As the new year begins, many employees set personal goals focused on improving health fitness or lifestyle habits. However motivation often fades by mid-January, particularly as people return to work manage post-Christmas finances and adjust to darker days and colder weather.
This drop in momentum can affect mental health and overall wellbeing at a time when resilience is already under pressure.
Industry body for the group risk sector GRiD is encouraging employers to play a more active role in helping staff maintain their New Year resolutions by promoting greater use of existing employee benefits.
The organisation says many workplace benefits include health and wellbeing support that is widely available but often underused – despite being designed to help employees make sustainable changes.
Help Through a Challenging Time
By supporting healthier behaviours, employers can help reduce the negative impact of seasonal dips in motivation while also contributing to a workforce that is better able to attend work and remain engaged. Regular exercise healthier nutrition choices and reducing habits such as smoking can all support both physical and mental wellbeing with potential benefits for productivity and attendance.
Katharine Moxham spokesperson for GRiD said, “Many employees may feel less motivated during the darker more challenging days after Christmas as this period often coincides with returning to work after the holidays post-Christmas debt, bad weather and limited daylight. However, employers can focus on helping staff stay on track with their health and wellness goals – which can help mitigate the impact of a challenging time.”
Barriers to improving health remain common across the workforce. Employees may struggle with time pressures caring responsibilities, low confidence, stress or concerns about cost. Others may simply be unsure where to begin. These challenges can prevent people from engaging with healthier behaviours even when the desire to change is strong.
Many of these barriers can be reduced through employee benefits that are already in place. Health and wellbeing resources are often available around the clock, and can be accessed whether staff are working on site remotely or travelling for work. In many cases they come at no additional cost to either the employer or the employee.
Using Employee Benefits to Support Wellbeing
Employee benefits, including group risk benefits such as employer-sponsored life assurance, income protection and critical illness, cover often include a wide range of health-related services. These can support employees who want to improve fitness manage stress or address specific health challenges at the start of the year.
Support commonly available through benefits programmes includes incentives that encourage regular physical activity access to discounted fitness tracking devices and reduced-cost gym memberships or online fitness classes. Some schemes also provide structured challenges to support smoking or alcohol cessation, alongside educational sessions addressing issues such as sleep deprivation or menopause.
When actively promoted, these services can help employees feel more confident about taking steps to improve their wellbeing during a period that can otherwise feel difficult.
Katharine Moxham said, “Encouraging employees to take greater advantage of health-related benefits is a true win-win for any organisation. When staff feel supported in looking after their physical and mental wellbeing, they are more energised confident and motivated.
“In turn this leads to a happier workforce that is better equipped to make meaningful lasting contributions to the workplace. By fostering a culture that prioritises wellbeing employers not only enhance productivity, but also strengthen overall employee satisfaction and loyalty.”