Businesses are likely to be offering staff the wrong benefits, suggesting that there is a disconnect between what workers need and what businesses provide, according to HCML’s recent corporate health and wellbeing report.
Only 31 per cent of workers engage with workplace health programmes, despite 87 per cent of workers saying they take responsibility for their personal wellbeing. Additionally, 37.6 per cent of employees want nutritional support, yet just half actively manage their nutrition.
Meanwhile, although many workers would like to have access to a range of health benefits, just 53 per cent of businesses use data on sick leave to customise their wellness programmes. Furthermore, only 31 per cent of workers make use of these perks, resulting in a continued disconnect that compromises productivity and workplace wellness. According to the report, the average yearly absence rate for British enterprises is 49.7 days per worker due to poor employee health.
The report also found that 38 per cent of workers believe that nutrition is crucial, making it a top priority but less than half of them successfully manage it. Physical activity (36 per cent), sleep assistance (36 per cent), having a happy outlook (35 per cent), and managing weight (30 per cent) are other important areas of interest. But nearly 39 per cent of workers think that managing their health can stop them from getting sicker, indicating a high desire for companies to provide them with appropriate health care.
The report suggests that employers should use employee health data to match benefits to actual needs and provide focused preventative treatments in order to close this gap. Good wellness initiatives can increase employee engagement, lower absenteeism, and boost overall productivity, underscoring the possible financial gains for businesses.
HCML strategic development director Pamela Gellatly says: “Companies have become much better at providing health and wellbeing benefits to employees, but are they the right ones? The survey results show that although employees feel it is their responsibility to take care of themselves, the majority want the support of their workplace to help them to do this in specific ways. There is no one size fits all solution, but armed with the knowledge of what employees want means that employers can put the right support in place and signpost their workforce to the appropriate initiatives.
Gellatly says: “Many illnesses and medical conditions can be prevented by taking better care of ourselves, addressing the underlying issues and root causes of any conditions to reduce their health risks. Employees need to ensure that their wellbeing is a priority. We know from our in-house data that many individuals do not get enough sleep or meet the recommended guidelines when it comes to keeping active leaving them more vulnerable to illness.
“Employees now have a better understanding of their health and how to reduce their health risks. Providing workplace benefits that are easy to access means they can take more responsibility to ensure they get themselves better. With an effective workplace wellbeing programme, which empowers employees to take better care of themselves, employers can mitigate or reduce the level of sickness and absence in their organisation and reap the rewards of a happier, more productive workforce.”
