GlaxoSmithKline Takes on Mental Health
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) recognizes the role of the work environment plays in enabling or hindering employee engagement and therefore business contributions. GSK introduced the TeamResilience program out of concern for enhancing the work environment, minimizing work stress and to improve team effectiveness. TeamResilience complements GlaxoSmithKline’s offerings that enhance the mental well being of its employees on an individual basis (e.g. EAP, mental health benefits coverage, PersonalResilience training, cd on resilience, online Stress to Resiliency program, etc, along with onsite exercise, lunchtime stress management programming, etc.).
Disability/Case Management
Employee Health Management provides Short Term Disability and Family and Medical Leave Act management for GlaxoSmithKline employees. EHM case managers employ the US Preventive Services Services Task Force's (USPSTF) two-question depression screening questions for all high acuity short-term disability cases (i.e., those with multiple, complex, and/or chronic illnesses). Preliminary analysis shows that this screening prompts employees to discuss depression diagnosis and treatment with their treating physicians with some impact to care.
Employee Assistance Program
GlaxoSmithKline provides EAP services with 8 free counseling sessions per issue per year.
Wellness
Resilience is a cornerstone of GlaxoSmithKline wellness activities with focus on both personal and team resilience programs. These programs are focused on ensuring people have the skills and capabilities to weather life’s storms. The Personal Resilience program and the more in depth Energy for Performance programs focus on helping people build skills to enhance their energy through mental focus, emotional connection, spiritual alignment and physical energy.
The TeamResilience process begins with a team assessment of individual work and personal pressures, as well as coping strategies. An aggregate is provided to team managers, who review reports with their teams. Assisted by facilitators, teams then gather to review the report, identify ways of working that should be preserved as well as those sources of pressure that must be addressed. The team then prioritizes the sources or pressure and develops an action plan to remediate these sources of pressure. Teams are advised to repeat assessments yearly to measure post-intervention impacts.
As a result of the TeamResilience program, GlaxoSmithKline has observed a 60% reduction in work-related mental ill health globally and a 29% reduction in work days lost.
The resilience program is implemented globally (Europe, United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, South America, and Asia Pacific).
Special Awards & Recognition
GSK was one of five employers recognized in 2007 by the National Business Group on Health with a Behavioral Health Award. They received this award for a establishing and maintaining a Healthy Work Environment.
Evaluation/Metrics
Resource Systems, based in London, assists GSK with personal and team resilience assessments using a proprietary tool.
About GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline is a leading research-based healthcare company producing pharmaceutical, vaccine, and consumer products geared toward improving the quality of human life by helping people do more, feel better, and live longer. GSK employs over 100,000 people in 100 countries.
Last Updated: January 2008