Walmart Canada Partners with TELUS Health to Focus on Employee Wellbeing
The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the health and well-being of employees in the retail industry. During the pandemic, retail workers were deemed essential, and many had to continue working in person, putting themselves at risk of contracting the virus.
Many retailers implemented safety measures such as social distancing guidelines and sanitization guidelines to protect staff. They also provided employees with personal protective equipment (PPE). However, reports indicated that many retail workers also experienced high levels of stress, anxiety, and burnout.
Moving forward, retailers are continuing to prioritize the health and well-being of their employees. These investments can have significant benefits for both employees and the company. According to Forbes, one study found that companies that have effective wellness programs have lower attrition rates, higher productivity, and better employee longevity and morale.
The challenge for retailers now is continuing the push for employee wellness, even as the risks of the pandemic have begun to subside.
Walmart Canada Partners with TELUS Health
Walmart Canada is one retailer that has made employee health and well-being a priority. As one of Canada’s largest employers, that means the company’s efforts will impact a significant portion of the country’s retail employees.
Walmart has partnered with digital health solutions and technology company TELUS Health to provide associates with access to 24/7 virtual care, assistance, and well-being resources. This will make care resources more accessible for associates and provide them with more options for seeking care.
According to the company, these investments are a commitment to its "five pillars,” which are "health, money, mind, growth, and impact.” The objective is to make it easier for associates to find and understand what resources are available from the company for their well-being.
According to Walmart Canada Compliance Associate Nikki Phipps, "We all play a role in evolving the narrative and experience of wellbeing in the workplace, whether it’s sharing your own personal mental health journey, proactively sharing what resources are available to associates, or kicking off meetings with a wellbeing moment, it all matters.”
Walmart Canada Expands Employee Benefits
Walmart Canada has also invested $10 million in benefit enhancements for its associates. The company says it recognizes that its associates "have unique needs and experiences that require flexible and customizable benefits, programs, and support.”
Those benefits enhancements include new coverage of the following:
- Fertility treatment
- Gender-affirmative care
- Expanded mental healthcare
The company has even trained 1,200 of its leaders in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), ensuring they can support colleagues in the workplace who are struggling with mental health issues. According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, MHFA is "the help provided to a person developing a mental health problem, experiencing a mental health crisis, or a worsening of their mental health.”
To commemorate the changes and encourage engagement, Walmart Canada encouraged associates across the country to take part in a national well-being challenge called Your Mental Health, Your Way. The challenge is "designed to motivate and reward associates by making the time to nurture their mental health with what works for them: which could be reading a book, taking a walk, meditating, or ensuring they get enough sleep.”
Don’t Miss the Next eTail Canada Event
Walmart Canada’s new investments into employee well-being can serve as a good blueprint for other retailers that are looking for ways to reduce burnout and improve employee morale. User-friendly telehealth tools can make it easier for employees to access resources, and benefits expansions could significantly improve employee quality of life.
If you’d like to learn more about improving employee wellness in retail, it’s sure to be an important topic at the next eTail Canada event. It’s happening from September 27th to 28th at the Hyatt Regency Toronto in Toronto, Ontario.
Download the agenda and register for the event today.