Preventive health takes backseat as mental wellbeing dominates support
A recent study by GRiD, the group risk industry body, reveals that only 9% of employers prioritise preventive health and wellbeing support aimed at keeping staff from falling ill in the first place. In contrast, 57% of employers offer such support only after employees have been absent for a set number of weeks, while 33% provide it from day one.
GRiD, however, advocates for a greater emphasis on prevention, arguing that employers should shift their focus towards proactive measures to maintain workforce health and reduce long-term absences.
Katharine Moxham, spokesperson for GRiD, said: “The goal should be to mitigate the number of sick days by prioritising preventative measures, but with rehabilitation readily available too.”
While prevention may not be the top priority for many employers, a significant number still provide health and wellbeing benefits with a preventive focus. This type of support encompasses various areas, including physical, mental, social, and financial health, helping employees maintain their overall well-being before issues arise.
Mental health receives the most attention, with 57% of employers offering resources like stress management initiatives, Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs), and counselling as part of their preventive care. Physical health support, such as promoting exercise and better nutrition, is offered by 56%, while 53% of employers focus on social well-being through events or encouraging voluntary work. Financial health support, including tools for financial planning and debt management, is available from 49% of employers.
According to GRiD’s findings, employers believe mental health support is the most beneficial to employees, with 50% ranking it as the most helpful, closely followed by physical health at 49%, social health at 46%, and financial health at 42%.
In the past, physical health was seen as the gold standard for employee welfare, but it’s promising to see a more balanced approach emerging. Employers are now recognising the value of holistic support across all aspects of an employee's well-being.
Employees have access to a wide range of health and wellbeing benefits, such as private medical insurance (PMI), EAPs, and group risk benefits like life assurance, income protection, and critical illness cover. These offerings can include health checks, fitness apps, helplines, discounted gym memberships, and rewards for achieving wellness goals, such as cinema vouchers or shopping discounts. Insurers are becoming more innovative in encouraging employees to adopt healthier lifestyles, and GRiD recommends that businesses promote these benefits to ensure staff take full advantage of the support available.
Katharine Moxham, spokesperson for GRiD, said: “Our research shows that preventative care can be overlooked by employers and therefore undersold to staff, but make no mistake, these seemingly straightforward measures can make a dramatic difference in absence rates and in staff performing to their best ability.”
