Latest research* shows that mental health tops the list of expected employee needs in 2025, with nearly a third (31%) of employers stating they believe there will be an increased demand for support.
Areas where employers think they will see an increased demand for support in the coming year:
Mental health 31%
Financial wellbeing 19%
General fitness 18%
Male mental health 17%
Caring responsibilities 16%
Planning for retirement 14%
Line managers mental wellbeing 14%
Dental care 13%
Health screening in general 13%
24/7 access to a virtual GP 13%
Menopause 13%
If we take into account ‘male mental health’ and ‘line manager mental wellbeing’ along with the figure focusing generally on ‘mental health’, then in fact 62% of employers think there will be increased demand for mental health support and, of course, most of the other areas of concern can have a negative impact on mental health too.
Debra Clark, head of wellbeing at Towergate Employee Benefits, says: “The good news is that there are a growing number of ways in which employers are able to support the mental health needs of employees, from providing access to an Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) to inpatient psychiatric care. This greater provision has corresponded with increased awareness of the support available and an increased propensity to access it. All of this is hugely positive for the employee, but it does create growing expectations for the employer to provide ever-expanding support.”
Most health and wellbeing supports mental health
Employers should look to experts to assist them in the choice of mental health support, and how to balance this with increased demand on other areas of assistance too. While mental health may top the list of requirements, helping employees to deal with their financial and caring responsibilities, along with their physical fitness, for example, will largely help to boost their mental health too.
Niche and diverse
The list of requirements for support is long and varied from employees. Some of the areas where employees are looking for support are very specific and only likely to apply to a smaller number of the workforce, including such matters as neurodiversity and fertility. It is important, therefore, that employers are able to offer health and wellbeing programmes that are adaptable and can be tailored towards specific needs. New areas of employee support are emerging all the time and include such diverse areas as eldercare, special needs and neurodiversity. The support for these is equally multi-faceted, including helping to find the best places for care and education, as well as guidance on funding, and mental health care for those impacted by caring responsibilities.
Debra Clark explains: “Support is becoming not only more diverse but also more specific. For instance, rather than just ‘mental health’, support can be tailored for each gender, or by age-group, and will often include a more holistic approach that looks at lifestyle, nutrition and building resilience too.’
With such a myriad of concerns being raised by employees and so many more options for meeting these needs, employers will need help in navigating the available choices and matching their support with the needs of their workforce. Some of the issues concerning employees, such as access to a GP, may be easy to address or even already available as an add-on to existing employee benefits. Other requirements, such as eldercare, may need much more specialist guidance, which is available but may be harder for employers to find, compare and select without expert assistance.
Debra Clark concludes: “Employees are being pulled in so many different directions, with a need to keep themselves, older relatives and younger dependants healthy and happy. Increasingly, people are now turning to their employer for assistance. Employers cannot and should not be expected to be experts in all these areas. They therefore need support and guidance, just as much as their employees do.”
*Towergate Employee Benefits
