35% want stress management as an employee benefit

Phil Austin

More than a third (35%) of respondents want stress management as an employee insurance benefit, according to research by Cigna.

Its 2018 Cigna 360° wellbeing survey report, which surveyed 14,467 employees across 23 countries, also found that 21% of respondents believe their employer’s workplace wellness programme is inadequate to support their needs.

The research also found:

  • 87% of respondents report having workplace stress; 72% cite this as manageable, but 15% state that their workplace stress is not manageable.
  • 49% of respondents receive support for workplace stress or have access to a formal workplace wellness programme; only 28% think this support is adequate for their needs, however.
  • 33% of respondents want access to dental benefits, compared to 28% who want to use eyecare or vision-related benefits.
  • 77% of respondents who have access to a workplace wellness programme say that their workplace stress is manageable, compared to 71% who do not have access to a workplace wellness programme.
  • 68% of respondents agree that workplace wellness programmes are important when choosing between two potential employers.
  • 67% of respondents will still go to work, despite being too ill to be productive.
  • 26% of UK respondents cite the workplace as the cause of their stress.

Phil Austin (pictured), chief executive officer, Europe at Cigna, said: “It’s clear employers have an important role to play in mental health. Our research shows that despite people wanting more help, the UK is lagging behind comparable countries in offering workplace wellbeing support. But the good news is that employers are beginning to recognise the cost of poor mental health at work and the impact this can have on their employees and business.”