Employers are increasingly having to offer more varied wellbeing packages and employee incentives to remain competitive, writes Lucy Quinton
The last few years have seen a seismic shift in the way employers deal with their employees' health and wellbeing. The UK's workforce endures the longest working hours in Europe, yet, until recently, there was a real lack of understanding that employees' general health and wellness is also a vital aspect of ensuring the success and longevity of a business.
Working such long hours, people can become run down and ill, resulting in them having to take time off work, which costs businesses valuable time and money. In addition, there is often a corporate mentality where the emphasis has been very much dog-eat-dog and survival of the fittest. An employee admitting they need help is often seen as a failure.
Fortunately, the subject of wellness is becoming increasingly important in the workplace as employers start to look at not only rehabilitation for their employees but also the idea of providing a more preventative assortment of wellness packages to ensure they look after themselves.
Managing absence
Wojciech Dochan, head of commercial marketing at Unum, says the focus is on long-term sickness in the workplace and there is a "huge gap" in managing absence.
In addition, the market has been crying out for insurers to develop wellness packages for employees' health and wellbeing. As Peter Lauris, sales and marketing director at Medicash, says, its Medicash Reward product is a wellness package that was put together on the back of the sales force indicating it was needed. "It was designed after businesses throughout the country told us they wanted to switch from a 'get well' strategy of treatment and cure to a 'stay well' culture that would encourage individuals to become involved in their own health management," he explains.
The thinking behind such a product plan was to ensure it is designed to keep people well but should they become ill then it would pay towards treatments that would help them get better, he adds.
The benefits of such a plan include health screening to spot potential problems at an early stage, a 24-hour stress helpline and the option of face-to-face counselling, professional healthcare treatments - physiotherapy, osteotherapy, chiropractic, reflexology, acupuncture and homeopathy - dental and optical check-ups and discounted health club membership.
Other companies, including Legal & General, have similar schemes for employers - such as an employee assistance programme (EAP), which, according to Linda Barker, market development manager for the group protection business at Legal & General, is "an important part of the employee benefits package, giving employees access to support services at a time when it is most needed".
Another benefit offered by the provider is 'Steps to Health', which offers a range of health-related services from selected providers at discounted prices, such as on-site massages, stress management workshops, spinal care and health assessments, which include blood pressure and cholesterol tests.
There is also an extensive assortment of telephone helplines ranging from an emotional and physical helpline staffed 24 hours-a-day by qualified nurses to help combat stress, a legal helpline, and a bereavement assistance helpline to a medical information service. In addition, there is a face-to-face counselling service for individuals who have particular issues that are difficult to handle.
On that same theme, Raman Sankaran, director of strategic development at HealthSure, says that its "company-paid health plans have been specifically designed to help meet corporate wellness needs". This includes both rehabilitation and preventative treatments. In addition, he says that HealthSure has seen a steady increase in demand for both of these types of treatments.
Benefits provided include dental and optical cover, as well as payments towards treatments like physiotherapy, osteotherapy, chiropractic and acupuncture. HealthSure's cover also includes confidential counselling helplines and face-to-face sessions, which is similar to what Legal & General offers, in addition to early diagnosis areas such as health screening and specialist consultations cover.
Dochan says Unum is looking to expand its range of services further in this area as there are "more white-collar issues emerging, such as mental health. These are much harder to manage, diagnose and support in the workplace."
According to Barker, the phenomenon of wellness packages for employers is relatively new, having only been developed in the last three or four years. However, this a buoyant sector as interest is growing.
Future
The future in this market looks set to remain fruitful with Government initiatives including the White Paper, 'Choosing Health', and the work being conducted by the Department of Work and Pensions, the Department of Health and the Health & Safety Executive. As part of the 'Caring for our Future' programme, they are all encouraging employers to create a healthy and active work environment.
Barker says wellbeing programmes are providing timely support for employers and their advisers to provide a more holistic approach in the workplace to improve the health of the working population. "We expect this to create greater awareness and understanding of the issues and benefits, which, as a result, will mean future growth in this market," she adds.
Exemplifying the obligations to this expanding market, Legal & General is also working with the British Heart Foundation to provide employers and their staff with free emergency life support training in the workplace. In conjunction, they are also promoting an educational pack for employers, dubbed 'Think Fit!', which contains information, practical ideas and materials to increase the level of employees' awareness regarding the benefits of physical activity in the workplace.
Lauris is optimistic about the future expansion of this market too, as many companies are now looking to cover duty of care requirements, and keep themselves out of court.
"Responsible employers do see the need to provide access to EAPs, which not only assist in the retention of staff, but also in attracting new employees - especially when you consider these days of relative full employment and the competition for skills and knowledge," he says.
Sankaran predicts the market will continue to grow alongside an increasing company need for wellness products, combined with a further development of broader solutions from the providers.
It is becoming increasingly important to provide such packages for employers because, as Barkers says, with about half a million people in the UK experiencing work-related stress, the impact on the health of employees and, ultimately, to the productivity of a business, is a problem for employers.
She says: "Tackling work-related stress can result in significant benefits for a business, given the fact that around eight working days are lost by every employee each year. A wellbeing programme can provide practical solutions to this challenge, by protecting an employer's most valuable asset - their employees as well as by promoting a healthier lifestyle, which helps to reduce stress."
Through providing wellness packages to employers it reduces absenteeism by keeping staff healthier and using healthcare cash plans as an employee benefit can aid recruitment and retention and help employers meet their duty of care requirements.
Enhancements
Enhancements in the workplace as a result of using wellness packages include reduced absence, increased productivity and enhanced staff loyalty. However, Lauris also points to less tangible advantages in that staff who feel valued and cared for will bring enthusiasm to their roles and are less likely to leave, so businesses will enjoy continuity and will spend less time and money on recruitment and training.
Dochan says that, through providing wellness packages for employers, it emphasises that they are investors in people. He adds it is proven companies with the right cultural approach outperform those that do not.
Wellness packages have an outstanding potential in this market in the short and the long term. Industry figures remain optimistic that growth will be significant and one can only hope that the bubble set up to protect and care for employees that spend such a significant proportion of their life working will continue to grow bigger and not burst.
