One of the main reasons firms buy a workplace health benefits programme is to integrate benefits.
A survey of employers carried out by Best Doctors and Canada Life revealed 29% of HR managers, HR directors or compensation and benefit managers expect integration alongside health benefits.
For 15% it was to differentiate and remain competitive, to tackle absence management and to attract and retain staff.
In respect of workplace health, 18% highlighted communications amongst their top three priorities.
Absence management was still top at 32% but for 15% mitigating costs was key, while return on investment was a priority for just 6% of respondents.
Dominic Howard, director Europe at Best Doctors said: "Our respondents confirmed that their primary objective was integration; ensuring their benefits worked in tandem with one another to ensure maximum efficiency with regards to communicating, lowering absence levels, employee appreciation and cost.
"However when it comes to determining the importance of those objectives, by and large our respondents are looking for benefit communication to improve employee awareness to then positively affect staff retention and recruitment."
E-based communications dominate the respondents' attitudes to the most effective communication channel (29%). induction packs and benefit fairs do not receive strong support, suggesting respondents may prefer regular and convenient opportunities to ‘drip-feed' benefit information via email, meetings or posters.
