Nearly half of employers provide the same benefits to their entire staff, even though 76% of respondents said that staff had requested more targeted benefits.
Towergate Health & Protection’s survey found that 44% offer the same benefits to employees regardless of their age, lifestyle, or risk profile. 40% of employers do the same for both genders.
The study found that over half (54%) of the requests received were from groups of different ages, and 49% came from gender-specific requests.
According to 70% of respondents the main reason why they did not offer more personalized benefits was because it would be too complex.
Debra Clark, Towergate Health & Protection’s head of wellbeing, said: “It is surprising that while employers are being asked to provide targeted support for health and well-being, four out of ten employers don’t do so.
The reality is that knowing where and how to spend benefits is a complex issue that requires expertise.
Clark said that the rapid development of benefits means support is now available for issues like neurodiversity and fertility, which, although positive, makes benefits more difficult to navigate.
She added: “Benefits continue to be improved in order to provide more support for specific needs.” Both employees and employers will benefit from this, but they may need expert guidance in order to understand the system.
Clark said that by preventing workers from becoming ill, employers could stand out and be more competitive in recruitment and retention. They can also support absence management.
She said: “Employers shouldn’t be discouraged from the idea that they can target support to their employees more specifically. They can make their health-and-wellbeing support more cost-effective and effective with a little help. This will have benefits for recruitment, retention and engagement, as well as productivity.
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