In 2013, 48% of respondents will consider new health and wellbeing initiatives to retain, engage and reward employees, according to research by Jelf Employee Benefits.

The research, which surveyed 162 employers, also found that 54% of respondents felt there was a lack of choice in terms of competition from insurers and hospitals on healthcare benefits.

Ronjit Bose, commercial director at Jelf Employee Benefits, said: “This shows that, as an industry, we need to keep being creative.

“Employers are actively seeking new ways to engage with their staff, and options that may once have been the domain of much larger employers, such as flexible benefits plans, are now likely to be embraced by smaller employers.

“What employers are looking for is better choice, service and transparency from insurers and hospitals.”