Invested in Wellness
by Dan Mullins
LifeWorks is now available to all L.B.P.S.B. employees and their families! Even if you aren’t an employee or an employee’s family member, LifeWorks may benefit you in ways you may not see.
What is LifeWorks? Well, it is a company. It is also a website. It’s an app. It’s a tool that aims to support the wellbeing of our community.
The Lester B. Pearson School Board places a premium on the wellbeing of its students, which is demonstrated in the many supports available to them in-school, through the Student Services Department, and in the plentiful extra-curricular and intramural programs. But to properly support students, it is important that the employees themselves have support. The healthier the community is, the better for everyone in it.
While an Employee and Family Assistance Program (E.F.A.P.) existed previously, LifeWorks is the most complete and most accessible version of the program to date and includes many wellness tools.
Vanessa Barillaro of the Human Resources Department has been very involved in the adoption and implementation of the new product, and will continue to support its use. “I’m truly excited about this platform and hope that more employees will take advantage of all the tools and services LifeWorks offers,” she says.
“I think it is a great step in promoting well-being and all the components of mental health. The counselling services are a wonderful tool, but there is so much more that is available.”
LifeWorks does provide the benefits of a traditional E.A.P. (Employee Assistance Program) and extends those benefits to employee’s families, thus becoming an E.F.A.P. These benefits include a hotline and referrals and free access to professionals who can help with a wide range of situations. But it goes farther. It includes a newsfeed containing seasonally and themed wellness-related articles and information, along with self-evaluation tools, support information and even a list of perks available to users. From financial wellbeing consultations to mindfulness podcasts, LifeWorks is comprehensive.
Sény Mahoro, LifeWorks’ representative and liaison to the L.B.P.S.B., says that people increasingly expect services to be available digitally. She points out that the pandemic has further increased that expectation, and being able to access services from home, office, or on the road via a smartphone or tablet has become crucial. “The user experience must be accessible: At your fingertips with a few clicks. Today, almost every service we use is, and an E.F.A.P. should be no exception.
Mahoro also had good things to say about working with the Board. “I have had the opportunity to work closely with the HR team and have seen their great willingness to support employees during this period of constant change and uncertainty,” she explains, “and it is a real pleasure to work with a team that constantly asks, what more can we do?”
To see what LifeWorks can do for you, please visit lifeworks.com or download the app for your phone or tablet at the Google Play Store (Android) or App Store (Apple).
