Almost six out of 10 employers increased their workforce last year, with 56 per cent planning to do so this year according to new research from Towergate Health & Protection.
The consultancy found that this trend was most pronounced among larger employers with 71 per cent increasing the number of employees last year, and 68 per cent planning to do so in the next 12 months.
Towergate says that there is a renewed need for employers to focus on health and wellbeing support, given the competition to recruit staff and retain valued employees in these market conditions.
Towergate Health & Protection head of wellbeing Debra Clark says: “Most job specs concentrate on salary and may include benefits, but health and wellbeing support is much more extensive.
“‘Benefits’ is often taken to mean a pension and possibly some level of healthcare for higher management, but full wellbeing support is now vital in the employment market. The term ‘benefits’ alone can undersell what a company is really offering and we’d encourage employers to expand on this if they want their remuneration packages to work hard for them.”
A complete support programme will cover all four pillars of health and wellbeing: physical, mental, social, and financial. She points out that employer support should ideally include a wider focus, for example address issues such as gender-specific support, neurodiversity, addiction, eldercare, nutrition and fitness.
It can also be more carefully targeted to meet the needs of particular risk profiles and age demographics.
Clark adds that post-pandemic, expectations are much greater in terms of health and wellbeing support, with potential employees often more selective about the employment package they will accept. She adds that in ‘a sellers’ market’, they are in a position to be choosy.
Clark adds: “Attracting and retaining the right talent will be a struggle for many businesses this year. We believe that a full health and wellbeing support programme is one of the best ways to stand out from the crowd and to be an employer of choice.”
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