The latest research1 from Towergate Employee Benefits reveals that well over a third of employers (37%) state it is going to become harder to engage employees, and looks at how businesses are encouraging employees to make the most of the health and wellbeing support on offer.
Debra Clark, head of wellbeing at Towergate Employee Benefits, says:
“New workplace dynamics, including hybrid working and virtual meetings, have come into play over the last few years and are making it increasingly difficult to engage employees. Health and wellbeing support can be a virtuous circle – if employees engage in health and wellbeing, they feel more engaged with the company. The key is finding more creative and dynamic ways to encourage the use of benefits.”
Digital options
Towergate Employee Benefits’ research shows that over a third of employers (34%) choose digital platforms to encourage employees to use the health and wellbeing support available to them. This is not only a good option to encourage utilisation but also assists employers and their HR and benefits professionals by making all key information accessible in the same place.
Over a quarter (26%) of employers also make use of digital options by promoting their support on the company intranet. This, however, can be a passive approach that relies on employees actively searching for support and information, so needs to be backed up by promotions encouraging employees to engage. A similar and more pro-active tactic is undertaken by 22% of employers who use written communications, like emails, to promote support, and ask benefits advisers and providers to assist with these communications.
In person
There are many different in-person approaches employers are taking towards encouraging employees to use health and wellbeing support. These include businesses running their own in-person events with health and wellbeing specialists attending, a tack used by 21% of employers, and asking providers and advisers to run in-person events, a method used by 18% of employers.
“Asking for support from those providing or advising on the health and wellbeing support offered by the company is a great use of resources. They will also be able to provide employees with much more in-depth knowledge and expertise on the support available,” says Debra Clark.
A forward-thinking 24% of employers have Wellbeing Champions to promote the support on offer. This is a great option for engaging colleagues and giving a very personal approach. Other creative ideas include having a wellbeing calendar of events and awareness days, an approach used by 22% of employers. Regular promotions are run by 18% of employers and webinars are run by 16%.
Lacking encouragement
However, a huge number of employees are lacking any encouragement at all, with 33% of employers only directing employees to support when requested, and a highly significant 13% not actively encouraging use of support at all.
Debra Clark comments:
“Employers who are either not encouraging the use of health and wellbeing support at all, or who are relying on employees making the effort themselves to investigate the support offered, are missing out hugely. Health and wellbeing support is of course put in place to ensure that employees are healthy and happy, but this is not entirely altruistic. There are advantages for the business too, including increased loyalty, less absenteeism, greater productivity – but only if employees engage with the support and use it. Otherwise employers may well be wasting their money.”
