Supporting your employees in unprecedented times

In the current unprecedented times, HR professionals in businesses across the UK and around the world find themselves at the frontline in the workplace. Questions, concerns and worries about what this all means for employees will be coming in thick and fast and even the best prepared companies are unlikely to have all the answers.

For many employees, naturally their priority and main worry will be about their own health and that of their families and loved ones. And with the global Covid-19 situation constantly changing and differing advice being given, many people are anxious about what they should do to safeguard their health and wellbeing.

As the NHS focuses its resources and efforts on supporting those worst affected by the pandemic, many employees will still want to be able to speak to a doctor to get medical advice and reassurance. 

Also, let’s not forget those colleagues within the workforce already experiencing health conditions before Coronavirus appeared on the scene. For these employees, the current situation is likely to be even more troublesome and worrying. Their ability to be able to continue to get medical advice, treatment and medication may be affected by current events. 

A number of clients have already been in touch to find out what options are available to help so I thought it might be useful to set out a couple of solutions that are available, and importantly, easy for employees to access in the current climate.

Virtual GPs

One tool that HR teams might want to consider at the moment are virtual GPs. These services have been around for a while and are a popular and cost-effective inclusion in many employee benefit packages. They enable employees to speak to a GP over the phone or video call to get a diagnosis, second opinion, referral and/or private prescription. 

Calls are usually 24/7, all year round so employees can book an appointment with a doctor at a time and place to suit them. Giving them convenience and peace of mind that they can get the advice and support they want, when they need it. Something that many will welcome at the moment.

Some Private Medical Insurance (PMI) schemes already include this service as part of the policy so if you already offer PMI, it’s worth checking if you’ve already got access.

If not, we have a specialist GP service, Havensrock Med24, which is low-cost, quick and easy to implement. It offers employees unlimited use and their families can use it too from anywhere in the world. Employees can also use the app to discover useful health information or to find local healthcare services. Speak to one of our team if you’d like to know more.

Mental Health solutions

We expect to see mental health to become a top priority for businesses of all sizes over the coming months.  While some employees might have initially welcomed the chance to work from home, the novelty is likely to wear off after a while. Social isolation and ‘cabin fever’ are a genuine risk to people’s mental wellbeing. Offering your workforce practical ways to look after their mental wellbeing will be more essential than ever. 

• Mental health charityMind has developed a free toolkit with tips and suggestions: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing/ 
• If you offer an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), take this opportunity to remind your employees about the service, how it can help and how to access it. Don’t forget, EAPs are often included within other policies as a value added benefit so you may already have one available. If you’re not sure, ask your consultant who will be able to advise.
• Speak to us about Havensrock Thrive – it combines the only NHS approved mental health app with the specialist mental health support from a RedArc nurse. It’s a simple way to help employee proactively prevent, detect and manage their mental wellbeing.

As a business, we remain committed to supporting our clients and the wider HR community.  If you want to know more or simply to have a chat about ways you can look after your employees during these troubling times, please get in touch and we’ll be happy to help.