While climate change is exacerbating employees’ pre-existing health challenges, workers aren’t always making the link between these health impacts and the support provided in their group benefits plan, says Marie-Chantal Côté, senior vice-president at Sun Life Health.
“Employers have a great opportunity to continue to support employees by raising awareness of the supports available. A group benefits plan is the foundation for supporting employee health and can be a first line of action for creating a climate-resilient workforce.”
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Indeed, a new survey by Sun Life found while a majority (75 per cent) of employers said their group benefits plan could provide effective support to meet climate-related health issues, fewer than half (46 per cent) of employees feel their benefits plan can support their climate-related health challenges.
Six in 10 (61 per cent) employers agreed the impact of climate and severe weather to employee health poses a risk to their organization. As employees with chronic health conditions face increased health risks, employers may see lower productivity, higher absenteeism and significant costs related to disability and health benefits.
The survey, which polled more than 2,000 Canadian employees and more than 500 employers, noted by 2100, extreme heat events could result in 128 million work hours lost per year, equivalent to full-time 62,000 workers and a loss of nearly $15 billion.
Côté notes providing proactive, preventative care is especially important when it comes to helping employees with chronic health conditions. “Early intervention can help prevent the progression of these conditions and reduce the incidence of and duration of long-term disability claims.”
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While the survey revealed the degree of climate-related health impacts differs depending on where employees are living, similar proportions of employees in all provinces reported climate anxiety. Côté says claims for mental-health practitioners have tripled since 2019 and the coronavirus pandemic has further shaped the way plan sponsors and providers think about access to care.
“Stigma also remains a concern and a barrier to care but we’re witnessing a growing recognition that mental health is critical to overall health.”
The spectre of climate change also weighs more heavily on younger employees and equity-deserving groups, she says, noting it’s important for employers to consider the health needs of these employee populations. The survey found 75 per cent of generation Z workers reported experiencing physical and mental-health impacts related to environmental factors, while almost half (45 per cent) of women said their chronic health conditions are more difficult to manage and/or increased in severity compared to 30 per cent of men.
“Supporting at-risk groups like younger workers and women is crucial in today’s evolving workplace landscape. We also know that for women, who often bear a greater burden of household responsibilities, these challenges can be compounded.”
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