General Data Protection Regulation: Overview of Important ChangesPG6

Stories From The Front: On-site Trauma SupportPG8

New WPO Products And Faces PG10 & PG11

Strengthening Our Commitment: ISOS Partnership PG12

WPO Global SAMConference PG13

Employee Wellbeing:Service Trends PG14

W o r k p l a c e O p t i o n s 1 s t Q u a r t e r N e w s l e t t e r

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PG2

BENEFITS AND CHALLENGESOF BEING AN EMPLOYEE AND

A family member taking on the responsibility of caring for younger or older members is nothing new, but in recent decades it seems the pres-sures of providing care have intensified— particularly as more care providers work full time. With women now making up nearly half of the workforce, their traditional role as care-givers has changed. Forty percent of family care providers are men these days.

According to AARP, nearly 17% of the workforce, or 1 in 6 employees, are juggling work plus care for a loved one. Increased health care costs have only exacerbated the situation, as many families simply can’t afford to bring in professional care providers, making it neces-sary to provide all of the care themselves. The strain of balancing professional and caregiving responsibilities can lead to stress, depression, physical health challenges, financial strain, and difficulties at work.

The Difficult Balancing Act of Caregiving and EmploymentEmployees who work full time and provide consistent care to a loved one can struggle professionally. AARP cites the average number of caregiving hours at nearly 20 per week, meaning employees are effectively working two jobs with little time for rejuvenation. The practical responsibilities of day-to-day care, support coordination, and advocacy, along with the physical and emotional exhaustion that can come with providing care long-term, can take a toll on career success. These challenges may include lateness and missed time from work, distraction and lack of productivity, lost career advancement opportunities, unpaid leave, early retirement, borrowing against retirement plans or decreased retirement plan contributions, and ultimately decreased lifetime earnings.

• A study of working caregivers conducted by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP found that 70% reported suffering work-related difficultiesduetotheirdualroles.

BENEFITS AND CHALLENGESOF BEING AN EMPLOYEE AND

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Y o u r O p t i o n s : 1 s t Q u a r t e r N e w s l e t t e r PAGE 3

According to AARP, nearly

17% of the workforce, or

one in six employees, are

juggling work plus care

for a loved one

• The same study found that 6 out of 10 caregivers experience at least one change in their employment due to caregiving. These changes include cutting back work hours, taking a leave of absence, and receiving a warning about performance or attendance, as well as other changes. 49% arrive to their place of work late, leave early, or take time off. 15% take a leave of absence. 14% reduce their hours or take a demotion. 7% receive a warning about performance or attendance. 5% turn down a promotion. 4% choose early retirement. 3% losejobbenefits. 6% give up working entirely.

• The MetLife Juggling Act Study found that caregiving had cut survey respondents’earningssignificantlyovertime.Themissedtimeand reducedsalarywouldalsoimpacttheirfutureSocialSecuritybenefits and pensions. The loss to each of these caregivers over their lifetimes was calculated to total, on average, $659,139.

Some Benefits of Being a Working CaregiverEmployees can realize several benefits by balancing necessary caregivingwith their job duties. Caregivers often experience increased self-esteem and satisfaction, enjoy feeling needed and essential, and in some cases, can even achievepeaceinpreviouslyunresolvedconflictsintherelationshipwiththeperson they are caring for. Personal growth can be experienced during a time whereanindividualisprovidingcare,whichisanintangiblebenefitthatcanlast a lifetime.

Depending on his or her level of earnings and the cost of needed services, theremaybefinancialbenefitstoanemployeeprovidingcare,asopposedtohiring services. First, by continuing their employment when a caregiving need arises, employees will maintain that source of income. Secondly, by providing services themselves, they may save money on the expense of hired caregiving services.Employeesneedtoweightheprosandcons,bothfinanciallyandotherwise, when making decisions related to caregiving.

Suddenly Providing CareMost parents, before the birth of their children, make a plan to provide care for their kids. Many seniors have open conversations with their grown children about long-term care plans. While making these plans ahead of time isn’t foolproof, it can help families prepare for the cost and responsibility of providing care.

Some families, however, due to an unexpected tragedy, are faced with a sudden need to provide care in the short or long term. Illness or injury may befall a family member whom no one was expecting to support. Making the sudden shift to care provider can cause extreme stress and put the employee’s work success at risk. These employees may need time to coordinate care, advocate for their loved one, meet with doctors, lawyers, and insurance companies, or even modify their home or car for accessibility reasons. Family leave can help theemployeefindthetimetomakechangesandcreateafamilysystemofsupport while not losing track of his or her career.

17%

The Sandwich Generation

Employees in their 40s and 50s often feel the strain of caretaking from two directions. The “sandwich generation” is made up of working adults with the responsibility of providing support to both their aging parents and their young or even young-adult children. According to a study by the Pew Research Center, nearly half of adults in their 40s and 50s have a parent age 65 or older and are either raising a youngchildorfinanciallysupportingagrownchild.And about 1 in 7 middle-aged adults is providing financial support to both an aging parent and achild.

While caring for loved ones can be satisfying, the stressandstrainofbothfinanciallyandemotionallysupporting family members and maintaining career success is undeniable. Because these “sandwich” years often happen when the employees are in their 40s and 50s, they hit at a time when many people are at their career peak and are extremely valuable to their employers because of their experience and historical understanding of the organization.

What Does This Mean for Employers?

Understanding the needs of employees who are juggling career and caregiving responsibilities and providing the support they require can have a very real impact on your bottom line. Research conducted by the MetLife Mature Market Institute and the National Alliance for Caregiving shows that the cost of informal caregiving in terms of lost productivity to U.S. businesses is $17.1 to $33 billion annually; this includes absenteeism, shifts from full-time to part-time work, replacing employees, and workday adjustments. Furthermore, employees with caregiving responsibilities cost their employers an estimated 8% more in health care costs than employees without caregiving responsibilities.

The benefit to employers is clear. By supportingemployees who struggle with providing care and working, employers can more readily retain workers—often seasoned employees with strong historical knowledge of the workplace. Through retaining quality employees, employers avoid the direct and indirect costs of recruiting, hiring, and training new staff.

Beyond the financial benefits, supportingemployees through difficult times can keep theworkplace running more smoothly and peacefully, with less absenteeism and fewer disruptions in work schedules, as well as improved productivity, morale, and engagement.

Nearly half of adults in their 40s and 50s have a parent

age 65 or older and are either raising a young child or financially supporting a

grown child.

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What You Can Do to Help

Provide opportunities for communication. If you don’t know your employees need support, it’s difficulttoprovideit.Accordingto the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, only 56% of employed care providers report that their work supervisor is aware of their caregiving responsibilities. Ensuring opportunities for communication with supervisors or human resource team members can help you put solutions in place to retain employees and maximize their productivity.

Be flexible. Offer compressed schedules,flex-time,andothercreative scheduling solutions. In a National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP study, 34% of care provider respondents reported leaving their jobs because their employerdidnotprovideflexiblehours.

Be a resource. Make information and assistance on support services for care providers available. Workplace Options provides childcareandeldercarebenefitsthat include locating full-time, part-time, or emergency care providers, as well as education and connections with local community resources.

Don’t forget the tangibles. Make sure you have legal and financialsupportreferralsonhandto assist your employees with the tools they need to handle lovedones’financialmatters,insurance issues, wills, powers of attorney, etc. These matters can be sensitiveanddifficulttountangle,leading to stress and workday distraction. Workplace Options’ legalandfinancialbenefitcanhelpemployees handle the decisions and coordination needs that arise with caring for a family member.

Keep them healthy. Care providers’ physical and emotional wellness can take a beating as they put the needs of the care recipient first.Puttingwellnessprogramsin place can help improve your employees’ health and may even reduce the cost of health insurance. Workplace Options offersawellnessbenefittohelpemployees with their physical health and manage stress as they care for their families, as well as a counselingbenefitsotheyhaveaplace to turn if the responsibilities start to feel overwhelming.

Let them go home. If the position warrants it, consider a telecommuting policy.

Give them time. Family leave without fear of reprisals can help a care provider take the necessary time to coordinate care support, homemodifications,andanyother practical matters that are necessary to balance work and care.

Be mindful of extra hours. Some care providers may seek overtime hours to help offset the costofcare,whileothersmayfindmandated overtime an extreme hardship.

Lend a helping hand. People providing care for a family member or friend while working full time have very little time for everyday necessary chores. A concierge or practical support service can take small responsibilities off their list, making it easier to focus on the big stuff.

Sources:Family Caregiver Alliance. (2016). Caregiver statistics: Work and caregiving. Retrieved March 4, 2018, from https://www.caregiver.org/caregiver-statistics-work-and-caregivingFeinberg. L., & Choula, R. (2012, October). Understanding the impact of family caregiving on work [AARP Public Policy Institute Fact Sheet 271]. Retrieved March 4, 2018, from https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/research/public_policy_institute/ltc/2012/understanding-impact-family-caregiving-work-AARP-ppi-ltc.pdfIanzito, C. (n.d.). The hidden male caregiver. Retrieved March 4, 2018, from https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/life-balance/info-2017/hidden-male-caregiver.htmlMetLife Mature Market Institute, National Alliance for Caregiving, & National Center on Women and Aging at Brandeis University. (1999, November). The MetLife juggling act study. Retrieved March 4, 2018, from http://www.caregiving.org/data/jugglingstudy.pdf MetLife Mature Market Institute, National Alliance for Caregiving, & New York Medical College Center for Long Term Care Research and Policy. (2011, June). The MetLife study of caregiving costs to working caregivers. Retrieved March 4, 2018, from https://www.metlife.com/assets/cao/mmi/publications/studies/2011/caregiving-costs-to-working-caregivers.pdfNational Alliance for Caregiving & AARP Public Policy Institute. (2015, June). Caregiving in the U.S.: 2015 report. Retrieved March 4, 2018, from http://www.caregiving.org/caregiving2015 Parker, K., & Patten, E. (2013, January 30). The sandwich generation. Retrieved March 4, 2018, from http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2013/01/30/the-sandwich-generation

Y o u r O p t i o n s : 1 s t Q u a r t e r N e w s l e t t e r PAGE 5

Overview of important changes, and what Workplace Options is doing to prepare.What is the General Data Protection Regulation? It is a complete overhaul of a European Union (EU) privacylawthatwasfirstestablishedin1995.AsofMay 25, 2018, an update to the law will come into effect.ThislawputsEUcitizensfirmlyincontroloftheirowninformationandputssignificantpenaltieson organizations that do not comply with the structure of the law, as well as the support for the individual.

The existing data protection law, Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC, focuses only within the EU. The rule of law was established for individuals who were located in the EU within the time of service. The new law covers EU citizens anywhere in the world. An example: If Workplace Options is providing services to an individual in Germany, and the individual travels to Australia and uses our service there, the individual is protected by the same privacy law, much as if they werestillwithin theconfinesof theirowncountrywithin the EU.

Member states of the EU and EU-based groups have set out to define guidelines for compliancewith GDPR, such as these from the European Commission. These and other similar guides include strategies and suggestions to help organizations remain compliant.

Broader Connections With Data Protection

The employee wellbeing industry needs to respond to this law to continue to serve clients throughout the EU. Growing data security, regulations, and rules ultimately mean safer clients and safer client data. Here are some of the fundamental requirements of the new law:

• Individuals will have complete control over how they want or do not want their personal information being used.

• Individuals will have a new series of personal data rights to solidify that they are in control of their own information.

• Businesses will need to disclose a request verbally, through text, or by some form of electronic document for individuals to provide or deny permission of the business to handle their personal information in compliance with the new law.

• If a breach of personal information occurs, businesses will be required to report the breach within72hoursorfaceafinebasedonpercentage of global revenue.

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General Data Protection Regulationto come into Effect May 25th

Sources:European Commission. (2018). Guidelines. Retrieved March 21, 2018, from http://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/article29/news.cfm?item_type=1360 Information Commissioner’s Office. (2018). Guide to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Retrieved March 21, 2018, from https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr

Y o u r O p t i o n s : 1 s t Q u a r t e r N e w s l e t t e r PAGE 7

What are we doing to ensure compliance?

Workplace Options has put into place a plan and taken steps toward compliance, so there will be noissues after the

May 25th change occurs in the law. Part of this includes creating a customized statement for client interactions. Each sentence in the statement will cover the portion of the individual rights requirements that we need to deliver to the individual for compliance. We have consistent policy across any medium or platform that a client may use to interact with us, including websites, smartphone applications, phones, and text-based services.

Strengthening data privacy and security rules is an ongoing and active endeavor within our organization. Workplace Options, beginning in 2012, added unique design elements into our technology systems to allow them to adapt to a variety of anticipated changes and potential new requirements. With UCMS, our proprietary case management system, we have the ability to store member’s private information in the EU, or in any country, that has a similar local storage requirement.

We built UCMS to respond to increasingly

more complex privacy laws around the

world,” stated Alan King, president and

chief operating officer of Workplace

Options. “We disconnect the personal

information of a user from the actual case

information, and house it in a database that

is separate from the case information. That

personal information can be housed at any

location that is requested by privacy laws

or our clients and partners. That personal

information is a key that unlocks a case in

a database, and the case in the database

is completely anonymous. Because UCMS

was designed this way, that puts us ahead

of the curve on compliance for these laws,”

added King.

Professionals Respond Quickly With On-Site Trauma-Relief Support After Customer and Colleague DeathsOur Rapid Response Critical Incident (RRCI) team is devoted to providing extremely fast trauma support online, telephonically, and in person — virtually anywhere in the world. The RRCI team consists of a global network of professionals: a critical response team in every one of our offices with incident managers who are trained to respond to trauma, all following the same process. This has positioned Workplace Options to have a unique type of response compared to anyone else. Anywhere in the world, we are able to respond to a request for help within 30 minutes. Our incident managers are on the phone with a client to understand what happened, what their needs are, and how quickly we need to respond with professionals on-site.

Here are some recent examples of the RRCI service supporting employees following traumatic events.

DRUG USE IN RETAIL STORES

Stories from thefront

Recently, the RRCI team has noticed an uptick in drug-related incidents in retail stores located within larger cities in both Canada and the United Kingdom. Customers have been seeking refuge in public bathrooms of these businesses to engage in individual drug use.

As a result, employees are discovering customers unconscious in bathroom stalls from suspected drug overdose. Some employees attempt first aid efforts until emergency services arrive on the scene, and then often discover at a later date that the customer has since passed away.

As you may imagine, this series of events can be traumatic for anyone involved during any step of the way. The following are some examples of people who may be affected by this traumatic event: the employee who first finds an unconscious customer, any employee who hears of or comes into contact

with the unconscious customer, and the employee who may attempt first aid and rescue efforts. Another consideration is that the trauma may be “reset” after the employees learn that the customer has passed away.

On-site services are often requested to support impacted employees who witness this type of event. Trauma professionals often arrive on scene within hours of the incident or the following day to provide emotional support to employees. The trauma professionals offer supportive listening, provide psychoeducation on the topic of trauma, and help the employees identify their coping skills and sources of support. The RRCI team assists managers in how they can support their employees, and even provides educational tip sheets such as “Individual Reactions to Traumatic Events” and “When Tragedy Strikes at Work.”

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Timeliness is very important when it comes to supporting employees who have witnessed a death in their workplace—even more so for an employee who may have tried to save a life but was unsuccessful,” commented Mary Ellen Gornick, senior vice president of global products at Workplace Options. “There can sometimes be guilt associated with a failed life-saving attempt, along with a number of other mental health issues, for any employee who was witness to the event or the aftermath. They may say, ‘Could I have done more?’ and this event may stick with them for some time,” said Gornick.

A young employee passing away can be devastating,” stated Gornick, “particu-larly in this case, since the employee was known by many colleagues at different office locations. The trauma event was far-reaching and, frankly, must have been shocking for all involved. Early intervention after a widespread traumatic event such as this is extremely helpful: by lessening employee recovery time, making sure employees recover properly so they do not continue to miss work through absenteeism or presenteeism, and sustaining and nourishing the employees’ mental health needs after such a trauma has occurred,” added Gornick.

Starting the healing process quickly can help mitigate and prevent some of the trauma. Trauma support is also available for longer term solutions: Anyone affected can contact the clinical telephone lines 24/7 for continued assistance, even after some time has passed after the event.

ACCIDENTAL DEATH IN INDIA An accident during an outing with colleagues led to the injury and eventual death of a young employee. The company had many office locations in the vicinity, so it requested on-site support from our RRCI team at multiple office locations. Many employees at these different office locations were impacted by news of their colleague’s death.

The next day, our trauma professionals came on-site to all of the requested locations and completed multiple group sessions. The trauma professionals assisted the employees in normalizing their reactions and processing typical grief reactions of shock, disbelief, guilt, and sadness.

The trauma professionals provided an opportunity for the groups to share their thoughts and feelings about the incident and helped employees to formulate coping strategies for support. The trauma professionals also met with individuals to allow them the time to process their personal reactions regarding the loss of their colleague. The trauma professionals reviewed self-care strategies and encouraged positive coping skills. They recommended and encouraged use of the EAP program for further support as needed.

Y o u r O p t i o n s : 1 s t Q u a r t e r N e w s l e t t e r PAGE 9

Workplace Options is pleased to introduce two new products,

Elevate and Pathways. These innovative offerings serve participants

connecting with the service for mental health support who may

need longer-term care than the traditional EAP model provides.

NEW

PRODUCTS

ElevateSome participants who access the EAP have symptoms ofanxietyanddepressionthataretoosignificanttorespondtotheshort-term,solution-focusedbenefitprovided. Elevate, the depression and anxiety support program, will provide these participants with an extended clinical intervention designed to addresstheneedsofthosewithsignificantsymptomsof, or a formal diagnosis of, depression or anxiety. Additionally, Elevate can support participants whose symptoms are chronic, present most days or every day, and have been in existence for some time; whose day-to-day functioning is severely compromised; and whose previous treatment has been unsuccessful.

“We want every participant who contacts their EAP for support to have a viable option for care,” said AlanKing, president and chief operatingofficer ofWorkplace Options. “So many situations extend well beyondafive-orsix-session treatmentmodel,andwe are now able to offer a new standard of care. Being able to provide longer-term support guarantees that those who feel they need additional time will receive the proper customized support.”

Workplace Options will provide case management and, with the participant’s explicit permission, provide pertinent information to the participant’s general medical practitioner or psychiatrist. Plans are in place for Elevate, which is currently being delivered and available in a few countries, to be rolled out globally later this year.

Pathways

SomeparticipantswhoaccesstheEAPcouldbenefitfrom longer term support. Pathways will provide these participants with an extended clinical intervention via face-to-face, telephonic, or video sessions. While there is no limit to the number of sessions available to participants, the interventions will be case managed to completion or external referral within one calendar year. “The development of this product was in direct response to client requests for a program that could assist those occasional participants who needed a bit more support than our usual six-session model allows,” commented Lisa Zereski, vice president of global product and content development.

Pathways was developed to provide participants reporting issues unlikely to be satisfactorily addressed during a short-term solution-focused counseling intervention with the option of engaging in EAP sessions on a longer-term basis. “The goal remains problem resolution, empathic support, and skill development,” stated Alison Brown, vice president of clinical quality at Workplace Options. “The focus is on the participants’ present circumstances rather than a detailed investigation of the past. In this environment, the expectation is that a significantnumber of sessions are likely to be required.” Like Elevate, Pathways will be rolled out globally later this year.

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welcome

Y o u r O p t i o n s : 1 s t Q u a r t e r N e w s l e t t e r PAGE 11

FACES

NEW

NIK

ITH

A P

AT

IL

CH

RIS

TY

MC

GU

IRE

B

IJIE

LIwelcome

Please help us give a warm welcome to three

exceptional new team members who have

recently joined the Workplace Options

family across the globe.

BIJIE LI joins Workplace Options as our Director of Labor Solutions Operations, based in Indonesia. She comes to us with a background in international developmentandrelations,specificallyrelatedtowageconditionsinfactoriesandsocial sustainability. As a proponent of economic empowerment and social action, Bijie states that “social sustainability is not only about projects and deliverables; it is also about building trust among different stakeholders. Brands, suppliers, and workers need to know they can rely on each other for opportunities to grow and thrive.” Outside of work, Bijie spends her time reading books and watching movies and documentaries related to public policies and international relations. In addition to that, she plays piano several times a week and enjoys traveling to new and exciting places with her family.

CHRISTY MCGUIRE, our new Director of Business Solutions, U.S. South, joins Workplace Options as an experienced sales leader in the employee benefitsindustry with a history of surpassing customer and employer expectations. Christy says that her favorite components about past jobs were the ability to be out in front of people, selling a product that she believes in, and ultimately helping the end users achieve their goals. “I like being in sales because it is very entrepreneurial,” Christy said. “I have a lot of passion for what I do, and I like sharing that energy with others.” When not working, she devotes time to the National Health Underwriters program and enjoys spending time with her family. Christy particularly likes being outdoors, boating, traveling, and exploring new places with her three children, ages 10, 8, and 6.

NIKITHA PATIL joins Workplace Options as a Labor Solutions Business Analyst based in India. She comes to us with many years’ experience in analytics. She spent two of those years working in Japan. Not only did working in a different country leadNikithatoembarkonherfirstsolotripacrossthecountry,buttheexperiencealso “helped me to understand the nuances of the Japanese culture, which has proven to aid me both professionally and personally,” Nikitha stated. Nikitha is a self-professed travel buff and bookworm—her personal library alone contains over 140 books! In her free time, she is either reading a book or researching for her next vacation. When not jet-setting, she enjoys watching a good TV series now and then.

Workplace Options is excited to announce our partnership with International SOS, the world’s leading medical and travel security risk services company, caring for clients across the globe for more than 30 years. International SOS specializes in medical assistance, travel security advice and information, emergency services, health care, evacuation, and repatriation services.

To accommodate the growing need for mental health support for the mobile workforce, WPO and International SOS have teamed up to provide emotional support services for overseas employees, who may be dealing with stress around distance from loved ones, new environments, or the exposure to unexpected situations. Our partnership provides mobile workers with the support they need to help deal with any psychological issues for which short-term counseling is appropriate.

“Rapid-response psychological support is proven to decrease the potential psychological impact and improve recovery times, whether following a traumatic incident or a quick response to everyday stress,” said Dean Debnam, chief executive officerofWorkplaceOptions.“Providingamobileworker or impacted individual with a smooth transition into counseling support will ensure the fastest possible assessment and treatment. All clinical calls begin with an assessment, which determines appropriate intervention, and therapy concentrates on helping individuals identify the skills, strengths, and resources that are already present and moves them towards a solution.”

Group Medical Director of Assistance at International SOS Neil Nerwich commented, “Whether caught in a security incident or working offshore for weeks, the stresses on a mobile workforce can be great and varied. To fully support our clients and their mobile workforce, we recognized the importance of being able to provide seamless access to emotional and mental wellbeing support, alongside our health and security risk management expertise. By partnering with Workplace Options to offer a global program, we are now able to quickly provide appropriate counseling, which can support the traveler and manager when needed, and prevent longer term effects.”

Recognizing the impact that the complexities of travel and life abroad can have on the mobile workforce, it simply makes sense that access to mental health counseling is proactively offered. Workplace Options and International SOS are proud to provide the world’s first emotionalsupport service for a mobile workforce.

STRENGTHENING OUR COMMITMENT:

WPO PARTNERS WITH INTERNATIONAL SOS

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STRENGTHENING OUR COMMITMENT:

WPO PARTNERS WITH INTERNATIONAL SOS

Y o u r O p t i o n s : 1 s t Q u a r t e r N e w s l e t t e r PAGE 13

GLOBAL SAM CONFERENCE: a successful week of collaboration and insight Workplace Options held its annual week-long Global SAM (Sales and Account Management) conference inourRaleigh,NorthCarolinaofficeinJanuary.Sixtyteam members from around the world came together to discuss the newest developments in wellbeing and ways that we can best help organizations in supporting their employees. Regional and country updates from team members provided everyone the opportunity not only to share important news from their home base, but also to gain valuable insight from their colleagues on developments from their regions. Team members from different countries sharing what creating and maintaining effective client relationships means to them provided unique and helpful perspectives.

Team building was a consistent thread throughout a full week of breakout sessions, which included what we see happening in our industry, market trends, what clients are looking for, and how markets differ around the world. Round-table discussion was held around how client expectations impact the growth and evolution of our product and service offerings.

This year, Workplace Options brought in a workshop leader to provide training and coach our team through some insightful discussion. Feedback from team members indicated that these sessions were extremelybeneficialandprovidedeffectivetoolsforprofessional self-improvement.

The Global SAM conference has historically been a time when exciting new product updates can be unveiled and marketing resources are shared. The previous year’s successes and challenges are reviewed, and goals are set for the year ahead. The overall feedback was highly positive and indicated that team members left the conference feeling motivated and more prepared to perform their jobs at a higher level.

As our global footprint continues to grow, it is essential to have this time each year for everyone to get together, learn from one another, and build greater internal relationships. The conference facilitates information and idea sharing that will help us succeed and better support our clients for years to come.

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Workplace Options is dedicated to helping organizations support their most valuable assets: their employees. We are committed to helping people live healthier, happier, more productive lives so they can be at their best—personally, professionally, physically, and emotionally. By examining our most highly requested services, we are better able to predict trends and client needs and build our offerings around the most popular requests.

Our data from 2017 shows that in terms of emotional support needs, face-to-face counseling was ranked as the highest requested service. “Face-to-face counseling is clearly the most sought-after emotional support service,” commented Stephen Galliano, senior vice president of global relations at Workplace Options. “Despite the availability of telephonic options as well as online services, it seems that many individuals still prefer a more thorough in-person experience when addressing their mental health needs.” Other highly requested emotional support services include referrals for long-term counseling and psychiatrists, structured telephonic counseling, formal manager referrals, Rapid Response Critical Incident (RRCI), and Computerized Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (cCBT).

Legal in-person service referrals received the greatest number of requests in Workplace Options’ practical support cases in 2017. If we examine U.S. and U.K. requests, we find that the five most requested services arethe same. After legal in-person referrals, we see referral requests for daily living services, child care,eldercare,andfinancialservicesasthemostrequested. Regarding practical support requests for the U.K. specifically, Galliano commentedthat“theprofileofpracticalsupportserviceshas not changed much in recent years, with the EAP most accessed for help with both legal and financialdifficulties.”

Stress management and weight management were the main topics for global wellness coaching service requests in 2017. Also, though historically

popular and still valuable, the need for tobacco cessation services in the U.S. has decreased, along with the rate of tobacco use according to Debbie Jongkind, vice president of global coaching services and wellness at Workplace Options. “Employers whowant to significantly impactanemployee’s health offer support for tobacco cessation because quitting tobacco is the number one thing someone can do to improve his or her health,” Jongkind commented. “We do see more uptake globally

as multi-national companies and governmental agencies begin to emphasize reducing tobacco use worldwide and start implementing tobacco-free campuses outside the U.S.”

Aside from stress and weight management and tobacco cessation, Workplace Options’ new

product, Aware, a mindfulness-based stress reduction offering, has had great success both in U.S. and globally. According to Jongkind, Aware had high usage in 2017 and we have strong data showing the impact the program is having on participants’ wellbeing. In addition, lactation services continue to be a valuable product supporting both the health and wellbeing of mother

and children.

By persisting in our close examination of service delivery trends and requests. Workplace Options will continue in our efforts to offer the most effective and appropriate services that best support those we serve.

Most Requested Emotional Support Modalities:

Face-to-Face CounselingStructured Telephonic

CounselingLife Coaching

Referrals for Long-term Counseling/Psychiatrists

Rapid Response Critical incident

Workplace Options’ 2017 Global Data

Most Requested Practical Support Services:

Legal ReferralDaily Living

Financial ReferralLegal Consultation

Child CareWorkplace Options’ 2017 Global Data

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US CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS3020 HIGHWOODS BOULEVARD RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA 27604 PHONE: +1 (919) 834 6506TOLL-FREE: +1 (800) 699 8011 FAX: +1 (919) 833 9888

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