back to the office. Consider requiring members to update their Health Risk Assessment – in a wellness portal or as a standalone product – to gauge the level of anxiety employees may be feeling. Make sure that the chosen HRA actually asks mental health questions and can provide aggregate, de-identified reports on the results. Administrators can use the data they get from HIPAA-compliant and NCQA certified HRA results to make informed decisions about their wellness/wellbeing programming and supporting their people during the next phases of the RTTO process.

3. Look to New Digital Tools and Platforms

In the absence of on-site biometric screenings and health fairs, we will likely see wellness programs pivoting their focus. We are already seeing a shift toward a more well-rounded holistic wellness program that can address anxiety and stress; digital content in the form of behavior workflows and short videos will be more popular than lengthy written articles or blog posts; biometric screening and the valuable data will make its way back into the workplace eventually; wellness challenges will promote and foster health and wellness and group support. Digital solutions, for example from SelfHelpWorks and LifeSpeak are very popular from a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and informational video perspective.

Reducing RTTO anxiety through wellness programming is crucial to keeping employees healthy, happy and productive. Fortunately, there is no shortage of immersive, engaging new services and tools to help you provide added value to your clients.