Well we’ve had scorching weather (yes even up here in Scotland!) and now the Euros 2016 are on – you can’t blame people for wishing life was just one big holiday. With all these distractions it sometimes feels like work just gets in the way of having a good time!
But sunny day skivers are probably the least of employers’ worries. After all, a little bit of sunshine can boost moods and alleviate stress– which could actually do wonders for employee well-being and motivation at work.
No, they’re more likely to lose sleep over those employees who are off on long-term sick leave. And they’re right to be worried. Around 250,000 people leave employment each year due to ill health, around 1% of the workforce.1
And, during our working lives, almost 40% of us will stop earning an income because we’re ill or injured.2
More than a financial payout
It’s clearly important to have a financial safety net in place. But is a financial payout all people need to get back on their feet after they’ve been ill? And is getting back to work quickly always the priority?
60% of those off work are the main breadwinner in the house so, finance wise, yes probably.1
But, as well as that, working is actually good for our health – people in work tend to enjoy happier and healthier lives than those who are not in work. Obvious benefits like improved self-esteem can go a long way in helping people’s mental health which can get worse after long periods of unemployment.
Mental health issues and musculoskeletal problems are two of the most common reasons clients claim on our Income Protection.3 With both of these conditions, the range of symptoms, severity and treatment can be massively different. If they don’t have private medical insurance, clients could find NHS support and waiting times to be limited and difficult to access quickly.
Services like our Helping Hand are available to use at no extra cost from the moment a plan starts – not just at the point of claim. This can work with the NHS to give your Income Protection clients practical and emotional support to help them recover from illness or injury.
“people in work tend to enjoy happier and healthier lives than those who are not in work”
Physiotherapy and complementary therapies can help if your clients are suffering from back problems. And for mental illness, they could get access to counselling and support with stress and depression.
But these are just some examples – when your clients contact Helping Hand, a personal nurse adviser from independent care advisory service, RedArc, will build a tailored plan to work with their personal circumstances.
Watch our short film to find out how Helping Hand can help your Income Protection clients get back to work more quickly.
Sources:
1 Welfare Reform for the 21st Century, Association of British Insurers, September 2014
2 Hannover Re, March 2016. These figures have been produced based on their interpretation of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries’ Continuous Mortality Investigation insured lives incidence rates together with their estimated view of future trends.
3 Royal London, UK Intermediary Protection business claims paid (1 January to 31 December 2015)