Despite 87% of employees taking responsibility for their own wellbeing, only 31% said they engage with workplace programmes, according to research by health and wellbeing provider HCML.
Its corporate Health and wellbeing report, which surveyed 500 employees and 200 employers in organisations with more than 50 staff, found that employee respondents would be interested in a range of health and wellbeing benefits if these were offered to them by their employers. However, 53% of employers said they use sickness absence management information to define the wellbeing options they provide, and just 31% of employees take up health benefits when offered.
Almost two-fifths (38%) of employees cited good nutrition as the thing they are most interested in when it comes to their wellbeing. However, just 48% look after their nutrition.
More than a third (36%) said keeping active was important, 36% want help with sleep, 35% want help to maintain a positive attitude, and 30% are interested in managing weight.
Almost two-fifths (39%) of employee respondents said they believe assuming responsibility for their wellbeing will prevent further ill health. Meanwhile, only 33% of employers which capture health data use it to define the benefits they provide to their workforce.
Pamela Gellatly, strategic development director at HCML, said: “The survey results show that although employees feel it is their responsibility to take care of themselves, the majority want the support of their workplace to help them to do this in specific ways. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, but armed with the knowledge of what employees want means that employers can put the right support in place and signpost their workforce to the appropriate initiatives.
“Providing workplace benefits that are easy to access means employees can take more responsibility to ensure they get themselves better. With an effective workplace wellbeing programme, which empowers employees to take better care of themselves, employers can mitigate or reduce the level of sickness and absence in their organisation and reap the rewards of a happier, more productive workforce.”
