But beyond wanting to do the right thing by their business, employers have a responsibility to take care of their employees and to try to ensure some stability for both. A recent survey by the nonprofit employer group the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions found that of 256 companies, 53% are providing special emotional and mental health programs for their employees as a direct result of effects from the pandemic. Some examples of these offerings can be found in a recent article on LinkedIn:

Starbucks is now providing access to 20 free counseling or coaching sessions, which can also be accessed by family members, at no cost.
Unilever has launched a 14-day mental wellbeing resilience program for its employees.
Professional services firm EY is offering live daily workouts online in an attempt to reduce anxiety and depression.
Goldman Sachs has provided an extra 10 days of family leave to its employees in order to take care of personal needs as a result of the pandemic.

It's incredibly encouraging to see employers taking on the responsibility put squarely in front of them by this pandemic. That said, can they do more? Although each of these benefits is individually helpful, does a better approach exist?

Instant Insights /

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