More than half (54%) of employee respondents are not offered health benefits, such as counselling, health screening, and subsidised gym membership, by their organisation, according to research by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC).
Its survey of 2,000 full and part-time employees in the UK also found that 23% of respondents think their organisation does not take employee wellbeing seriously.
The research also found:
- 39% of respondents have taken time off work or reduced their responsibilities because of their health.
- 39% of respondents who have taken time off or reduced their responsibilities due to ill health did not feel comfortable telling their employer about the issue.
- 83% of respondents believe their wellbeing influences how productive they are.
- 47% of respondents would be open to using an app to improve their wellbeing.
Jo Salter (pictured), director in people and organisations business at PWC, said: “It’s becoming increasingly important for organisations to provide employees with support for their emotional and physical health at work. Healthier and happier staff perform better, stay in their business longer and reduce costs and risks for organisations. Understanding and addressing the root causes of employee wellbeing is the first step to resolving the underlying issues.”
“Data analytics can also support and help resolve wellbeing issues by gathering team data and trends that affect wellbeing. Going through and pin-pointing insights can help bring targeted and effective change. To do so, employers will need to overcome the issue of trust with less than half of employees saying they would willingly accept a free piece of wearable tech if their information is shared within their organisation.”