Despite increased health and wellbeing support, businesses still face significant employee-related issues.
- Currently, 74% of employers report offering more wellbeing support compared to two years ago, aiming to alleviate workforce challenges.
- However, issues such as quiet quitting and staff turnover remain prevalent, affecting 35% and 34% of businesses respectively.
- Hybrid working arrangements, presenteeism, and absence rates further complicate the workplace dynamics.
- Strategic, targeted health and wellbeing initiatives are needed to address these persistent issues effectively.
In recent years, a significant 74% of employers have increased their health and wellbeing support, with 42% offering substantially more than before. This effort aims to mitigate ongoing employee-related challenges that continue to affect businesses.
Despite these improvements, core issues such as quiet quitting—where employees do only the bare minimum required—and staff turnover are reported by 35% and 34% of organisations, respectively. These challenges underscore the need for targeted interventions.
Hybrid working models, embraced by many organisations, pose their own challenges, with 31% of employers noting it affects their workforce dynamics. Presenteeism, where employees work despite being unwell, is another concern, affecting 30% of businesses.
The complexities of absence rates (27%) and early retirement (24%) are similarly linked to broader wellbeing issues that require strategic focus. Only 15% of businesses claim to be unaffected by these issues, indicating the widespread nature of these challenges.
Debra Clark, head of wellbeing for Towergate Health & Protection, emphasises the importance of targeted support: ‘Employers must do more than implement general support; it should address specific issues that their business faces.’
Employers are urged to conduct staff surveys and utilise risk profiling to ascertain and respond to employee needs precisely. Such targeted approaches are essential for curbing these issues effectively.
Digital platforms play a crucial role in delivering accessible and immediate health and wellbeing support, especially under hybrid working conditions, allowing for ongoing evaluation and adjustment.
As Clark aptly concludes, indiscriminate spending on health initiatives is insufficient; a strategic approach is vital to ensuring that support is both beneficial for employees and the organisation’s unique challenges.
A strategic approach to employee health and wellbeing is essential to addressing persistent workplace challenges.
