Some 70% of businesses believe they have a responsibility to encourage physical and mental health, with 20% developing an age focused strategy, AXA PPP Healthcare has said.
Research from AXA PPP healthcare has shown that 63% believe that there is a link between employee productivity and their health and wellbeing.
The research was carried out by One Poll and covered 250 employers including both SMEs and large corporate employers and 2000 employees.
It was revealed as workforces age that 29% were dealing with issues as they arose while others were encouraging policies such as phased retirement (34%) and offering retraining (22%) which will help older workers remain in the workforce.
Other aspects of wellbeing strategies being encouraged are flexible or shorter working hours (34%) and private healthcare insurance (24%)
The research also revealed that 51% of employees didn't want their employer to intervene in their physical and mental health.
Fewer than 20% of employers currently have a strategy in place for managing a workforce of different ages.
James Freeston, marketing director at AXA PPP healthcare, says:"It is encouraging to see that even those businesses currently without a strategy in place for managing an age diverse workforce understand the important role that they can play in encouraging employees to be physically and mentally healthy and the positive impact that can have on productivity as well as on the wellbeing of their older employees.
"We hope that there will be a positive shift in the numbers of businesses who introduce age diversity strategies as they realise that there is a competitive edge to be gained from a workforce of healthy, engaged employees of all ages."
