The types of health benefits respondents provide to some or all staff
More than three-quarters (77%) of respondents' organisations offer support or counselling services to some or all employees, the highest ranking type of health benefit cited by respondents in this survey.
Support or counselling benefits include employee assistance programmes (EAPs), other types of stress counselling, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, and other forms of counselling for debt, legal or family issues.
The second most popular type of healthcare benefit offered by respondents is insurance benefits (76%). These benefits include private medical insurance (PMI) for employees and for employees’ dependants, dental insurance for employees and for the employees’ dependants, personal accident insurance for employees and the employees’ dependants, and healthcare trusts.
Almost as many employers offer PMI for employees’ dependants as a voluntary, employee-funded benefit (34%) as those that offer it as a core benefit (36%).
Dental insurance for both employees and employees’ dependants is more commonly offered as a voluntary benefit, offered in this way by 39% and 48% of respondents, respectively.
Personal accident insurance provided for employees as a core benefit has remained at a fairly consistent level within healthcare packages. Back in 2001, our research found that 24% of employers offered the benefit, while 10 years later in 2011, 22% offered it either to all or some staff on a core basis. This year’s research shows that 29% of employers offer it to staff.
This year, occupational health benefits are offered by 74% of employers. The three most common occupational health benefits offered on a core basis are outsourced occupational health practitioner or department (62%), on-site occupational health practitioner or department (27%), and an on-site gym or fitness classes (21%).
The top health benefits offered on a core (employer-funded) basis by respondents
The top of the table of the most popular health benefits offered by employers has seen little change in recent years. Employee assistance programmes (EAPs) remain one of the most commonly offered healthcare benefits, perhaps indicative of employers' growing recognition of the importance of providing a means of support for employees. This year, 96% of respondents offer an EAP on a core basis, a higher proportion than the 58% in 2013, and the 78% that did so in 2012.
The percentage of employers that offer private medical insurance (PMI) on a core basis has also increased in recent years. This year, 77% of respondents offer the benefit as part of a core benefits package, up from 50% in 2011 and 43% in 2013.
Group risk products, such as group income protection (GIP) and life assurance, have always featured highly as core benefits because they are generally viewed as being of high value to employees but of a relatively low cost to the employer. Life assurance is provided by 95% of respondents to this year’s research, an increase from 63% in 2013 when the research was last conducted. GIP, meanwhile, is provided on a core basis by 74% of respondents. Back in 2001, this was the second highest-ranked health benefit, provided by 39% of employers.
Employee wellbeing is an issue that continues move up employers' radars. In 2013, 20% of employers provided staff with wellbeing advice or a health campaign; in 2017 this figure increased to 40%.
Although it is the first time we have included the question, an interesting figure to note is that 31% of respondents provide technology other than fitness trackers, such as apps, to support wellbeing on a core basis.
Accompanying graphs:
The types of health benefits respondents provide to some or all staff
Support or counselling services 77%
Insurance benefits 76%
Occupational health 74%
Group risk benefits 65%
Wellbeing benefits 58%
Health cash plans 55%
None of the above 1%
Sample: All respondents (93)
The top health benefits offered on a core (employer-funded) basis by respondents
Employee assistance programme (EAP) 96% (NB: updated from previous copy)
Life assurance or death in service 95%
Private medical insurance for employee 77%
Income protection for employee 74%
Outsourced occupational health practitioner or department 62%
Flu vaccination 49%
Regular (for example annual) workstation health audits 49%
Stress counselling other than EAP (such as cognitive behavioural therapy) 47%
Free fruit or healthy drinks such as green or fruit teas 45%
Wellbeing advice or workshops 40%
Debt, family or legal counselling 33% (NB: updated from previous copy)
Private medical insurance for employees’ dependents 36%
Healthy eating options in staff canteen 35%
Optical benefits (above statutory minimum) 35%
Health screening or well man or well woman clinics 31%
Technology to support wellbeing (other than fitness trackers) 31%
Health cash plan for employee 29%
Sample: All respondents (70)
