Mental and emotional wellbeing affects every aspect of life, from personal relationships and physical health to the ability to get the job done. Download our toolkit for resources that will help you and your employees with a little extra support.

Employers today are placing an increased focus on the mental and behavioral health of their workers. As a society, people are discussing issues like depression and anxiety more openly and acknowledging how important it is to ask for help. At the same time, advances in technology and changes to health care delivery are making it easier to address mental health concerns and provide a more holistic approach to care. As a society, we’re talking much more about emotional health than ever before. What was once a taboo topic and a sign of weakness, is now discussed openly. The Impact of Emotional Health In the U.S., mental health and substance use issues cost businesses $80 to $100 billion each year.1 And even though over 200 million workdays are lost due to mental health conditions annually ($16.8 billion in employee productivity), it remains a difficult subject for many people to discuss. Almost 60% of affected employees have never spoken to anyone at work about their mental health status.2 Today’s workforce demands a more open culture when it comes to emotional health, especially now with the effects of COVID-19 being felt across society. Employees need an approach that doesn't just focus on mental or physical health, but on the entire person. A Holistic Approach to Care Guiding individuals to proper care means looking at all aspects of their well-being – physical and emotional – and meeting them where they are. And it starts with addressing some of the common challenges. Health care is a complex industry. Most employees don't encounter this complexity until they're in the middle of a crisis trying to navigate the system. That’s why it’s important to have a health insurance provider that can surround them with care, support and solutions that are holistic and work for them. Being able to connect with the right care professionals, including nurses, care managers, pharmacists, wellness consultants and more, is critical for an individual’s overall health care journey. By connecting employees with resources to help them lead healthier and more secure lives, you can enable them to not only manage disease, but also prevent it. New Ways to Provide for Your Workers For many people, nothing will replace a heart-to-heart conversation. Having access to a 24/7 nurse line can provide emergency resources to individuals in need along with the reassuring comfort of an actual voice on the other end of the line. But just as attitudes toward mental health are changing, so are the delivery methods for treating people. When it comes to emotional health, sometimes it's easier to communicate remotely. Speaking by video or texting with a doctor or therapist can feel more private and is now easier than ever. That's why the importance of telehealth services for both physical and behavioral health has increased dramatically during the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to telehealth, some insurance providers now offer care management apps that members can access from their smartphones or tablets. Through apps like Wellframe, provided by Univera Healthcare, case managers can assist members in managing medications and connecting with other resources for answers to health care questions — providing a holistic approach to health and making care easier to manage. The app has an emotional health care component with a 30-day Behavioral Health & Wellness Foundation program, covering general emotional health, wellness, and prevention topics. Today’s workforce demands a more open culture when it comes to emotional health, especially now with the effects of COVID-19 being felt across society. Employees need an approach that doesn't just focus on mental or physical health, but on the entire person. Where Do We Go From Here? We're entering uncharted waters. The only certainty is that this generational pandemic will have lasting impacts on all of us. On our physical health, our financial health, and our mental health. Providing a synchronized approach to physical and emotional health, and getting the right tools, programs, and support into the hands of those who need it most will help make a difference. Learn more about Univera Healthcare's Wellframe app and supporting your employees' emotional health →

With depression and anxiety topping the list of the most common conditions for employer groups, many organizations are looking for ways to make workplace wellness a part of their company culture. To support workers and improve the ability to attract and retain the best talent, employers today are providing everything from mental health resources and stress management tools to education on mindfulness and meditation. When implemented thoughtfully, these programs can have a positive impact on employee wellbeing and engagement. Employees who strongly agree that their employer cares about their overall wellbeing, in comparison with others, are:69% less likely to actively search for a new job71% less likely to report experiencing a lot of burnout3x more likely to be engaged at workGallup, February 2022 But with today’s tight labor market, how can you make sure your wellbeing strategy will work for your employees and your business? It all starts with data As a Workplace Wellbeing Consultant for Univera Healthcare, I’ve helped many businesses develop and implement wellbeing strategies. One of the first steps I always recommend to employers as they start the process is to gather data on the unique needs of their employees. There are many ways to collect the data you need, including conducting employee interest surveys, analyzing claims data, and looking at industry trends. This data will help you decide what strategies will provide the most value for your organization and will give you insights that can be used to develop relevant and engaging programming. Get set for success Before your company officially kicks off its new wellbeing program, think about what your team will need to succeed. You might want to start looking for toolkits and training programs to help prepare wellness committee members prior to launch, as well as additional materials to help keep the program fresh for employees. Start brainstorming and collecting helpful resources like monthly wellbeing tips, topics for health education programs, and challenges that can keep employees engaged. Make healthy connections To maximize the value of your wellbeing strategy, you want to make sure employees understand all the resources available to them and feel motivated and empowered to use them. A good way to achieve this is by leveraging relationships with vendors and the local medical community, and by tapping into your employee health benefits. For example, with the businesses we support, we bring in experts from within our organization to host educational sessions on resources available through their health plan. This includes benefits like telemedicine and care management programs for behavioral health, a 24/7 nurse line, and access to digital apps like the Calm® app for stress management and resiliency. You should also consider connecting with local medical resources to help ensure health is a top priority for your team. That could mean bringing in vendors for on-site biometric screenings, encouraging employees to schedule annual visits with doctors, or reaching out to local medical professionals for specific expertise based on the needs of your team. Greater wellbeing makes your whole business stronger Supporting the wellbeing and mental health of your employees will continue to be a critical objective in today’s evolving workplace. Not only can it help attract and retain the best talent, it can also help unlock the full potential of your workforce by improving collaboration and morale, leading to better engagement and improved results. Jeannette Kreher Heberling, Project Manager and Partner at Kreher Family Farms, leads one of the wellbeing programs we support. As her company’s dedicated Workplace Wellbeing Consultant, I collaborate with her and her wellness committee, as well as their broker, to develop monthly themes and to make sure the right resources are always available to their team as they continue to grow their program. Our experience with Univera Healthcare's workplace wellbeing programs has been so positive. Our team really enjoys the programs, and it's been amazing seeing the impact on both their physical and emotional health, especially throughout COVID-19.Jeannette Kreher Heberling – Project Manager and Partner, Kreher Family Farms I encourage you to take the next step toward developing a wellbeing strategy that works for your organization. By understanding the needs of your employees and providing access to the right resources, you’ll be that much closer to creating a thriving workplace where employees feel motivated and empowered to do their best work. Check out UniveraForBusiness.com for a library of free resources you can download and share with your team.

Caring for your people isn’t something you only do from 9 to 5. So in this 24/7 world we’re helping you help employees manage their health each and every day with the Wellframe® app.

The flu is a contagious respiratory disease that can lead to hospitalization and even death. Because of COVID-19, it’s even more important to do everything you can to keep yourself and your family healthy this flu season.

If you’ve never had a high deductible health plan (HDHP) it can take time to get used to how it works. We want to help you feel confident when using your Univera Healthcare plan and have assembled information to help get you started.

How telemedicine can help make employees happier, healthier, and more productive.

According to the American Dental Hygienist Association, nearly 75% of American adults have some form of gum disease and don’t even realize it. Here are a few more reasons not to skip that next checkup.

Investing in employee wellness is just good business.

In this toolkit file, you’ll find resources to help you provide a safer and healthier work environment for your employees. All recommendations and guidelines come directly from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Check out the Get Started guide and Ready-to-Send emails for employees. With an online account, your employees can view benefits, claims, member cards, and more.

With this collection of posters, table displays, condition specific flyers, and ready-to-send emails, you can encourage your team to activate their telemedicine accounts and stay ahead of disruptive illnesses.

This kit will help you and your team get to know our comprehensive Diabetes Management Program and all the ways it can help your employees better manage their condition, save money, and enjoy more peace of mind.

The approval of COVID-19 vaccines and boosters can raise many questions. That’s why we’ve compiled a set of helpful FAQs for groups to share with their employees. This toolkit is based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as from our own on-staff experts.

If you’re losing your employer-sponsored health insurance due to a loss of employment, there are affordable, high-quality options available to you beyond COBRA. 

In this toolkit, you’ll find resources to help your Medicare-eligible or soon-to-be-eligible employees understand how Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans work so they can select the coverage that’s best for them.

Everything you and your team need to know about our Maternity Care Program and its individual program components. Note: Some program components are included at an additional cost for some funding arrangements.

This employer brochure will help you get to know our comprehensive Diabetes Management Program.

The Calm® app helps members build resilience through better sleep, mindfulness, and meditation—and it's included in all Fully Insured Large Group medical plans (included in Small Group plans beginning 2023). The Calm e-book includes resources such as registration instructions, sample HR email template, member FAQs, links to additional Calm resources, and trainings.