Day 2 Global Benefits Forum
Paging for Doctor W.H.O.: Wellcare, Healthcare, Outcomes In the realm of healthcare, we often find ourselves in a perplexing predicament: How can we ensure employees have optimal access to care and health outcomes, while simultaneously keeping costs in check and maintaining quality? The challenge of minimizing friction as employees seek treatment is a delicate balancing act with the potential for "benefits abuse", overtreatment, and unsatisfactory outcomes. This conundrum was the centerpiece of a riveting discussion led by an illustrious panel of CEOs, moderated by Dr. Lee Ming Yong, Medical Director (Clinical Services), and Head of Urbanrehab Fullerton Health. Healthcare practitioners and business leaders Kuen Loon Ho, Group CEO of Fullerton Healthcare, and Dr. James Lam, CEO of Mt Alvernia Hospital, were at the helm of this enlightening discourse. The panel delved into the intricacies of care access, exploring the equilibrium between ease, convenience, personal preference, and the potential pitfalls of "benefits abuse", overtreatment, and health outcomes. They also discussed strategies to shift corporate focus from sickcare to wellcare, a proactive approach to health that emphasizes prevention over treatment. From the provider's perspective, the panellists highlighted emerging trends and challenges in the healthcare landscape. One pertinent realisation is the dearth of private inpatient mental health treatment. The journey towards comprehensive mental health and wellness care is evolving, and the question of who will foot the bill is a pressing concern. However, the panellists expressed optimism about the potential to drive this shift, at least in Singapore. Companies are increasingly mounting health management and wellness initiatives to move beyond sickcare. Building trust between patients and doctors was identified as a crucial component of effective healthcare. Emerging trends such as AI, home-based care, and mobile inpatient care (MIC) in Singapore were discussed. The panellists noted that tasks traditionally performed in hospitals can now be carried out at home, reducing infection risk, cutting costs, and allowing patients to focus on recovery. AI and remote monitoring are playing an increasingly significant role in healthcare delivery. All towards “healing”, not just “curing”. The discussion concluded with a look at the provider versus user side of healthcare. There are learnings from advanced economies like the US but also the pseudo-HMO model of Philippines.
---------
The Future of Work through a Global Benefits lens: Flexible, Remote, Hybrid or something else?
As the dynamics of the workplace continue to evolve, global benefits leaders are tasked with the challenge of adapting their strategic approach to employee rewards and well-being programs. The emergence of flexible, remote, and hybrid work arrangements is not only reshaping employee expectations but also transforming the global benefits landscape. This panel discussion, featuring experts from four corners of the world, delves into the future of work through the lens of multinational benefits management, offering insights on how to future-proof your benefits programs.
The discussion was moderated by Stella Sung, SVP, Head of People Solutions, Lockton North Asia. The panel comprised Sarah Gurrib, Global Benefits Consultant, Lockton US; Paul Devitt, Head of Global Benefits Consulting, SVP, Lockton UK/Europe; and Neil Carruthers, Head of International Benefits, Lockton MENA.
Paul emphasized the need for multinational corporations (MNCs) to maintain global consistency. He advocated for a strategy that empowers everyone to contribute and highlighted the importance of leveraging corporate partners. Interestingly, he noted that the new generation of employees often prefers to work in the office.
Neil urged caution against unconscious bias in work arrangements, particularly between remote and office work. He pointed out that in the MENA region, the culture leans towards working in the office. However, he acknowledged the need for flexibility, such as for childcare. He also noted that due to economic or political situations, there is a large talent pool in the MENA region that prefers office work.
Sarah shared her experience with implementing a mental wellbeing and stress management program for a client. The initial rollout was unsuccessful due to cultural and local irrelevance and poor communication. However, a second rollout that took these factors into account proved to be more successful.
Neil highlighted the importance of simple data points such as geography, age, education level, and marital status in understanding the needs of a dispersed workforce. Paul warned against wasting analytics if they are not tied to actionable change.
When discussing the challenges of navigating compliance and regulatory requirements across multiple markets, Sarah noted that compliance information is often not readily available online and requires regular checks with local compliance. Neil added that the pace of regulatory change is rapid but ultimately beneficial for the delivery of healthcare in the workplace.
The panellists agreed that ensuring the inclusivity and accessibility of well-being programs for all employees, regardless of location, is crucial. They suggested strategies such as effective communication, employee surveys, senior leadership buy-in, and the strategic use of data sets.
In terms of the role of benefits in the overall employee value proposition, Sarah suggested that retaining top talent requires benefits that meet employees' needs but not necessarily their satisfaction. Instead, offering flexible and inclusive benefits can lead to greater engagement and satisfaction.
In conclusion, the key takeaways from the discussion were the need to be open to the future of work, the importance of focusing on a core set of well-being benefits, and the role of empathetic line management in identifying and designing benefits. The panellists emphasized the importance of consistency, diversity, and communication in global benefits management.
---------
Prioritise Preventive Health: Combating rising medical claims and inflation
Moderated by Dr. Ethan Lim, Head of Clinical Strategy & Partnership at Fullerton Health, featuring Manus Chan, SVP of People Solutions - Greater China at Lockton, and Zi Yi Ong, Consulting, Analytics, and Innovation Lead at Lockton, the panellists highlighted the importance of improving workforce health as a preventive solution to the persistent cycle of rising medical claims and premiums.
However, they acknowledged that employers often face financial and operational challenges in making a significant impact on their employees' health. They emphasized that despite the longer gestation and no immediate ROI, prioritizing preventive health should be a business commitment and necessity, not just a token gesture.
A poll conducted during the discussion asked the participants about the role companies should play in promoting healthy habits among employees. While 23% believed that companies should play a major role in promoting healthy habits among employees, the majority (71%) felt that companies should take a moderate approach, sharing responsibility with other stakeholders.
Another poll also shed light on the varying stages of the preventive health journey that organizations find themselves in. From those who have not yet made it a priority (7%) to those who have implemented programs for more than 3 years (20%), the panel recognized the need for a tailored approach to address the diverse needs of the audience.
One of the key challenges highlighted was the ability to gauge employee engagement and satisfaction with planning and implementation of preventive health initiatives. The panellists emphasized the importance of understanding the actual needs of the workforce and incorporating them into the program design, rather than relying on assumptions.
It was evident from the questions asked that delegates showed a keen interest in strategies to boost engagement rates and implement impactful preventive health programs.
---------
Cut through the Clutter: Wellness, AI and Avocado
Through a teasingly provocative session title, Rui Savio Dass, Head of Total Rewards - Asia Pacific at Netflix, skilfully demonstrated to a rapt audience how these seemingly disparate concepts were linked.
Contrary to popular belief, workplace wellness and artificial intelligence are not new - in fact the Turing test was proposed in 1950. Just as guacamole and avocado toast popularised the inherently bland creamy fruit, Rui argued that concepts come into their own when they are relevant and capture hearts and minds. He highlighted the phenomenon of Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) that many experience. This is the pressure to adopt new trends simply because they are popular. However, he emphasized that while it's important to provide access to these trends, they should not necessarily become the core of an organization's strategy.
The ending question of the discussion was, "What does your _________ want?" Rui admitted that finding the answer to this question is an ongoing process. This thought-provoking question wrapped up the session. Understanding customer desires is a challenging task, but it's crucial for any organization's success.
---------
Creating Psychological Safety in the workplace: it's more than just building resilience
Psychological safety in the workplace is a crucial element that empowers both individuals and organizations to perform at their optimal level. Unfortunately, it is often underestimated or misconstrued, frequently mistaken for simply maintaining a friendly demeanour towards colleagues. The lack of psychological safety is typically recognized retrospectively, once the damage has been done through poor decisions, toxic work environments, and mental health issues such as bullying and harassment.
The panel discussion, moderated by Poh Ling Yee, Adjunct Counsellor/Therapist at Minmed Group, delved into the critical topic of creating psychological safety in the workplace. The esteemed panelists, Rayson Ng, Senior Strategic Development Manager at Optum International, Cassandra Loh, VP of Partnerships and Solutions at Intellect, and Wynne Wee, VP of Service Delivery (Asia Pacific) at Workplace Options, shared their expertise and experience in building a work environment that empowers people and organizations to perform at their best.
Leadership is pivotal in creating an environment where employees feel safe to ask questions and express their thoughts. Emotional intelligence is a key attribute for leaders, enabling them to perceive and respond to subtle cues within their teams. Training programs can help leaders develop these skills and become mental health champions within their organizations.
The discussion also highlighted the role of mental health champions and Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) in fostering a culture of psychological safety. Managers, in particular, need to be equipped with the skills to handle delicate situations without resorting to blame, but rather focusing on learning and growth.
The panel also discussed the importance of measuring the Return on Investment (ROI) in terms of employee wellbeing. Metrics such as absenteeism and presenteeism can provide valuable insights. Keeping abreast of industry conversations and benchmarking against industry standards can help organizations measure the impact of their efforts and ensure they are effectively promoting psychological safety.
The discussion was not merely a theoretical exploration of the topic; the panellists shared practical strategies and real-world examples of how organizations can create a psychologically safe environment. From fostering open dialogues to implementing targeted training programs, the insights provided a comprehensive roadmap for HR and leadership teams to follow.
---------
The Employee Mental Health Conversation we SHOULD be having
To wrap up the forum, Frank Ng, VP of Growth & Strategy at Intellect, and Debbie Ng, Senior Director of People & Culture at Singapore Pools, came together to spar and share their organizations' experiences and initiatives in addressing employee mental health.
Debbie’s experience was structured around three main pillars: Engagement, Enablement, and Energy.
Engagement: How purpose, leadership, and culture were paramount in driving employee engagement. Debbie spoke about her organisation's efforts to instil a sense of purpose among employees, nurture effective leadership, and establish a culture that promotes mental health.
Enablement: Debbie underscored the importance of policies, communication, and recognition in empowering employees to manage their mental health. The speakers shared the initiatives they have implemented or advocated in their respective organizations to ensure employees feel supported and acknowledged.
Energy: The role of benefits, resources, and community in maintaining employee energy was also explored. The speakers discussed how their organizations have been offering resources and benefits to support employee mental health and cultivating a community that encourages open dialogue about mental health.
The discussion also featured audience polls that yielded intriguing insights:
Organizational Priorities: 75% of delegates prioritized employee wellbeing over productivity (25%).
Communicating Mental Health Benefits: 75% of the participants viewed the communication of employee mental health benefits as part of employer branding, while 25% perceived it as greenwashing of mental health.
Responsibility for Employee Mental Health: A majority (69%) believed that the individual bears the responsibility for their own mental health, while 15% attributed it to the manager, and 16% to the company.
Looking towards the future, Debbie stressed the need for individuals to not just sign-in but to actively participate in the journey of prioritizing mental health. Frank underscored the necessity for all departments and teams to collaborate and strategically advance mental health wellbeing.
Frank concluded the discussion with a thought-provoking parable of the boy and the starfish, reminding us that every effort matters when it comes to supporting mental health in the workplace.
Read about Day 1 session here - A perfect start to Lockton Global Benefits Forum Singapore 2024 | Lockton (opens a new window)