As many as half of employers are still not engaging in the health and wellbeing of their staff, according to a new report by Health Shield.
Despite mental health charities indicating employee wellbeing is now reaching crisis levels, the health cash plan provider’s study found a substantial 48% of bosses had so far failed to even ask employees for their views on their health, wealth and happiness.
The research polled 3,528 workers about how, and if, their employers had gauged and responded to employee wellbeing since the pandemic.
But it discovered that even among those who had surveyed their staff, a significant 17% had not done so in response to Covid-19 (Coronavirus). The communication these staff received was simply part of the employer’s annual wellbeing survey.
Commenting on the findings Jennie Doyle, head of marketing at Health Shield, said: “Many employers are still taking a traditional one-size-fits-all, disjointed approach to benefit and wellbeing programme communication.”
She added: “Considering wellbeing provides the foundation for employee engagement, this hit-and-miss approach is a concern, especially during the current economic downturn.”
The research also found 55% of respondents were not fully aware of the employee benefits and wellbeing services they were entitled to as part of their employment package.
“It’s vital employers gather health and wellbeing employee insights,” added Doyle.
However, the data found that among those who were knowledgeable about their employee benefits, more than half (55%) would miss them if they were no longer there.