There is a significant mismatch in Ireland between employee needs and employer’s understanding and recognition of these needs with approximately six in ten (63pc) workers expressing concerns about their employer’s inadequate support of their physical, mental, and financial wellbeing. This is according to a recent survey, which asked over 700 workers across the country for their thoughts on workplace supports.

The survey, which gauged the extent to which employee wellbeing needs are currently being met by their employers found that one in five workers (20pc) only feel moderately supported by their employers while 35pc feel they are not supported at all (35pc). Only 15pc of employees feel their needs are fully supported by their employer, while three in ten (30pc) said that while their needs were “mostly supported”, there was “room for improvement”.

A notable finding from the research was that in the main, female employees feel less supported than their male counterparts in all aspects of their workplace wellbeing.

Other headline findings from the Lockton People Solutions Employee Benefits Survey reveal that those working in construction and the public sector are least likely to feel supported by their employer’s wellbeing initiatives compared to pharma and agriculture. In the case of mental wellbeing, 61pc of pharma and agriculture feel that their needs are being met compared to just 37pc of construction and 41pc of public sector employees. Furthermore, over three-quarters (76pc) of private healthcare and education professionals do not feel supported by their employer in relation to their financial and lifestyle wellness.

Interestingly, seven in ten (69pc) of those working in public sector healthcare and education industries do not believe that their physical wellbeing needs are being met by their employer.

Another key finding of the research was that across, the board, employees in the largest organisations of 250+ workers feel the most looked after.

The results shine a light on the mismatch between employee needs and employer’s understanding and recognition of these needs. Employees across the board are not satisfied that their needs are being met. Often, this is not because the employer is not trying to look after their staff – but simply because they don’t know how to. So, their efforts are misdirected and often in vain.

The fact that female employees are less likely to feel supported speaks to the need for greater cognisance on the part of employers of the differing needs of their workers  – whether that be based on gender, age, or simply on the individuals within the organisation.

The best way for employers to find out where they can make changes or improvements is to open regular two-way dialogue about what works and what doesn’t. Communication regarding employee wellbeing benefits can fall between the cracks and get lost amongst other organisation initiatives or priorities.

Unsurprisingly, workers in larger organisations with over 250 employees feel their needs are being taken care of much more than in small or medium-sized organisations. This is most likely down to resources and more well-developed channels to engage and communicate with staff. Larger organisations have the budget and resources to put into a robust and diverse suite of wellbeing initiatives so there is more of a likelihood of something appealing to everyone. But this doesn’t mean that smaller organisations can’t be effective in this area – it’s just a case of harnessing the resources that are available in a meaningful way, by selecting the most relevant suite of benefits, with suitably qualified providers, and communicating this in a holistic way so that people can value and access the benefits when most needed.

When it comes to individual needs, the survey found that over one-third of employees surveyed (35pc) don’t feel supported at all as an individual and attest that their personal wellbeing needs are not being recognised or considered. A further one-fifth (20pc) feel moderately supported while 45pc state that they feel adequately supported to varying degrees.

Those in the 45 to 54 age cohort feel least supported when it comes to their individual needs when compared to other age groups with 41pc of this age group feeling this way compared to 28pc of those aged between 25 and 34.

It is important to recognise the diverse personal circumstances of people, at all stages of work and life. Ideally, a benefits programme should align with their unique preferences and lifestyle choices in a meaningful and engaging way. By establishing regular channels for employees to provide feedback such as using surveys, focus groups, employee resource groups, and capturing utilisation data to gather insights, employers can get an idea of what changes might be needed.

The disparities across age groups underscore the importance of employee engagement and feedback when it comes to wellbeing – what works for someone in their 20s may not appeal to a worker in their 40s and vice versa. It is vital to consider varied life stages and adopt more inclusive approaches to wellbeing strategies to foster a more supportive workplace for employees at different stages of their professional lives. This also includes adopting more equitable leave policies for all with caring responsibilities or other commitments.

Finally, any changes to the design of a benefits programme will not be optimised unless wrapped up in a compelling narrative, that is credible and authentic, that engages staff on a continuous basis – where people understand what’s offered and why, and how to easily access those benefits.

*survey by Lockton People Solutions

[1] Conducted by iReach