Neal Gerber Eisenberg is committed to promoting, supporting and sustaining the holistic well-being of its attorneys and staff.
We all face challenges of some sort when it comes to the maintenance of our health and well-being. These challenges can be especially acute in a profession that suffers from a prevalence of substance abuse and other behavioral health issues related to stress, anxiety, burnout and depression. The firm is dedicated to reducing the stigma associated with behavioral health problems, and to addressing health challenges head-on.
The firm forged a path several years ago with a formal impairment policy focused on compassion and support for individuals with behavioral health issues. In 2019, the firm signed the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Well-Being Pledge, and launched its Being Well initiative for all NGE attorneys and staff.
Being Well
The Being Well initiative is a multi-dimensional program that focuses on the physical, mental, social and financial well-being of all employees. Being Well includes a yearlong curriculum with monthly themes, and robust resources, activities and training workshops. Programming and resources cover topics ranging from substance abuse to stress management to digital wellness. Some recent Being Well monthly themes include “Take Charge of Tech,” “Attitude of Gratitude” and “Heart Health.”
Since launching its Being Well initiative, NGE has added several resources designed to help all attorneys and staff address the broad range of their personal needs, from family planning and fertility complexities to the care of aging loved ones. These include Homethrive, Bright Horizons, Spring Health and Headspace.
Bright Horizons offers backup child care in the home or at a licensed center as well as in-home elder care, pet boarding, drop-in pet daycare, and dog walking, as well as virtual tutoring, college coaching and camps. Spring Health offers 6 covered virtual therapy or coaching sessions annually to all employees and their dependents. HomeThrive combines expert coaching with experienced social workers to help family caregivers make decisions related to the care of aging loved ones, including preparation for end of life. Headspace is a mindfulness and meditation app that helps users reduce stress, improve sleep, and increase focus, including sessions geared toward parents and children.
The firm’s affinity group for parents, its PLAY Group (Parenting, Lawyering and You), often co-sponsors well-being related events. Topics from past programs include:
- How Children Understand and Cope with the News of the Day
- Estate Planning Considerations
- Mindfulness for Children
- Helping Kids Thrive in Their Digital World (managing screen time)
- Screening of Angst movie (documentary designed to raise awareness around anxiety)
Other Health & Wellness Benefits
In addition to Being Well programming and resources, the firm offers a variety of health and other benefits designed to promote and sustain well-being, including:
- On-site flu shots
- On-site health screenings
- On-premise free gym
- Bicycle storage room
- Divvy bike discount program
- Free yoga/meditation classes
- Chair massages
- Employee Assistance Program and free, short-term counseling
- Health Advocate - service to help attorneys and staff with medical questions, issues and more
- Mother’s nursing suite
- Backup child, elder care and pet care
- Continental breakfast on Tuesday and Wednesday
- Fresh fruit on Mondays and Wednesdays with healthy breakfast choices on Wednesday
- Social gatherings, shake break and ice-cream socials
- MIDI Health Perimenopause and Menopause Support