Seven in ten deaths are linked to non-communicable diseases, which often have avoidable causes[1]. How people live has a huge impact on their health. For example, flexible working has many advantages, but it does mean it’s easy for employees to live more sedentary lifestyles, putting them at higher risk of obesity and associated diseases. Emotionally and socially, employees may also miss the connections they make throughout day-to-day office life, negatively impacting their mental health.
Our 2024 Global Benefit Trends (GBAS) research reveals that only 29% of employees in the UK have at least two good lifestyle habits, with 15% reporting living with a long-term condition. Across Europe, seven in ten employees reported dealing with at least one physical wellbeing issue in the last 12 months, with the same number reporting emotional wellbeing struggles as well.
When employees are unwell, they often struggle to access the help that they need, due to a challenging combination of busy lives and under-resourced public healthcare. In addition, with longer waiting times in state systems and faster access to initial care provided by primary care telehealth services, many are turning to their employer-funded private healthcare plans for support. This trend is coming through in health and disability program claims experience, and ultimately results in increasing benefit premiums for employers.
The good news is that there are steps we can take to improve employee health and mitigate the risk of illness. Employers play a key role in this, and it’s in their interests to do so. A physically and mentally healthy workforce is more productive and engaged and takes less time off work. Insights from the GBAS research highlights significant differences between employees who are thriving and those who are struggling with their wellbeing (Figure 2).
Sample: All employees
Source: 2024 Global Benefits Attitudes Survey: Europe
Here are three steps employers can take to support their employees’ health.
01
Do you understand the human capital and health risks for your organization? What are employees struggling with and what specifically do they believe they need to thrive at work? If you have employees in multiple countries, how does this vary from country to country?
Data is critical when it comes to building up a picture of your employees’ health. However, it isn’t always easy to connect the dots between often fragmented and inconsistent data sets, which vary across geographies. One way to make sense of large volumes of data, efficiently and cost-effectively, is by using AI. Machine learning is already very smart and is becoming smarter by the day; it can help you to bring your information to life. Painting a clear picture of your organization’s health risk will help you to make data-driven decisions and optimize your benefit program to deliver maximum impact for your business and your employees.
02
Think carefully about how your benefits strategy meets your employees' needs, and if there are any areas that need attention. Technology can play a powerful role in filling the gaps.
In recent years, we’ve seen an increase in people embracing wearable technology and smartphones to track their physical health goals, alongside rapid deployment and adoption of telehealth to deliver care, accelerated by the impact of the pandemic.
Now, a new generation of AI-powered apps are bringing many different elements of health and wellness into one place, empowering your employees to take ownership of their health. From tracking step counts to reminding people to take their medication, these new apps are addressing the long-term challenge of engagement with health technology.
Employers play an important role in encouraging employees to embrace the many possibilities of health technology. Data from GBAS in the UK highlights that younger employees and those who work in an organization with a positive culture are more engaged with and confident about AI and the positive impact that it can have.
03
Engagement should be at the heart of your benefits strategy. It’s important to communicate about your programs to your employees in a personalized and targeted way. It is key to spread the message using a carefully thought-through communications and engagement strategy. Tailoring messages to different groups within your workforce so that they resonate is one powerful way to do this.
This is another area where AI and technology can be a powerful tool to support your health and benefits strategy. Technology can help you personalize your employee experience and help employees navigate the benefits and services that are most appropriate for their individual needs. This has the added benefit of simplifying an often-complex set of options, ensuring employees can quickly get the support they need.
