People want — and need — to hear from you

One thing to keep in mind during times of uncertainty is that people are looking for guidance on a very personal level. They’re wondering about risk of infection for themselves and their family members. Because the virus is spreading rapidly and because it’s new and unfamiliar, anxiety levels are especially heightened. Part of what is so scary is the unknown: where, when, and how it will hit. Other unknowns are the potential physical and financial costs to themselves and loved ones.

Workers are thinking about how to keep themselves and their family members out of harm’s way. Should they or shouldn’t they commute? What conditions will they find at any specific worksite? What will be the ramifications to their income and benefits if they miss work? A recent study on Americans’ general preparedness for the coronavirus reported that 83% of employed Americans are worried about the potential for lost income if they needed to be quarantined. People who are paid hourly feel this concern more deeply than salaried workers and there has been a lot of media coverage about the potential cost to non-exempt workers. Add to that the potential loss of benefits coverage for failing to earn credit for covered employment, and the possibilities for risk escalate quickly.

Crises are opportunities to build trust

Here’s where you come in. You play an incredibly important role in the lives of your participants and their families. So far, much communication has been focused on the nuts and bolts of business continuity, workplace safety, worksite closures, and precautions to prevent infection. These messages are all critical. What’s most important, however, is showing people (not just telling them) that they matter. What can you do to show your union’s members — whether or not they participate in your fund’s benefits — that their health and safety is your primary concern? That may take the shape of broad communication or one-on-one conversations as members contact the fund office.

Here are just a few things you can do to reassure and support your membership:

1. Communicate more frequently. Even if you don’t have all the answers, tell people what you know and what you’re still figuring out. It may seem counterintuitive, but you actually need to communicate more often during times of uncertainty. This will help participants understand that you’re looking out for them and responding proactively to a fluid situation.
2. Be sure to respond to questions and concerns. Create a systematic way for your fund office to centralize questions and answers, so you can identify patterns in the concerns raised and work through new questions that arise. Plus, greater transparency instills more trust and helps alleviate worries and concerns.
3. Leverage your union and participating employers. Unlike a centralized HR department, your benefit fund may not be the first place your union members or fund particpants turn for information. For matters of workplace safety, your union is the members’ primary line of defense. However, you can also call upon participating employers to reach out to workers and reassure folks that their health and safety matter above all else.
4. Make use of all your communications tools. Participants may not expect to hear from their health and welfare fund about this topic. However, participants may visit your fund’s website to check their coverage or eligibility. Have a prepared message waiting on your homepage to reiterate best practices for staying healthy and using their benefits when they need help. Also, email blasts are an effective way to remind participants about their benefits, including reinforcing messages about the availability of resources. Printed materials delivered to worksites — such as posters, handouts, or table tents — remain very effective and can get your messages seen.

Be empathetic to participants’ needs and concerns. Keeping the dialogue open is the best way to earn respect and loyalty during uncertain times.

What you may still need to address

If you haven’t already reached out to members about all the benefits and resources they can leverage, now’s a great time to highlight:

• Good hygiene at work and at home, including staying home when sick, frequent handwashing, and having alcohol-based hand sanitizers readily available at the worksite
• Your union’s time off and leave policies, including how sick time is earned or calculated, and how that can impact benefits eligibility
• Telemedicine as an alternative to doctor’s visits or expensive trips to the emergency room
• Ways to access prescription drugs (including early mail-order renewals, if available, so no one is worried about running out of needed medications)
• Where participants and their families should go for testing if they think they’re sick
• Programs, including the EAP, that can help people manage their stress and anxiety
• Tips for managing financial well-being, including maintaining benefits eligibility and easing concerns during periods of financial market volatility. (Note, taking advantage of record low mortgage rates could be worth highlighting after more urgent matters are addressed.)

Remember that people’s physical, mental, and financial health are interrelated and impacted by health crises. Keep in mind that your outreach should acknowledge the potential toll on mind, body, and finances.

For more insights into the potential impacts of the coronavirus on your people, be sure to check out these great resources:

• “Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers: Plan, Prepare, and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19),” CDC, February 2020
• “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19),” Food and Drug Administration
• “Why Employers Need to Strike a Balance on Communication,” Human Resource Executive
• “COVID-19: Implications for Business,” McKinsey & Company
• “COVID-19,” Occupational Safety and Health Administration