It may be a new year, but that hasn’t erased the employee burnout or safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether a business is operating remotely or managing under new safety protocols to bring back an in-person workforce, employee absenteeism remains a costly challenge to employers.

At the beginning of a new year, Medicaid and Medicare payers and accountable care organizations (ACOs) strategize about how to get members to schedule and attend their preventive care appointments and annual health screenings. Due to employment commitments, lack of transportation, fear of contracting COVID-19, and even lack of education on the importance of annual screenings, many members need to be incentivized to schedule and attend annual screenings and preventive care check-ups.

As we head into 2021, employers are looking to turn the page on a tough year. However, the push for digital health and wellness programs is still prevalent and should be part of your 2021 plan. As many organizations remain remote, employees are missing out on health and wellness perks that were available while working in the office. It is important for employers to keep their employees motivated to stay healthy, especially through the winter months. 

As we reach the end of 2020 the holidays are on everyone’s mind and one thing is for sure: this holiday season is going to look different. For many employers, holiday parties are the highlight and main celebration of the end of the year, so how can managers and HR teams replace these parties with a similar company-wide culture and camaraderie standpoint? 

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has changed almost everything about how we live and in some respects, how we keep ourselves healthy. As a result, employee wellness programs also must adjust to the current times to account for shifts in employees’ habits, including their work/life dynamics, as 62% of U.S. employees continue to work from home due to the pandemic (according to talentlyft).