Ian Talbot, CEO of Healix
Protecting the health and well-being of employees has never been more important. With record numbers of people out of work due to sickness, the government has recently called on businesses to provide adequate healthcare to stop staff being signed off to ensure productivity and improved workplace wellbeing.
With sickness costing the UK an average of £138bn annually, it’s vital that firms make a concerted effort to keep track of the health of their employees and prevent existing conditions from worsening.
As the CEO of a leading corporate healthcare trust provider, I have seen first-hand how healthcare has steadily moved from boardroom to building site, with all levels of employees increasingly being offered support.
At Healix, we’ve seen a 67% increase in individuals covered by schemes since 2020, as employers are becoming more in tune with the fact that promoting better health can both boost productivity and reduce healthcare costs in the long run.
The old adage “prevention is better than the cure” is increasingly relevant for firms in 2024. But how can firms ensure they implement preventative healthcare programmes that work for their business?
Embrace digital
The key to a preventative healthcare strategy is easy access. Digital wellness platforms are therefore a good solution and are important in ensuring people are supported across all aspects of health.
Allowing employees access to tools such as Virtual GP gives people access to primary care appointments, often in under 24 hours, meaning they’ll be on the road to recovery much quicker. This simultaneously has the benefit of alleviating pressure on an already squeezed NHS.
Digital tools are also invaluable in being able to analyse individual health data to provide customised plans. With workplaces consisting of a variety of people from all ages and walks of life, this is both essential in ensuring people feel valued, and that people’s diverse needs are catered for.
Providing digital healthcare can also provide employers with valuable data to better understand the healthcare issues their staff are living with, allowing them to offer targeted health interventions to support them to get back into good health or prevent issues from escalating in the first place.
Culture is key
Creating a culture where employees feel they can speak openly about their well-being is crucial in enabling people to seek the help they need, thereby preventing issues from worsening in the future.
One strategy employers can take is to facilitate knowledge and resource sharing. This could include hosting forums where employees and leaders talk openly about the positive impact of wellbeing initiatives to encourage people to seek support early.
The businesses I have worked with where I have seen the most positive impact of employee benefits schemes have been those where managers have received sufficient training in discussing available options. This should include coaching on how to confidently discuss benefits on offer with people from a range of backgrounds so that teams are effectively supported.
With the new flexible working bill having recently been introduced, employers should work with employees to introduce adjustments, including changing start or finish times to suit them, helping to promote and support a more balanced personal and work life that can, in turn, help prevent burnout
Mental health focus
Poor mental health and stress is the major cause of long-term sickness, and can result in physical health problems, so employers must ensure they develop a mental health strategy that ensures people get the support they need.
Research by University College London has shown that peer-to-peer support is vital for employee wellbeing. Companies should therefore ensure that part of their strategy includes encouraging people to share their experiences through focus groups, and creating psychologically safe spaces for people to share their experiences.
Managers also have a critical role to play in creating a working environment where people feel they can share how they’re feeling with colleagues. This is backed up by research from UKG which discovered that managers have just as much of an impact on mental wellbeing as people’s partners. Leaders should therefore carve out time to check in with their direct reports to understand any issues that might be impacting their mental health, before working together on a plan to support them to get the help they need.
This could include the use of tools such as remote consultations and self-directed online programmes so people feel in control of their own wellbeing.
Communication is key
Above all, communication is key to taking a preventative approach to health in the workplace. This could take the form of regular email updates or presentations from leaders that inform staff members of new benefits. Employee feedback sessions are also important in understanding the types of benefits people want to see introduced in the future. With research by Deloitte, showing that focusing on employee wellbeing is key for increased retention, it pays for firms to invest in a strong preventative health strategy.
The post Why businesses must take a preventative approach to health and wellbeing appeared first on HR News.