Work Culture Excerpt: ViacomCBS – Health Champion
As ViacomCBS moves forward with a holistic business model, the newly merged company also is taking a holistic approach to caring for its employees’ health.
“We want to continue all the incredible work the [Viacom and CBS] teams have done to ensure we are supporting our associates the best possible way, and helping them with a 360 view—not just the professional side but all aspects of their lives,” says Nancy Phillips, EVP and Chief People Officer.
“The cool thing I have found is there is great work on both sides. While one legacy company may have leaned into more on eldercare and the other more on maternity benefits, both had been doing incredible work… Now it’s about seeing what our associates really want and how do we build out the best possible plan by cherry-picking the best offerings and embarking on some new things,” she adds.
The new playbook establishes an environment where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. At ViacomCBS, healthcare encompasses physical, mental, emotional and financial aspects. It comprises extended parental benefits, and a range of services such as health screenings, a daylong Sleep Fest and a Health & Wellness Fair, among other perks.
ViacomCBS healthcare coverage includes more than access to in-network behavioral health specialists. The company has an onsite employee assistance program (EAP) in several offices, which provides direct access to mental health clinicians. It also offers 24/7 on-demand EAP assistance, counseling and emotional health coaching via text, as well as access to mindfulness app Headspace.
“Mental and emotional health is something that is continuing to emerge. Many more people are comfortable talking about the challenges they have, and we want to be there to support our employees’ wellness in that regard and making sure they have access to all those things,” Phillips says.
Financial wellness also is core to the company’s support for its workforce. ViacomCBS employees have access to third-party-certified financial planners, robust tuition reimbursement and legal assistance.
In the realm of physical health, onsite amenities range from a full-service gym on the Paramount lot in L.A, to a Wellness Studio at its NYC headquarters. ViacomCBS also has a teaching kitchen in its NY HQ that provides daily healthy and creative cooking lessons for employees.
The company also hosts tentpole events throughout the year. The annual weeklong Wellness Festival, for example, includes everything from in-office flu shots and biometrics to therapy puppies to a meditation tent to stretch and compression leg relaxation stations. The one-day Sleep Fest features sleep specialists, RhinoMed sleep solution demos and an activation with NuCalm to recharge energy and reduce stress.
ViacomCBS also dives deep on family care, offering employees flexible work arrangements, access to Progyny, which provides fertility coverage; 2nd MD, which helps employees access second opinion doctors; and Nurse Line, for 24/7 access to nurses. The company also provides a variety of services to help employees care for aging family members.
“Eldercare is something you don’t see that often at other companies, and it’s so important to be there to provide support and care for loved ones that need it as they age,” Phillips tells CFX. “This is an area we certainly will continue to build out.”
