EXCLUSIVE: Over a quarter (28%) of respondents intend to put a greater focus on communicating their healthcare benefits to staff over the next 12 months, according to exclusive research by Employee Benefits.
The Employee Benefits Healthcare research 2013, which surveyed 376 HR and benefits professionals, also found that 22% of respondents intend to increase the number of healthcare benefits on offer. Back in 2006, 16% planned to increase the number of healthcare benefits they offer.
Despite the overhanging cost of pensions auto-enrolment and ongoing economic challenges, 14% of the 2013 respondents plan to increase the number of employees covered by healthcare benefits. Back in 2009 one in ten (9%) planned to extend coverage of healthcare benefits.
The proportion of respondents that plan to place benefits within an employer-funded flexible benefits scheme has slipped from 12% in 2006 to 8% in 2013, perhaps because those that can do it, have already placed healthcare benefits in flex.
The proportion that plan to reduce the number of benefits they offer stands at just 4%, reflecting employers’ understanding of the value of healthcare benefits.
