Workforce wellbeing
25 June 2018
This article was featured in the July - August 2018 issue of the magazine.
Jerome Smail, freelance journalist, reveals developments confirming that workforce wellbeing is increasingly viewed by employers and employees as important
Any business leader will tell you the health and wellbeing of the workforce is essential to the success of their organisation. But how many companies actually do something worthwhile about it?
As many as 74% of employers say increasing employee engagement in health and wellbeing is a top priority, according to the Willis Towers Watson 2017/2018 Global Benefits Attitudes Survey (https://bit.ly/2y2ts2O). And so it should be. The same study shows that employees in poor health are almost twice as likely to be disengaged and have more than three times as many days off as those in very good health.
According to the Health and Safety Executive, in 2016–17 work-related illness and injury resulted in the loss of 31.2 million working days. Nearly half (49%) of the absence was due to stress, depression or anxiety and a further 35% was due to musculoskeletal disorders.
However, the aforementioned Global Benefits Attitudes Survey shows workplace health programmes are failing to meet employees’ needs. While employers are investing more in health and wellbeing, workers do not necessarily value their efforts. Only 23% of employees agreed that their company’s wellbeing programme had encouraged them to live a healthier lifestyle.
So, how can employers ensure their health and wellbeing strategies are right for their workforce?
It is important to move away from the concept of ‘one size fits all’, according to Mark Ramsook, sales and marketing director at Willis Towers Watson Health and Benefits GB. “First and foremost, you need to reflect on the culture of the organisation,” he says. “Before you dive into selection mode, you need a clear, visual understanding of what employees need. You need to match health and wellbeing packages with the lifestyle needs of the workforce and make sure they will have an impact on both physical and mental wellbeing.”
Charles Alberts, head of health management at Aon, points out that employees are likely to be in different stages of health. “Therefore,” he says, “workplace wellbeing programmes should broaden their remit beyond prevention and look at the role the employer can play to facilitate early diagnosis, quick intervention in the form of treatment and also provide support for those with longer-term conditions to help them perform at their best.”
However, while many companies spend a significant amount on employee benefits aimed at treating illness, Aon’s Benefits & Trends Survey 2018 (https://aon.io/2JbzRNo) found only 32% of employers currently have a budget for wellbeing activity. “We need to address this imbalance,” says Alberts, “but equally ensure that any investment in employee wellbeing is appropriately targeted, evidence-based, and delivers tangible business results.
“While there are common issues to include in a holistic wellbeing strategy, particular health issues will present themselves in the employer’s data, which provides a useful focus for interventions,” he adds. “Data sources include employee benefits and services, health behaviour data, if collected, for example through a health risk assessment, absence data, employee surveys and engagement data.”
Ramsook agrees that hard facts and data are key when it comes to deciding what works for employees and what doesn’t, but communication is equally important. “Feedback should be encouraged and businesses should consider appointing workplace champions to relay to management the impact policies are having,” he says. “As well as measuring metrics and data, communication is essential, and it is often the missing piece of the puzzle. Companies spend a lot of time and money putting programmes together but then don’t bother to find out if they’re effective or relevant to the workforce.”
But as with the health benefits themselves, communication needs to be tailored to the specific workplace environment, says Alberts. “Of course, the way employers engage their employees and what specific interventions are offered will differ,” he explains. “For instance, email and online communication may work well in an office-based environment, but not for those on the shop floor.”
Darren Worsnop, head of human resources (HR) systems and projects at Leeds Trinity University, also emphasises the importance of soliciting feedback on the health policies you put in place. “At Leeds Trinity University we aim to create and embed an organisational culture which promotes positive wellbeing and high levels of engagement between the university and our employees,” he says. “You do need to look at your workforce and seek feedback on how they are feeling and understand why. We have a staff survey, which includes a section on health and wellbeing, and we also run staff forums and focus groups so that we know what health and wellbeing initiatives staff are interested in and would benefit from.”
Collaboration is another necessity when devising a truly effective health and wellbeing programme, says Worsnop. “For a health and wellbeing strategy to work, it’s important to have backing from the executive team and senior managers, and for healthcare and wellbeing to be part of the HR strategy, if not the corporate strategy. If you are serious about the health and wellbeing of your employees, you need to invest time and effort.”
Alberts concurs, and says the focus also needs to be external to the workplace as well as within it. “From an employer perspective, it’s more challenging to influence employee behaviour outside of work than aiming to remove risks that are inherent in the workplace,” he explains. “To achieve this aim we need to work closely with health and safety colleagues when designing a wellbeing programme. Their objectives are closely aligned with that of HR and other stakeholders. Not doing so is a missed trick.”
However, people’s personal lives are usually more diverse than their work-based habits so once again an individual approach is needed, and that often means looking beyond the standard measures.
Lucy Tallick, head of wellbeing at Reward Gateway, explains: “Too many businesses want to tick the box of wellbeing and so just implement a subsidised gym membership for their employees as they assume wellbeing is just physical. But this appeals to such a small fraction of the workforce.
“Only around 14% of the population use the gym, and it’s unlikely that the majority of employees will take up and use a gym membership if you offer it. Rather than choosing one single solution for all, employers should take into consideration that everyone has unique desires and needs, across physical, mental and financial wellbeing.”
Freedom of choice is the answer, says Tallick. “In order to gain buy-in, it’s much better to give the employee the power to choose their own wellbeing journey. Not only will this be unique to them, but it will hugely increase your engagement.
“When a business only offers a gym membership, you can expect about 6% uptake. But this does not remove the need for support with physical wellbeing. We should be doing around 150 minutes of exercise a week and not many people hit that. However, not everyone can jump straight into exercising at the gym.”
In fact, lack of attention to detail can render a wellbeing measure not just ineffective but counterproductive. Tallick explains: “Someone might have a poor diet and low self-esteem and while they may have good intentions by joining a gym through work, they may not attend and end up feeling worse. This person is more likely to introduce smaller lifestyle changes, such as walking to work and exercising at home, long before they want to join a gym. It’s very unlikely that just by subsidising a gym membership you will get this person to join the gym.”
Individual consultation and a flexible approach can provide effective solutions. Worsnop says: “At Leeds Trinity we consult with staff and seek feedback so we can cater for the diverse interests of our employees.
“For example, some like a physical activity such as the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge that we completed recently, others prefer mental challenges such as an escape room, while others prefer relaxation such as our weekly mindfulness sessions. Having a varied programme is the key to success.”
...increasing employee engagement in health and wellbeing is a top priority...
Employees respond well to such flexibility, says Tallick. “Offering time during the day specifically for wellbeing would be excellent but many businesses are unable to do that. Instead, you should listen to what your employees want, what can help them with their daily lives and find a flexible solution to give people a choice and cater to all needs.
“For example,” she explains, “we have a wellbeing choice pot of £500 for each individual employee where you write a statement of intention to gain access to the financial support that you need from the pot. People have used it for everything from joining the National Trust and the British Library to hypnotherapy and boot camps, tangible beneficial things that suit and help them achieve their wellbeing goals. While some still use this to join the gym, it’s not just one option and gives everyone the freedom of choice.”
Not only does an effective health and wellbeing strategy result in a more productive and engaged workforce but it also helps to both attract and retain talent. According to the 2008 report Building the Case for Wellness, by PwC, a well-designed wellbeing programme can reduce staff turnover by 10% to 25%.
What’s more, a Reward Gateway survey found that over half of employees (52%) agreed that they would choose a company that cared about their wellbeing over one that paid 10% more.
Alberts says: “We see that more progressive employers are starting to advertise their wellbeing programmes on their career pages as part of the overall employee value proposition. Having a wellbeing programme shows both current and prospective employees that yours is a great place to work, and that you wish for them to be their best selves both in and out of work.”
Worsnop goes as far as to say that health and wellbeing is becoming one of the most important areas in attracting and retaining employees. He explains: “The cost of recruitment is high and organisations want to ensure they attract the best employees and retain and develop them. Having a strategy and showing commitment across all areas and levels of the university shows that we take staff wellbeing seriously.
“By showing the variety of free wellbeing activities on offer, as well as our online portal, Juice, which has wellbeing articles and information, I hope we show employees and potential employees that we are committed to the health and wellbeing of all our staff.”
...lack of attention to detail can render a wellbeing measure not just ineffective but counterproductive
As with just about every area of business, technology is having huge impact on workplace health, and innovations are increasing engagement and making services more accessible to employees than ever.
The Global Benefits Attitudes Survey showed that one in two employees use technology to manage their health, so online tools are critical in helping workers of all ages make decisions about healthcare choices in a complex market. Nuffield Health, for example, has recently launched a new online digital platform – PATH (personalised assessment for tailored health) – which uses historic and real-time health data to understand physical and mental wellbeing, allowing employers to provide a more tailored offering to reduce absenteeism and increase productivity.
Dr Davina Deniszczyc, charity director and medical director at Nuffield Health, explains: “PATH uses a number of evidence-based mathematical algorithms to determine a person’s risk factors and generate a completely tailored assessment for them. The data collected can then be used to drive an organisation’s wellbeing strategy for the future, increasing the success rate and return on investment.”
Nuffield also offers virtual general practitioner services, which allow employees to get advice and treatment via secure online video or phone consultations anywhere and anytime.
Alberts believes there is much more to come in a constantly evolving landscape. “Technology as an enabler of health and wellbeing is exciting,” he says. “We’re only just starting to see the possibilities, be that a doctor in your pocket, or a meditation app that helps you improve your mental fitness, or an activity tracker that brings the amount of movement you do into your consciousness.
“Engaging with these technologies can be powerful to help us stay in good shape, and proactively access support as soon as we need it.”
It seems there is an abundance of methods and tools for improving and maintaining the health of the workforce, and the benefits to both employees and the organisation are clear. So, if a company claims to care about the wellbeing of its staff, it is time to do something that really makes a difference.