Workplace wellness plans are in. Across businesses of all sizes, trends like yoga lunch hours, active commute groups, on-site dieticians, fitness classes and healthy snack options are emerging.
Research has shown that employee engagement is clearly linked to an employee's well-being, so it makes sense that companies are focusing on wellness initiatives. But a person's well-being is impacted by much more than their physical health. What about mental and emotional health? Many employees experience near-constant stress because of financial, medical and legal issues that can eat away at their overall well-being and even cause physical issues like high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.
A 2019 Gallup poll found that of the Americans surveyed:
- 51% worry about not being able to pay medical costs from a serious illness or accident.
- 54% worry about not having enough money for retirement.
- 42% are worried about being able to maintain their standard of living.
In addition to being stressed just thinking about potential money problems, forty percent of Americans say they would have a hard time paying a one-time emergency expense of $400. ARAG® asked consumers specifically about their ability to pay for legal expenses, and 76% had no plan for how to be able to do so. Yet, three out of four Americans experienced at least one legal issue in the last year.1
All these financial and legal concerns add up to an opportunity for employers to provide their employees with valuable benefits and resources that can remove the stress of these situations.
Incorporating a legal insurance plan with financial services, like the ones offered by ARAG, will give your employees access to legal and financial advice, services, education and counseling. When employees are dealing with a legal issue, the legal insurance plan connects them with an attorney who can help. Financial counselors are available to help people put together budgets, create debt management plans and even renegotiate balances with lenders. Employees also have access to valuable online tools and resources to help them with their financial and legal issues.
All of this makes a big difference when it comes to employees' stress and well-being. In fact, 90 percent of ARAG plan members feel having legal insurance reduces their overall stress.2 Now that's an effective wellness program.
Interested in learning more about how legal insurance can benefit you and your employees? Contact us for more information.
1 2016 ARAG Consumer Panel Survey.
2 2016 ARAG Plan member Satisfaction Survey.
