Good employers take care of their people!
They believe that they have a responsibility to those that work for them. After all, employees are your greatest asset. They recognise that this responsibility does not end as the working day finishes.
And of course, there are clear business benefits to ensuring the workforce is as healthy and happy as possible. Studies have shown that happy healthy workers are 12% more productive. In recent years, more attention has been paid to people’s mental health. Leaders recognise that, wherever possible, team members need a working pattern that suits their shifting circumstances.
But the changes in the way we work are also raising big questions about how employers support worker wellness. How can managers understand the needs of employees that they rarely come face to face with? How can benefits previously dependent on the office be delivered to people who are increasingly working from home?
The right wellness programme: Benefits and challenges
The right wellness programme can deliver for the workforce and for the business. It can reduce absenteeism by as much as 25%. It can increase engagement and boost productivity. Studies have linked wellness programmes to lower staff turnover, an increase in customer satisfaction and a rise in profits.
However, the shift to hybrid working presents a number of challenges to delivering worker wellness:
1) Employees require more support than ever
Economic disruption and uncertainty mean that team members may face financial difficulties and the stress and worry that accompany such challenges. Especially if their partner or family member has lost their job. Even before the pandemic, employers were losing 2.5 days per employee, per year due to financial stress-related absence.
2) Greater awareness of mental health issues
Some 46% of professionals report that they have considered quitting their job because it impacted their mental health. Employers recognise that mental health challenges are among the toughest that workers face. But that doesn’t make supporting them any easier.
3) Employees expect more from their employers
Workers have raised their expectations of the organisation they work for. Some 78% said they would be more likely to work for a company that supported their mental health.
4) Wellness is harder to deliver
Many core components of a wellness strategy used to be centred around the office. Everything from discounted canteens to on-site yoga classes were ways for employers to show their people that they understood their needs and wanted to help. But people are coming to the office less, or not at all. So these once-valuable offers have diminished impact.
Building a great wellness programme
A world-class wellness programme must be truly holistic. It should address every aspect of an employee’s working life. Do team members have access to sufficient natural light? Is their home office fit for purpose? Is an individual’s working pattern optimised to suit their circumstances?
A benefit programme is a powerful means of building and enhancing a wellness strategy. But to be effective a programme must be:
1) Personalised
One size cannot fit all. A worker struggling to manage the pressures of family life will need radically different support to a colleague dealing with loneliness. The benefit offer must include sufficient variety, with the right information easily made available to the right people.
2) Accessible to all
Whether based remotely or at headquarters, all workers need equal access to the right benefits.
3) Holistic
Health insurance will always remain important for many employees. But it is no longer enough simply to help out employees when they are ill. A whole range of benefits should support ongoing wellness. These can range from gym memberships to mental health days.
4) Constantly evolving to meet the real issues
The pandemic showed how quickly people’s needs can change. To be meaningful, a wellness programme must quickly be able to adapt to new realities.
A wellness programme fit for the future
Good employers take responsibilities for their workers’ welfare seriously. Changing working practices and competition for talent has raised expectations while creating new challenges for employers and employees alike. At the same time, new ways of working are making an effective wellness strategy more difficult to deliver.
Despite the challenges, this is something that employers must get right. The best staff expect the organisation they work for to care about their wellbeing across the whole of their life. If necessary, they will change jobs to find an employer that does.
How Epassi UK can help
Loved by over 11 million employees, our employee wellbeing schemes benefit everyone! Remember, happier and healthier employees means a happier and healthier business. With Epassi UK, you can boost the wellbeing of your team with discounted gym memberships, health assessments and more with the UK’s largest health and fitness network.
And what’s more, with Epassi UK you can:
Attract and Retain Talent
69% of employees report that they would choose one job over another if it offered better benefits.
Reduce Sickness and Absenteeism
Regular exercise reduces illness and sick days by up to 30%, supporting a healthier and more reliable workforce.
Increase Creativity
Regular physical activity boosts cognitive performance by up to 23%, improving creativity and innovation at work.
Boost Engagement
61% of UK employees with wellness programs, including physical activity initiatives, report greater engagement at work.
Improve Mental Wellbeing
79% of employees in physical activity programs report better mental wellbeing, focus, job satisfaction, and performance.
Create a Happy Team
73% of employees are happier and more likely to stay with their employer due to a strong benefits package, fostering higher retention and morale.
Find out how you can implement Epassi UK as part of your benefits proposition today!
