WorkLife Partnership Offers Support to Frontline, Essential Workers Experiencing Stress This Holiday Season

Nov. 17, 2021, DENVER — After an unfulfilling and nontraditional holiday season in 2020, Americans are expected to make the most of this year’s season with shopping, traveling and gathering with loved ones. While this is undoubtedly a time to celebrate, retailers, manufacturers, distributors and travel providers are bracing for the surge in consumer demand as labor shortage and supply chain disruptions continue.

Additionally, millions of people in this country face financial stress, food and housing insecurity—many of whom are the frontline, essential workers in stores, warehouses, and airports during this chaotic time. The pressure to keep up with pent-up demand will fall on these workers who also experience their own personal stressors, which are often amplified during the holidays.

Employers looking to provide additional support during the rush of the holidays can consider offering an employee benefit like WorkLife Partnership. WorkLife is an organization that helps companies like Starbucks, FirstBank and American Furniture Warehouse, improve their employee’s personal and financial well-being by connecting them one-on-one with a Resource Navigator who can assist them with real-life challenges. For example, WorkLife Resource Navigators can help an employee navigate an eviction notice, afford costly utility bills or locate a mental health provider.

“During this time of year when we think about giving back to those in need, why don’t we start thinking about how we can make life better for the people we see every day at work?” said Liddy Romero, CEO and Founder of WorkLife Partnership. “Our Navigators offer a non-judgemental hand and sounding board as they help employees access resources they need to live better lives at home and at work. Everyone could use that type of support from leadership to entry-level workers.”

While some aspects of a post-pandemic world and a “new normal” have begun to emerge, many Americans’ basic needs are not being met. According to a survey of employees served by WorkLife Partnership, fifty percent of respondents said they would be unable to afford an emergency expense of $300 or more. Meanwhile, 20 percent were concerned about having enough food for themselves and their family.

Offering an employee benefit like WorkLife during the stressful holiday season is one way that employers can show their employees that they’re valued and are an appreciated member of the team. WorkLife Partnership survey respondents reported that, after working with a WorkLife Resource Navigator, 78 percent are now in a better place, 81 percent reported feeling less stressed and 67 percent said their financial concerns decreased.

To learn more about WorkLife Partnership, and how it supports frontline workers, visit www.worklifepartnership.org.

###

About WorkLife Partnership: WorkLife Partnership, founded in 2009, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to economic equity and thriving workplaces across the country. WorkLife deploys its Resource Navigator benefit inside of businesses to provide personalized, immediate, one-on-one assistance when workers need it most. WorkLife Resource Navigators minimize work disruptions, decrease absenteeism, improve workers’ financial stability and ultimately increase employee retention and engagement. In 2020, more than 80,000 employees across 34 employers were eligible to receive support from WorkLife, and 91 percent of those surveyed by WorkLife said that they felt good working for a company that offers this benefit. WorkLife is guided by its vision that prosperity is possible for everyone through work.