HRE’s number of the day: Focus on employee health


78: Percentage of human resources and benefits professionals who report that helping employees maintain their health and wellbeing was a significantly higher priority in 2020

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What it means to HR leaders

Health and wellbeing has always been a priority for HR leaders, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, it became more important than ever. Employers and HR leaders, often viewed as the gatekeepers of employee health, put in place new strategies and benefits to help keep employees healthy and safe in the midst of the pandemic. Scores of employers revamped their wellbeing programs, added new benefits and put a focus on employees’ mental health, which has significantly worsened due to the many COVID-associated challenges.

Related: Mayer: 7 benefit trends to watch in 2021

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“Employers increasingly recognize the role they play in an employee’s physical and mental wellbeing,” says Grant Gordon, CEO and co-founder of Artemis Health, noting that many benefit leaders have focused on measuring the health impacts of the pandemic, such as stress, delayed care and increased telemedicine usage.

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Kathryn Mayer
Kathryn Mayer is HRE’s former benefits editor and chair of the Health & Benefits Leadership Conference. She has covered benefits for the better part of a decade, and her stories have won multiple awards, including a Jesse H. Neal Award and honors from the American Society of Business Publication Editors and the National Federation of Press Women. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Denver.