Employers are increasingly taking a holistic approach to employee health and wellbeing.
A number of employers have held wellness days or standalone events to promote wellbeing issues, encourage staff to use the benefits available to support their health, and show how to improve their lifestyle.
Deloitte hosted two seminars for its employees in September, one focusing on men’s health and the other on women’s health.
Meanwhile, City University held a wellness day for its 2,500 staff, including mini health assessments, and cholesterol, blood pressure and body mass index tests. Clara Correa-Zappa Demilew, wellbeing and safety co-ordinator at the university, said: “If the numbers are low or too high, staff can arrange to see our occupational health nurse. They can then change their lifestyle.”
Other employers have supported staff training for sports events. For example, Thomsons Online Benefits arranged weekly training sessions, motivational speakers, weekly sports massages, a nutritionist, a physiotherapist and a branded kit to help staff train for the 2012 Virgin London Triathlon on 22 September.
Meanwhile, law firm D Young and Co paid entry and travel costs for staff entering the JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge charity run.
David Priestley, sales director at PruHealth, said: “Improving and supporting good employee health requires an integrated programme that provides the right intervention at the right time.
Mercer and PruHealth have linked up to launch the Britain’s Healthiest Company initiative. Employers with more than 100 staff can enter and will be surveyed on health risks and trends.
Meanwhile, iGlobalWellness has launched a 12-month programme to increase employees’ activity levels.
PruHealth has also launched online mental health tools that allow staff to undertake assessments of stress, psychological wellbeing, resilience and social support.