Debra Clark writes that there is a large gap between the amount of concern employers express about their employees’ health and well-being and what they actually do and spend to address it.
Towergate Employee Benefits’ latest research shows that less than half of employers offer support to mental and social health and less than half support physical and financial wellbeing.
The polling conducted earlier this year, among 500 HR decision makers, revealed that employers still fall short in supporting the four “pillars” of health and well-being.
Only 54% of respondents said that they provide support for mental health and well-being, while 52% stated the same about social wellbeing. Support for financial and physical health and well-being (43%) and physical health and wellness (44%) also fell in percentages.
It is positive that employers are providing support to ‘none’ of the respondents. However, this fact also raises concerns. Extrapolating this to the 33.86million people employed in the UK would suggest that over three million employees receive no support for their health and well-being.
Employers are also becoming more aware of the importance of supporting the health and well-being of their staff. There is still a disconnect between employers’ awareness of the problem and their willingness to spend money on it.
More than half of the respondents (51%) said that mental health and well-being was their biggest concern. Employers were most concerned with the physical and mental health of their employees, while 46% of them were worried about the financial health of their employees.
A third of employers (33%) were concerned about the social wellbeing of their employees. Only 10% of employers said they were not concerned about the health and well-being of their employees.
Changes in the provision
Our research found that there are also significant differences between the support provided to companies of different sizes.
“No business of any size can ignore this area. Employees who feel supported will also benefit the company.”
Companies with fewer than 20 employees are less likely to support the four pillars, while large corporations with more than 250 employees are most likely.
In terms of mental health and well-being, companies with more than 250 employees are almost twice as likely as those with fewer than 20 employees to offer support. This indicates that there’s a real health and wellness lottery for corporate employees.
Over half (51%) said that they provide support to employees between 21 and 249, but this number dropped to 78% for employers with more than 250 employees. The number of small businesses employing two to 20 employees fell from 78% to just over half (51%) in total.
The same was true for the other pillars. The spread for social wellbeing was 66%, followed by 53%, and then 42%. Again, going from the largest to the smallest employers, 59%, 43%, and 36% were recorded for physical health and well-being. For financial health, 63% large employers supported their employees, while 41% of employers with less than 250 employees and 35% of smaller employers did the same.
These figures should raise alarms, given that there are 5.5 million SMEs in the UK (or those who have fewer than 25 employees).
Social, mental, financial and physical
It is difficult to understand how so many employers fail to fully support their employees when there is so much affordable and readily available support that they can offer.
No business of any size can ignore the importance of a supportive environment for employees. This will result in higher motivation, reduced absence, and increased productivity.
Our research also shows that support for social and mental wellbeing is nearly as high as support for physical and financial well-being.
Social wellbeing is still a distant cousin, and employers are not as concerned about it. However, it is crucial that employers provide health and well-being support to meet the most urgent needs, not the easiest.
Employers might think that providing pizza or hosting a bingo evening will improve employee morale, but in reality the support must be targeted in the correct areas to be effective.
Employers must take the time to determine where their employees need help. This must then be followed by action.
Employers must take the time to understand where their employees need help. It can be done by running an online survey. This must then be followed by action and support to target specific areas of need.
Mental health support can be provided in a variety of ways, including through employee assistance programmes, employee benefits, digital tools that promote mental well-being, and employee assistance programmes.
Support for physical well-being could include accessing a virtual GP or dental care, cash plans or private healthcare. All of these could be invaluable, given the strain on the NHS, and the delays in diagnosis and treatment.
Exercise programmes can also improve physical health.
Supporting financial health can include providing information on financial planning or debt counseling. Encouragement of a sense community can boost social wellbeing. This is especially important when there’s a possibility of isolation due to hybrid working.
What is the main takeaway? Keep in mind that financial, social and physical worries can have a big impact on your mental health. It is best to take a holistic view of mental health.
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