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Prioritising health at work

Prioritising your employees health is not just good for a positive work environment, but also makes perfect business sense. The “cost” of employee sickness hit £103bn in 2023 according to a report from the Institute for Public Policy Research. It’s not just employees pushing this to the forefront. 

With the Pandemic still leaving its mark, and the emphasis on mental wellbeing, it is no surprise sick pay, mental health support & health insurance plans are high on the list of most valued benefits for UK employees.

Claim back the cost

Health insurance plans or hospital cash plans are designed to help cover the cost or loss of earnings when colleagues spend time in hospital. Cash plans assist with making ‘every day’ medical needs more affordable, whereas Private Medical Insurance (PMI) covers more serious medical issues.  

A variety of categories are covered by cash plans, from overnight hospital stays, to opticians appointments and physiotherapy. Employees can claim back on these treatments, and reduce the anxiety or worry around taking time off work and the financial impact associated with medical expenses. 

Health insurance can provide access to treatment without long waiting periods, reducing stress and resolving the issues quicker, without the hefty price associated with private healthcare.

Cash plans assist with making ‘every day’ medical needs more affordable, whereas Private Medical Insurance (PMI) covers more serious medical issues.Offering either of these employee health benefits options to your employees shows that your company is committed to providing wellbeing support. 

Flexible working

Hybrid working options can also help with employee health. Offering your team the ability to work from home flexibly can prevent absence, as employees can manage existing health conditions, exercise preventative healthcare, and reduce the risk of spreading illness around to other team members. More than a third of hybrid employees take less sick days than when working fulltime in the office. This includes stress related illnesses like headaches. Hybrid work offers employees the ability to manage their workload whilst benefiting from home comforts which can boost their productivity more than it would showing up to the office unwell. It is also important to add emphasis to your employees that if they are too unwell to work, they should take the time to rest, and not encourage presenteeism

Mental Health Motivation

Mental Health issues are some of the leading causes of workplace absence. Addressing and prioritising mental wellbeing through support systems and educational tools can help reduce the added anxiety of suffering with poor mental health whilst at work, and provide a workplace which is committed to providing a safe space to be a part of. Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) gives employees the opportunity to contact additional support from councillors, legal and financial assistance, meditation and mindfulness tools at a time that suits them. This 24 hour support means that employees don’t have to reach breaking point to get help – it’s readily available.

It’s no big surprise that a healthy team will be a better performing and more motivated team. Investing in your employees health will help to reduce the cost of absenteeism, whilst also improving morale within your organisation 

To learn more about employee Health & Wellbeing offers, request a demo from our sales team.