Announcing bereavement support, including funeral planning and will preparation, with Empathy

Voya continuously strives to be innovative, flexible and results-driven – helping both employers and employees take positive actions toward achieving a secure financial future.

As humans, we can experience grief in reaction to any number of events. Like losing a job. Ending a relationship. Or even letting go of a long-held dream. But the death of a loved one can be one of the most stressful and emotional forms of grief any of us can experience.¹ How can employers support employees going through the stages of bereavement?

With the well-being of employees, in general – and their mental health, specifically – becoming more pressing issues for employers, we are taking steps to enhance our employee benefits solutions in an intentional and human-centered manner. Regarding bereavement, our focus centers on expanding support and services for grieving families after losing a loved one through the launch of Empathy.

Bereavement Support for employees experiencing loss

Offered as a complimentary feature for employees covered under Group Life Insurance offered by Voya through employers, Empathy combines technology and human care to help families prepare for the future and navigate the emotional and practical challenges associated with loss. Availability may vary by state.

From preparing a will to making decisions about funeral plans, Empathy provides families with meaningful ways to help with pre-planning for the future, or to help relieve their burden in the weeks and months after losing a loved one. They have access to a dedicated Care Team – in-house professionals including chaplains, social workers, counselors, certified grief educators and estate planning specialists. Plus, families can connect to on-demand assistance right when they need it and a custom Personal Care Plan.

Curated bereavement support includes:

• Obituary creator: Crafts a beautifully written obituary in minutes
• Grief Resources: as Access to guided meditations, audio companions and a journaling tool
• Help with claiming benefits: Benefits claims tool can assist with non-life insurance policy claims (e.g., Social Security, Veteran’s Administration)
• Probate & estate administration: State-specific guidance and resources on probate process
• Account management: Help closing unneeded financial accounts, subscriptions and memberships
• Family collaboration: Intuitive dashboard for family members to share tasks, resources and progress – and secure, scanned document storage for important papers in one secured location

The need is real: We’re committed to prioritizing workplace mental health

Through services like Empathy, we work to help employers support the mental health and well-being of their employees – and our research reinforces the importance of these efforts:

• Productivity – 63% of working Americans strongly or somewhat agree: “My mental health has a direct impact on my ability to perform my job effectively.”²
   
• Attendance and engagement – 31% of working Americans strongly or somewhat agree: “In the past 3 months, I have taken time off work due to mental health issues, stress or feeling burned out.”²
   
• Recruitment and retention – 50% of employed Americans are more likely to stay with their current employer if offered mental health benefits.²

To learn more about Bereavement Support, including Funeral Planning and Will Preparation or Group Term Life Insurance, contact your Voya representative today.

Text representation of article graphic (for screen reader accessibility):

• Hand holding heart icon: Bereavement Support
• Checklist icon: Funeral Planning services
• Paper scroll icon: Will Preparation services