ince the pandemic,
we've seen a few
shifts in how
organizations are approach-
ing employee well-being," says
Alissa Gillanders, a wellness
program specialist at the
Vancouver office of profes-
sional services giant Aon. First,
employers are making wellness
a priority, "with an increased
focus on mental health, emo-
tional fitness and resiliency,"
Gillanders explains.
Second, with more staff
working remotely, there's an
effort to make wellness pro-
grams accessible to everyone
online, she adds. The third
shift: "Organizations that have
been slow adopters are making
well-being a priority." Finally,
employers want to understand
the full scope of programs and
resources available through
their benefit providers and
other partners, Gillanders
says. "They're also looking at
leveraging free community
resources and offerings."
We asked Gillanders and Jon
ISTOCK; PAUL JOSEPH APRIL 202SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 BCBUSINESS 57
A S K A L E A D E R
IS THERE ONE ASPECT OF YOUR BUSINESS, OR BUSINESS IN GENERAL, THAT YOU THINK
HAS CHANGED FOR GOOD OR THAT YOU WON'T BE GOING BACK TO DOING THE OLD WAY?
I sure don't miss all the travel I usually have to do in a "normal" year! Our organization, like so
many others, has learned to get things done through video meetings and teleconferences, and it
has worked out pretty well.
– CRYS TA L SMI T H, chief councillor, Haisla Nation
Now more than ever, your staff need a strong wellness program
