More than a third of employees do not know what is covered on their workplace healthcare benefits, or how to access these services, according to research from Health Shield Friendly Society.
As a result many employers are failing to get the full benefits from their investment into workplace health and wellbeing due to this lack of engagement and perceived barriers to access.
Health Shield’s Britain at Work report found that more than a third (35 per cent) said uncertainty over what was covered by their workplace health benefits was preventing them from using the support available.
The report also found that a similar proportion (33 per cent) were concerned about potential hidden costs, while another third (30 per cent) said they did not know how to access these workplace benefits.
Health Shield says this report reinforces the growing importance of advisers helping employer clients demonstrate value from existing health and wellbeing benefits through effective communication and employee engagement, rather than relying solely on adding new products at renewal.
The research also found that privacy concerns also remains a major barrier to engagement. More than one in five (22 per cent) employee surveyed said they were worried about data being collected when using workplace health benefits, while 21 per cent said they did not want their employer to know about specific health conditions.
Overall one in five (20 per cent) employees said they were unaware of the health and wellbeing support available through their employer. Health Shield said awareness was higher among employees aged under 44 (86 per cent) than among those aged over 44 (72 per cent).
Nearly one in five respondents (19 per cent) felt health benefits were too complicated, while 18 per cent cited the perceived hassle involved in accessing support.
Health Shield director Paul Shires, says: “We’re seeing a clear communication gap when it comes to workplace health benefits. A surprising number of employees are unsure what support is available to them, what it covers or how to access it.
“When employees do not fully understand their benefits, they are far less likely to use them when they need support. That means opportunities to address health concerns early can be missed, increasing the risk of issues becoming more serious and potentially affecting wellbeing, absence and productivity.”
Emily Jones, head of workplace wellbeing at Broadstone Financial Solutions, says the findings should prompt employers and advisers to focus on engagement as well as benefit design.
She adds: “Many employers have invested significantly in health and wellbeing support over recent years, so it’s important they regularly review whether employees understand and engage with the benefits available.
“Clear signposting, simple access routes and regular reminders can make a significant difference to take-up. Employers should also be transparent about what is covered, how benefits work and the safeguards in place around personal data.
“Improving engagement with existing benefits can often deliver as much value as introducing new ones, helping employees access support earlier and making wellbeing investment work harder.”
The research for this report was based on a survey of 2,000 UK employees.
