Unum is using communications and webinars to reinforce the support in place for its staff during Carers Week (6-12 June).
The organisation is communicating the resources and support programmes available to staff through digital channels, including a special people focus in its weekly blog, which is available on its intranet site and sent out to employees via email.
Staff can also access a number of webinars that provide information designed to help those with eldercare responsibilities. Employees can view the webinars through an online platform, AgeingWorks, provided by Mercer’s The Positive Ageing Company. This week’s webcast topics include: Positive ageing; Working carers; The big conversation, which looks at the warning signs of family member vulnerability; Living arrangements and care planning; Dementia; Staying connected and technology.
Unum also supports the wellbeing of its staff, including those with caring responsibilities, through its employee assistance programme (EAP), which provides access to face-to-face support, flexible working arrangements, a cancer support initiative provided in partnership with charity Maggie’s, as well as access to an online bereavement workshop developed in partnership with St Catherine's Hospice.
Line manager training is also a key part of the support network available to Unum’s employees. This includes online training modules that managers can access on demand, lunch and learns, and face-to-face training sessions. This week, line managers received training on mental health awareness and identifying the early signs of stress in the workplace.
Liz Walker (pictured), HR director at Unum, said: “We are trying to reinforce the support that we give carers, whether or not that’s eldercare, to make sure that employees feel engaged and supported at work.
“We know that supporting employees regardless of where they are in their journey in life, which often includes caring or balancing family and home obligations, creates a more engaged workforce, better productivity and better business results.”
