Targeted programs aimed at superparents
Health care company addresses specific needs
The terms "work/family" and "work/life" have become handy catch-all phrases for workplace programs aimed at helping employees balance their responsibilities at work with those they have at home. But at Philadelphia-based CIGNA Corporation, a health care, insurance, and financial services organization, programming in this area has been refined so that each program addresses very specific needs.
For example, the company’s Great Escapes program is designed to help parents when the office is open but school is closed. Parents bring their kids to work with them, and at 9 a.m. they begin a day of supervised fun activities at destinations such as the zoo or a museum, and are returned by 4 p.m.
CIGNA’s Family Helper Market lets parents who don’t have time to cook order dinner from an assortment of healthy, inexpensive meals prepared in the cafeteria. The food is insulated and packaged for pickup at the end of the day.
One of the reasons for programs like these is we are looking at ways to take away stressors and things that inhibit employee productivity at work," says Roxanne Korostowski, CIGNA’s director of employee services. This is a particularly significant goal of the Great Escapes program. "We noticed that most schools have so many days off, we needed to find ways to keep parents from worrying about what to do with their kids at home," she explains.
Putting the program together
To coordinate the program, CIGNA contracted with a local company that runs child care centers. "They had counselors available who could work with our children because they run their day care after school," Korostowski explains. "They do all the coordination, which includes looking for trips and arranging for transportation." CIGNA publicizes the program in its monthly corporate newsletter and through e-mail and obtains the parental consent forms.
The base cost of the program is $25 per family, then $20 per child per day. "This helps defray the costs, and ensures the child showing up," says Korostowski. There was one exception: On Columbus Day the children were asked to do some volunteer work, so there was no charge for the day.
While CIGNA does not have documented proof of the program’s effectiveness, comments from parents indicate that it has been a great help, Korostowski says. "One of the best came from a parent who already had family at home to watch her kids while she worked she was thrilled that she’s no longer bothered by 15 calls a day about what to do."
Recently the program has been refined to cover those early and late summer periods before and after camps are open when school is on summer break.
Stew Beltz, assistant vice president, employee benefits at CIGNA, is a big fan of the Family Helper Market. "I always thought the food in the cafeteria was pretty good; they have a nice selection and had healthy food choices low in fat and well-prepared," he explains. "When good things came up on the menu I knew my family would enjoy, I’d take them home."
The meals, which always offer the option of an "Eating Well" entree, are reasonably priced "compared to what you may pay at Boston Market or some other convenience food store," says Beltz. "Plus, you know it’s fresh, well-prepared, and generally tastes great."
Most important to Beltz, the program helps him balance his responsibilities at work and at home. "I work hard for instance, I’m home today with my sick kid, but I’m working too but while l’m under all that stress to produce at work, I also want to contribute on the home front," he says. "This is a great way for me to say, Don’t worry, I’ll take care of dinner.’ When I walk in the door with healthy foods, it takes the pressure off my spouse, and it’s welcomed by my daughter."
Beltz says the program has been a morale booster for him. "It’s a real nice benefit and since we have a company debit card, I don’t even need cash."
At this point, notes Beltz, he couldn’t stop using the program even if he wanted to. "When I don’t bring food home, my daughter asks, When are you going to bring food home again?’"
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