Labor Day – A Moment to Thank American Workers for Keeping America Going

The haze of summer is starting to sunset and Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is on the horizon. It’s a federal holiday that recognizes and honors the contributions of American workers, and as a U.S. transplant, I can say it’s a well-deserved holiday – American workers work hard!

Like all of the other holidays over the past year, Labor Day hits differently this year. We all need the break – some more than others, and for many different reasons – but what’s different is what’s around the corner. For the past year and a half, companies and organizations (with the ability to choose) have been planning and weighing their options about returning to the office, and for many, Labor Day is a moment to acknowledge that we continue to face unprecedented circumstances and the line marking the end of the COVID times and the beginning of the after times remains elusive.

At Anthem, we have deep relationships with the American workforce. We proudly reach 1 in 8 Americans through our family of health plans – with 29.5 million enrolled in employer-sponsored plans. And, within our “four-walls,” Anthem has the privilege to employ more than 78,000 people. A celebration of the American workforce is a moment that deserves our attention, and with this moment, we should use our platform to advocate for the health of workers.

This year has been one of the toughest years in history for American workers. There were those on the frontlines who persevered and managed unimaginable challenges in service of our communities. While this group is the one that deserves the most thanks and celebration on Labor Day, it is this same group that will likely spend the holiday at work. From healthcare workers to grocery store cashiers and beyond: we see you and we thank you for all you have done and continue to do to keep America going.

Then, there were those who pivoted to working from home – some found this change positive and others languished (Adam Grant 's article in The New York Times popularized the term “languishing ” during the pandemic). And, of course, there were those that made the tough decision to leave the paid workforce and worse yet, those who lost their jobs. It has been a year.

After all of this, Labor Day is starting to feel like a turning point. Many offices are doing what it takes to re-open, joining the ranks of the frontline workers who have been reporting for duty in-person this whole time. And even though variants are surging (please get vaccinated!), businesses are putting plans in place to give people options to come back together as safely as possible. Safety is one thing – whole health is another.

I’ve been thinking about what it’s going to take to support American workers and businesses to flourish in the months ahead, particularly in terms of their whole health, and it comes down to three imperatives: pushing forward with the vaccination campaign, prioritizing behavioral health, and advocating for social justice.

Vaccinations: You must be vaccinated to come into an Anthem office. Period. This is a decision we made to make those who want to come back to the office feel safe and protected as they make this transition. After a year and a half at home, coming back to work will be a big change, and the last thing we want our employees worried about is picking up the virus and potentially bringing it home to their children who are not yet eligible to get the vaccine as they work in support of others’ health. We feel strongly about protecting our associates, their children, and our communities broadly.

Behavioral Health: The mental load is real, and we know people are carrying a lot on their shoulders. A survey as part of Anthem’s State of the Nation’s Mental Health Report found providers reported that they have been treating anxiety (90%), depression (95%) and substance use (specifically, alcohol use 75%, illicit drug use 45% and prescription drug use 32%) more frequently than before the pandemic’s onset. It will be especially important to consider factors such as this as our workforce begins to pivot to new ways of working.

We learned during the pandemic that we can be successful working virtually. We found that our associates enjoyed more flexibility. So, we’re going to try to keep what’s working and move into a hybrid workplace, with the goal of building an inclusive, healthy, and productive environment where all associates feel engaged, valued, and recognized.

We envision a workplace designed for collaboration and moments that matter, and our pivot to hybrid prioritizes a strong focus on mental health and wellbeing. We want people to have the opportunity to build a work life that supports them to flourish both in our physical locations and remotely.

Social Justice: Returning to the office may carry an especially heavy mental load for people of color and vulnerable communities, who the pandemic has disproportionately impacted due to health disparities. It’s important that we continue to advocate for social justice through inclusion with our own workforce.

On top of the pandemic, social unrest continues to challenge our nation and violence against certain racial and ethnic groups increased. We know this impacted our teams and that many of our associates experienced a complex range of emotions. Employers must support people through these emotions. To address these feelings and create an open dialogue, we conducted more than 60 Leading and Listening sessions across Anthem and are now building these into ongoing conversations. As we look to the future, we need to maintain these types of spaces to amplify voices and ensure our workforce is empowered to bring their whole selves to work every day.

Good luck to all the employers and workers out there navigating uncharted territory. We’re here for you and look forward to seeing you flourish!