Shop Workplace
Fleet Essentials Online Course
Defensive Driving Courses
Become an Authorized Instructor
Become a Training Center
NSC Can Train at Your Facility
State Driver Improvement Programs
Traffic Court Programs
Teen Driving
Mature Driver Online Course
Work Zone Safety Training
Find a Training Center
Explore All
Shop Defensive Driving
Shop First Aid
The connections between workplaces and the health and wellbeing of workers and their families are well documented. In 2010, a decade prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Harvard researchers found that “for every dollar a company spends on preventive wellness, medical costs fall by $3.27 and absenteeism drops by $2.73. That amounts to a 6-to-1 return on investment.”
Every year we’re learning more about how healthy workers are critical to the safety, culture and bottom line of workplaces. As the pandemic highlighted, workplaces are also critical parts of communities, vital public health partners and able to innovatively support the workforce.
Three categories of workplace benefits are included here: health care coverage, employee support and workplace practices. Use the benefits checklist to help create a comprehensive benefits system.
EHS and HR staff might have to work together in this station.
Below you will find information and resources to help you understand the impact these issues have on employee safety, health and wellbeing as well as links to explore. Many states have resources that provide social safety nets but people might not know about them, how to access them or how to use them. These links are a first step in supporting comprehensive or total worker health.
● For every $1 invested in mental health, workplaces save $4
● Each worker who recovers from a substance use disorder saves a company more than $8,500
● An employer with 1,000 employees loses $1.5 million each year to absenteeism, presenteeism and healthcare costs due to fatigue
— Data from NSC cost calculators
Health care coverage should be affordable and accessible. In 2023, a job-based health plan is considered affordable if your share of the monthly premium in the lowest-cost plan offered by the employer is less than 8.39% of your household income. Some things to consider when evaluating whether health care is accessible:
● How far away are in-network health care services?
● Are primary care providers accepting new patients?
● Are the issues most impacting the workers in your community adequately and appropriately covered by the health plan you offer?
If your organization does not provide health insurance for all workers and their families, or if it is not accessible or affordable, workers may qualify for Medicare or Medicaid or be able to purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace. Workplaces that help facilitate access to health care coverage help assure workers can get the care they need. Some things to consider:
● Provide resources to workers about the ACA Marketplace
● Have a specific person dedicated and available to facilitate or support applications
● Familiarize yourself with where to refer employees for help navigating Medicare/Medicaid and the ACA Marketplace (most states have dedicated staff to help their constituents apply for care)
Health care bills are one of the top reasons a person might go into debt or avoid seeking care. Some things to consider:
● Provide resources about medical bills and support for workers struggling with medical care costs
— Medical Expenses Support Information
— Navigating Medical Bills Issues
— Understanding Medical Bills Guide
— HSA Guide
● Provide resources to support workers with out-of-network costs
— Guidance on Reducing Out-of-Network Costs
— Guidance on Getting Out-of-Network Care Covered
— What You Need to Know Before Getting Out-Of-Network Care
— What happens if I need care from a doctor who isn’t in my plan’s network?
● Health care coverage of substance use-related health care is critical to getting care, treatment and recovery support. Health insurance should cover:
— Behavioral health treatment: counseling, talk therapy, trauma-informed therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy
— Medications for addiction treatment: evidence-based medications relieve withdrawal symptoms and cravings
— In-patient treatment: a rehabilitation or recovery center or hospital where a patient receives treatment, usually a combination of medication and behavioral therapy, while staying at the treating facility
— Outpatient treatment: treatment and services provided to a patient in an outpatient community or hospital setting; patients receiving substance use and/or mental health treatment may need frequent outpatient visits or periods of more frequent visits
— Complementary medicine: treatment options such as acupuncture, yoga, chiropractic care, physical/occupational therapy
● Health care coverage of mental health-related health care is critical to getting care, treatment and recovery support. Health insurance should cover:
— Behavioral health treatment: counseling, talk therapy, trauma-informed therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy
— Medication treatment: evidence-based medications that relieve symptoms like depression, anxiety
— Inpatient treatment: treatment provided in an inpatient hospital or recovery center where a patient receives treatment, usually a combination of medication and behavioral therapy, while staying at the treating facility
— Outpatient treatment: services provided to a patient in an outpatient clinic, community or hospital setting; patients receiving substance use and/or mental health treatment may need frequent outpatient visits or periods of more frequent visits
— Complementary medicine: treatment options such as acupuncture, yoga, chiropractic care, physical/occupational therapy
Providing employee-based support services, such as an employee assistance plan (EAP), can help reduce the impacts that substance use, mental health, fatigue and other issues have on employees. Providing resource navigation supports, peer resources and other services can help alleviate the stress, distress and other issues that impact workers.
Providing an EAP can help workers access temporary support for acute issues or help facilitate workers accessing permanent supports when there is a delay in being able to access them, as is the case for many mental health and substance use-related services in the U.S. Some things to consider:
Make sure your organization’s EAP covers:
NSC research found that while workplaces might offer EAPs, workers are not always aware of them or how to use them. Workplaces also did not promote EAPs regularly or make sure all workers were able to access them. Most workplaces also do not collect data on their EAP usage. Check out the Data Collection station to learn more about how to use your EAP data to understand workplace needs and measure change.
There are options beyond traditional employee assistance programs that workplaces can consider.
The goal of many EAPs and worker wellbeing programs is to support workers struggling with broader issues like food, housing, transportation and family care. Especially during the pandemic, our understanding of how our lives outside of workplaces impact our lives at work changed. Workplaces providing Community Resource Navigation can help address underlying causes of stress and distress.
Assuring your workplace practices support worker health, safety and wellbeing are critical for a strong safety culture and to prevent risk factors that can lead to adverse outcomes.
One of the most important things workplaces can do is provide paid time off for all workers so they can attend to outside-of-work needs like:
Along with providing paid time off, providing flexible scheduling, like hybrid work options, shared positions, etc., can help reduce worker stress and distress. Allowing workers to flex their time for personal or family needs can also help improve health, wellbeing and safety outcomes.
The links provided throughout the Hub are for informational purposes and to supplement the information we have provided. Links not affiliated with NSC do not constitute an endorsement or an approval of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organization or individual. NSC bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.
There are no items in your cart