Employers are adapting their health and wellbeing support programmes for employees to accommodate new remote and hybrid working patterns, according to new research from Grid.
Over 30 per cent of companies that allow remote or hybrid work have made it simpler for employees to access current support and perks via remote methods like apps and the internet. Also, 28 per cent have added new health and wellbeing perks, while 22 per cent have enhanced remotely accessible support, such as virtual GP sessions, and planned more social activities.
Grid has reminded employers of the importance of continually reviewing the support they offer to their staff and how it is delivered, in order to meet the changing needs of their employees.
According to Grid, employers should be careful to support the four pillars of physical, mental, financial, and social health and wellbeing when enhancing health and wellbeing benefits to reflect changes in working patterns. Grid warns that because these four pillars are inextricably interwoven, employees who have problems in one area can also have problems in another. Therefore, the foundation of all health and wellbeing initiatives should be holistic assistance.
Employers now face new difficulties in determining how their policies and efforts are affecting the health and wellbeing of their workforce as a result of the hybrid work model. Grid reports that 67 per cent of businesses now say they monitor the effects of hybrid working on the health and happiness of their employees. 54 per cent of firms assess productivity, 52 per cent monitor employee engagement and feedback, 46 per cent monitor staff retention, and 40 per cent monitor absence rates.
Also, according to 29 per cent of businesses, referrals and pointers to insurance and support services including an employee assistance programme, private medical insurance, group income protection insurance, and vocational rehabilitation are measured. 28 per cent analyse their capacity to attract new employees, while 27 per cent gauge how frequently they use insurance and support services.
Grid emphasises that businesses that don’t assess how hybrid working affects employees’ health and wellbeing will have limited insight into how these changes affect their workforce and won’t be able to assess whether investments in health and wellbeing benefits are paying off. Employers must thus regularly assess the consequences of hybrid working on their workforce and modify their health and wellness strategies as a result.
Grid spokesperson Katharine Moxham: “It’s good to see that some employers are making adjustments to reflect that their employees are working remotely or have adopted a hybrid approach to their working location, but this new world is here to stay, and we’d like to see more employers stepping up. Offering access to virtual physiotherapy consultations or remote mental health appointments is not a thing of the future, it’s readily available now and needs to be on the health and wellbeing menu for all employees.”
Moxham adds: “Ignorance is not bliss. Every employer needs a benchmark from which to monitor the progress of their health and wellbeing programme, and more importantly, whether it is delivering successful outcomes for staff.
“Some employers tackled support for home workers quickly, but these findings show that others are still getting to grips with making modifications to health and wellbeing benefits and their measurement. It’s undoubtedly a challenge and will continue to be so as working practices ebb and flow. However, an employer who doesn’t move with the times is not supporting the health and wellbeing of their staff as well as they could.”
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