How Your Benefits Can Support Your Employees from Stressful “Life Change” Events

It’s been over five decades since the Holmes-Rahe stress scale recognized the impact of life events on a person’s stress level, and the correlation with physical wellness and well-being. Although more recent research has refined the original stress index, it remains uncontroversial that navigating a life event affects every pillar of a person’s well-being (physical, emotional, social, financial, etc.). Major life events can include crises such as bereavement, divorce or separation, or illness; they can also include happier (but still taxing) events such as marriage or welcoming a new family member. Regardless of the type, major life events can be stressful, time-consuming, and overwhelming to the point where people feel as though their lives are spiraling out of control.

However, new research now also shows that these major life events not only have a significant impact on the individual themselves but, in the corporate world, can also have a significant negative economic impact on your business and cause a heavy toll of emotional, physical, and financial disruption for employees.

The report from Southern California actuarial firm Santa Barbara Actuaries (SBA) in conjunction with ApiaryLife was based on the premise that employee well-being and happiness at work is largely determined by the state of their home and family relationships. In analyzing this hypothesis, they studied the impact of employee “life change events” in a quest to discover what impact such events might have on employee productivity, engagement, and retention at work.

The report’s findings—based on a survey of over 500 employees, accompanied by a detailed analysis of literature in the sphere—confirmed that a significant burden of emotional, practical, and financial disruption is imposed by life change events not only on the employees who experience them but, on their employers, alike. Of the respondents, a remarkable two-thirds reported experiencing a significant life change event in the previous two years. Furthermore, 51% reported that, because of the life event in question, their ability to thrive at work was affected by at least 25%. Fascinatingly, respondents also overwhelmingly (at over 80%) expressed the need for support from their employer during these life and caregiving events.

Life change events often bring with them a heavy burden of “life admin”—whether as an executor to an estate, tackling a serious illness, or navigating the complexities of a divorce or separation. What is less researched and understood is that life change events often also bring about emotional distress, including feelings of grief, stress, and anxiety. As much as somebody may try to keep their work life and personal life separate, it’s understandable that major life events can affect an employee’s productivity, decision-making abilities, attendance, and morale. Therefore, whereas there may previously have been a reluctance to discuss these often deeply personal and private matters in the workplace, there is a growing realization that to have a happy and productive workforce, employees’ family and home lives cannot be forgotten.

So, how can employers provide employees with appropriate support to overcome significant family and life events and maintain emotional (and physical) wellness to help them remain engaged at work?

1. Understand changing family structures: Forward-thinking employers will recognize the changing demographic of the workplace. In addition to emergency childcare, consider also offering emergency eldercare for those also looking after aging parents. The aging population and increased retirement age means many employees will be working well into their 60s, bringing with it an increasing likelihood that they may suffer the loss of a parent or spouse during their working years_—so think too about providing concierge or life admin support for those who are bereaved, as well as future planning benefits such as a will writing service to allow employees to prepare for the future and better manage these events when they do arrive. Avoid “point solutions,” which target only a specific audience, in favor of bespoke solutions which can adapt to the employee’s specific needs.
2. Cultivate compassion: the idea that you do not “air your dirty laundry in public” may result in employees presenting a façade of coping whilst at work, despite being distracted and overwhelmed by issues at home. Adopting a compassionate culture in the workplace and opening conversations can also allow employees to realize that troubles in the family are not a “taboo” or forbidden topic of discussion and could encourage them to share what’s going on with a trusted manager, mentor, or colleague rather than bottling up negative feelings, increasing the risk of higher stress levels or anxiety, which would affect work performance. Think about introducing mentors within the workplace, or outsourcing this role to a benefits provider who can help guide the employee through whatever upheaval they face.
3. Educate and encourage awareness:  People often feel isolated when navigating big life events, both because of circumstances and because they’re unsure how to even talk about them. Consider providing training in the workplace, not only with tips and techniques for managers and HR leaders dealing directly with employees, but also education and guidance on these life events (such as bereavement or caregiving responsibilities) and how to manage them, so that employees know where to start when the unexpected happens. More general employee workshops and training sessions on wellness and resilience will also provide employees with coping mechanisms and strategies; in addition to providing practical advice, such sessions signal that employees are far from alone in their family and life struggles.
4. Provide mental health support options: Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), counselling support services, therapeutic intervention through private medical insurance, and a wealth of well-being apps have been adopted by many organizations. Of course, for those going through a big life event, employees can also benefit from support to deal with the accompanying emotions. However, there is an increasingly vocal population of employees who are looking for employer support that goes beyond the realms of the traditional EAP, alongside an increasing number of emerging solutions that provide elevated support for those employers who want to offer industry-leading support to their valued workforce. Forward-thinking employers may therefore want to support their employees’ mental health in other ways, perhaps by offering practical support and guidance alongside the more traditional emotional or therapeutic support. Mental wellness can be nurtured and supported in a myriad of ways.

Research consistently demonstrates the significant disruption and cost (financial, emotional, social and even physical) inflicted by life events on employers and employees. Employer-provided support for affected employees can have positive benefits all-round. It is therefore imperative that we don’t just pay lip service to caring for employees’ well-being but take action to provide solutions to their problems. Taking a holistic approach is vital for a workforce to thrive.

Emily Foy is the Director of UK & European Operations at ApiaryLife. Learn more about Emily’s work at www.apiary.life.

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