Norwich Union Occupational Health has introduced a new flexible, working pattern for their team of absence management nurses which enables them to be on hand at any time of the day or night, to help support customers and their businesses.
Norwich Union Occupational Health has introduced a new flexible, working pattern for their team of absence management nurses which enables them to be on hand at any time of the day or night, to help support customers and their businesses.
The team, consisting of seven fully qualified nurses, uses a software package called "Voice Over Your Palm". This voice recognition programme allows far more flexibility for the nurses as they are not tied to a landline; by dialling the team's free-phone number, the calls are routed across the internet direct to each members mobile laptop.
By working on a shift pattern, the team are able to offer 24 hour cover to their clients and by monitoring call levels, can increase numbers when the lines are busy. This virtual call centre is able to meet the demands and needs of a thriving business, whilst ensuring a healthy work / life balance for the nurses.
It is widely recognised that there are huge, business benefits to be had from encouraging employees to find the balance between their lives inside and out of work, not least of all a reduction in absenteeism, improvement in both recruitment and retention and lower overheads www.businesshr.net, March 2006.
Julia Haughton, who heads up the team absence team manager at Norwich Union Occupational Health, says: "By drawing on our huge understanding of the occupational health market, we know that the ‘one size fits all' approach doesn't always work. By using this system, we've found the team is more productive and motivated whilst offering an improved experience for all our customers."
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About Norwich Union Healthcare
Norwich Union Healthcare was founded in 1990 as the healthcare arm of Norwich Union and now provides a range of income protection and private medical insurance products that cover over 980,000 lives. It is one of the largest providers of income protection and private medical insurance in the UK.
Norwich Union Occupation Health, a sister company of Norwich Union Healthcare, provides Occupational Health Solutions services to a wide range of industry sectors. By utilising their large fleet of purpose built mobile clinics and approved medical centres, staffed by a team of experienced Occupational Physicians and nursing staff, the services are designed to meet the individual needs of clients.
Norwich Union Healthcare is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority and is a member of the Association of British Insurers and the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Norwich Union's news releases and a selection of images are available from Aviva's internet press centre at www.aviva.com/media.