A third of employers are failing to provide support for physical, mental, or financial wellbeing in the wake of the pandemic, according to a survey of UK employees by workplace benefits broker Engage Health Group.

The findings of the ‘Work, Health and Wellbeing’ report also reveal that nine out of ten employees rate health as their top life priority, suggesting many companies are falling short with their employee benefits provision.

“If you extrapolate these findings to the thirty-two million people employed in the UK, then we could have more than ten million people lacking any one of the three pillars of wellbeing,” said Nick Hale, Founder/Director at employee benefits broker Engage Health Group. “This is concerning given the rising demand for such support. But it may also reflect some of the challenges facing businesses in a turbulent economic environment.”

The survey reveals that:

• 8 in 10 employees feel the employee benefits they receive leads them to feel more loyal towards that company.
• 1 in 3 employees feel that health and wellbeing is not a business priority where they work, and it is not promoted by management.
• The most commonly provided employee benefits are ‘enhanced pension contributions’ (45%), ‘flexible working’ (45%), and ‘home working’ arrangements (43%).
• The most sought-after benefits are ‘flexible working’ (46%), ‘home working’ (42%), and ‘private health insurance’ (32%).

“Employee benefits have been in greater focus over the past few years as employers hone their packages to make them as compelling as possible,” said Nick. “With so much noise in this space and a myriad of perks and benefits being projected from multiple angles, what this survey shows is that the basics haven’t changed, and when everything is stripped back, the health of employees, and that of their families, remain the highest priority.”

Are employees getting what they want?

Flexible and home working arrangements are in higher demand than ever before. This undoubtedly reflects employees’ positive experiences when such arrangements were legally required at the height of the pandemic. The high demand for private health insurance is also likely related to the experiences of the last two years.

“It comes as no surprise that flexible working is a priority for many, given the significant contribution it can make to your physical, mental, and financial wellbeing,” said Rachel King, UK General Manager, Breathe. “This finding correlates with research we recently conducted amongst SME employees. It is vital that all employers recognise this and regularly review flexible working policies in line with this reality.”

Nick Hale added: “It’s encouraging to see such a broad range of benefits offered and that so many employers are working hard to support the wellbeing of their staff. At Engage, we’ve seen unprecedented enquiries for health insurance over the past 12 months, and interestingly for all staff rather than purely those in senior positions. With over 6 million people currently on NHS waiting lists, this is a trend we expect to continue.”