How to help your employees to create their own support network
February 2022   WHOLE HEALTH

How to help your employees to create their own support network

There’s a close link between personal satisfaction and job productivity. Therefore, it’s critical to pay attention to every aspect that influences the person’s overall wellbeing.
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The strength of the support network that surrounds the person is one of the most significant points in this regard. What can the company do to support its workforce in this area? At Cigna, we have the answer.

Having a good support network is one of the mainstays of holistic wellbeing. Having quality emotional ties contributes to reinforcing self-esteem and the feeling of security, enabling employees to face adverse situations with more resilience and courage. Ultimately, it’s about feeling supported and accompanied —  two sensations that bring great advantages to the integral wellbeing of both workers and organis     ations.

When the workforce sees its social sphere strengthened, it also sees its ability to cope with stressful situations or emotional distress increase and its professional performance improve. At Cigna, we help companies manage this commitment through innovative solutions aimed at being part of the network that supports their teams. If you’d like to know more about these solutions, click on this link.

But what other initiatives can companies put in place to help employees build a stronger support network?

One of the most effective strategies is to promote ‘disconnection from work’ and include it as a hallmark of the corporate culture. Valuing employees’ free time is synonymous with comprehensive wellbeing, since they will be able to spend more time with their family and friends who can support them in managing emotions in difficult times. Likewise, the stress produced by the ‘always on’ culture is avoided, and the worker will have more time to grow on a personal level.

In turn, taking into account that socialising in the work environment is key to achieving a strong support network, companies can run initiatives that promote social relationships at work and set aside times for colleagues to meet and share knowledge, experiences or help — both emotional and practical. To do so, companies will need to create spaces that favour synergies among employees so that they can get to know each other beyond just work. Team building activities can be very useful in this regard, since they allow hobbies, interests and opinions to be shared and, ultimately, help to interweave support networks among colleagues. In addition, these social activities are a good opportunity to convey thanks and recognise the achievements of various teams.   

Finally, companies can also serve as a critical part of the employee support network. Different tensions that occur in the workplace can influence the health and wellbeing of the workforce and the people around them. For this reason, it is essential that companies provide tools focused on preventing any problems that these labour imbalances may cause.

The telemedicine solutions that we provide from Cigna are great allies in achieving this goal. Through these tools, both employees and their loved ones can access holistic healthcare — a point that must be taken into account by Human Resource departments. The reason for implementing these services is simple: worrying about the health of those closest to you can lead to poor concentration and absenteeism. Therefore, by opting for this type of tool, you not only improve your business results, but the workforce will perceive the organisation as a reliable support network in difficult times. The best way to show the company’s high level of commitment to wellbeing is to offer employees access to our Cigna Wellbeing AppTM. The app encourages the care of workers in health matters and establishes the company as a pillar of support for teams by allowing access to quality medical care in different areas and streamlining all kinds of procedures without the need to travel.

Have you not yet started to weave a support network that promotes the wellbeing of your employees? Cigna has a wide range of products and services to help you find the solution best suited to your needs. If you’d like to get to know us, click on this link and we’ll offer you personalised advice. Build a support network for your employees today and increase their productivity!

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