Coordination, collaboration at core of HOOPP’s winning absence management program

“Benefits, disability and wellness programs all come together,” said Dianna Ospina (pictured right), the organization’s benefits manager. “That approach recognizes there are various program components when we’re dealing with an employee health spectrum.”

Read: HOOPP’s focus on cross-collaboration in mental health leads to award win

Through an annual review, the HOOPP gathers insight into employee health trends, which allows it to evaluate and guide the programs to ensure support is meaningful and addresses employee needs. This has led to a comprehensive absence management program that’s upheld by a range of tools, programs and policies.

These include: a wellness program driven by preventative health and normalizing the conversation around mental health; empowering employees with preventative wellness resources — for example, a biometric screening clinic — to help mitigate the risk of chronic conditions that can contribute to absenteeism and presenteeism; mental-health training as a part of the core curriculum of manager training; and virtual health care, which removes access barriers to health care and supports work-life balance.

The integration of the HOOPP’s benefits plan, wellness program and disability management program allows it to support employees across the health spectrum, said Ospina, whether they’re doing well and simply want to tap into resources or they need a bit more management, from paramedical [benefits] to normalizing the mental-health conversation so they don’t have to dip into the disability management programs.

“That comprehensive approach with all three of those programs is really holistic and we’re looking at it from that lens to support employees across that spectrum and help mitigate that absenteeism and chronic health conditions that contribute to that absenteeism,” said Ospina.

The HOOPP also provides a “high touch leave process” which includes recovery facilitators through a third-party absence management company and the support of a dedicated benefits team member throughout the period of the leave. Their manager is also provided with tips to stay in touch along with mental-health coaching and HR checks in with the employee during the transition.

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In addition, employees don’t have a set limit of sick days per calendar year and short-term disability leave kicks in after 10 or more consecutive sick days. Its medical accommodation program is a collaborative process between an employee, their manager, HR and the HOOPP’s corporate physician. Employees are encouraged to draft and review their accommodation plan with regular touch points to ensure it continues to support their needs.

According to the awards entry, the HOOPP’s 2023 benefits survey showed 90 per cent of employees felt the organization supports their mental well-being. As well, its 2024 engagement score was 87 per cent and participation in its wellness seminars increased by 32 per cent last year.

The organization has a consistently low absenteeism rate. In 2024, employees took an average of 1.6 sick days and had only 10 new disability claims, a significant decrease from 21 new claims in 2023. All 10 claims resulted in a successful return to work, with no cases proceeding to long-term disability, up from six LTD cases in 2023. The HOOPP’s disability claims rate has also consistently remained below the benchmark over the last five years, ranging between 2.1 and 3.7 (against a benchmark between 7.2 and 8.5 during the same time frame).

“We’re thrilled,” said Ospina, following the award win. “It validates that we’re moving in the right direction because we have the right formula in terms of managing absenteeism.”

Tune in to Benefits Canada to learn more about the 2025 Workplace Benefits Awards winners in the coming days.