For many years here at Pearson I have been talking about the importance of proactive, preventive health. Some of you have heard me speak at meetings about the importance of age and gender-related screenings so that we can catch things early and, hopefully, prevent them from becoming more serious. Well, this issue of For Your Benefit hopes to shine the same spotlight on mental health.
Just as important as early cancer detection, signs of mental health illness might be present and should never be ignored. I encourage you to read Learning to Recognize Mental Health Conditions and the B4Stage4 campaign from Mental Health America. After that, we explore the spectrum of mental health issues as we grow older, and also in our young people. Recognizing early warning signs and then investigating those before serious issues develop is key here as it is in any other medical issue.
There are many ways that Pearson supports good mental health. Whether it is the coverage available through our medical plans, or with ancillary programs like the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that offers free telephonic counseling and up to five in-person sessions, we are here to support you and your family members.
It’s also that wonderful time of year when spring allergies kick into full gear! We’ve included some helpful information to better understand allergies and asthma.
Finally, it’s a good time to review your financial health. As a reminder, Pearson recently made the Annual Company Contribution to your Retirement Plan 401(k) account. This was a total plan contribution of approximately $16M and represents our commitment to helping all employees prepare for their retirement.
My very best wishes for a happy, healthy and safe spring season!
Bob Arthur
Vice President, Global Benefits