A new report has found that businesses are likely to be offering staff the wrong health benefits.
Healthcare and wellbeing provider HCML’s recent corporate health and wellbeing report found that despite 87% of employees stating they take responsibility for their own wellbeing, only 31% of them engage with workplace programmes, suggesting there is a mismatch between what employees feel they need in order to look after their health versus what employers believe their workforce needs.
- 87% of employees say they take charge of their wellbeing, but only 31% engage with workplace programmes
- Only around half of employees look after their nutrition
- 57% of employees want nutritional support
Employees who were surveyed said that they would be interested in a range of health and wellbeing benefits if they were offered to them by their employers. However, with only just over half of employers (53%) saying they use sickness absence management information to define the wellbeing solutions they provide within their business and 31% of employees taking up health benefits when offered, it appears there is a disconnect between the health benefits employers are providing and what is needed by employees to ensure they remain healthy and productive in the workplace.
British businesses lose an average of 49.7 days per employee due to poor health. Understanding what their workforce needs will ensure businesses can offer the right health benefits and lessen the financial burden of staff absenteeism.
The report found that the top five things that employees are most interested in when it comes to their wellbeing is good nutrition including food and drink with 38% of those surveyed citing that as the most important. However, despite 87% of employees citing that they feel responsible for their own health and wellbeing, just over half of those people (48.31%) say they look after their nutrition. 36% said how to keep active was important while 36% of employees said they wanted help with sleep. 35% want help to maintain a positive attitude and 30% are interested in managing weight.
Pamela Gellatly, Strategic Development Director, HCML, commented:
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.
Pamela Gellatly, Strategic Development Director, HCML
HCML’s report highlights a significant gap between the health benefits employers are offering and the actual needs of their employees. While the majority of employees (87%) acknowledge taking responsibility for their own wellbeing, less than half are actively managing key areas like nutrition. This suggests that businesses are missing critical opportunities to provide targeted health support, especially in areas like nutrition, physical activity, and mental wellbeing.
By leveraging employee health data more effectively, companies can tailor their health benefits to suit their employee’s needs better. This will reduce absenteeism, boost productivity and address some of the financial burden it causes businesses.
Joanne is the editor for Workplace Wellbeing Professional and has a keen interest in promoting the safety and wellbeing of the global workforce. After earning a bachelor's degree in English literature and media studies, she taught English in China and Vietnam for two years. Before joining Work Well Pro, Joanne worked as a marketing coordinator for luxury property, where her responsibilities included blog writing, photography, and video creation.
