Need to know:
- Personalised health and wellbeing support is more likely to engage employees and drive behavioural change.
- Tests can highlight a variety of health issues including fertility problems; menopause and andropause; gut health issues and cancer.
- As employees gain deeper insight into their health, education will help them understand the implications of any tests they take and raise awareness of the support colleagues may need.
Simple measurements such as height, weight and blood pressure can reveal a lot about an individual’s health. But organisations wishing to help employees optimise their health and wellbeing may want to explore some of the less obvious influences.
Taking this broader approach to health is something that is beginning to hit the workplace agenda, says Lucie McGrath, head of wellbeing at Willis Towers Watson. “Everything from our hormones and DNA to what we eat and how we sleep can affect our health,” she says. “More progressive employers are looking at how they can make health provision more personalised.”
This more personal approach can have significant benefits for employee health, explains Soraya Chamberlain, vice president corporate sales at HCA Healthcare UK: “It’s hard to change behaviour with generic advice around health and wellbeing. Greater personalisation in health screening, for instance, cancer screening, genetic or fertility tests, makes employees more likely to adopt healthier lifestyles.”
Hormone testing
A good example of this is hormone testing, which is available through firms such as HCA Healthcare, Hertility and Thriva. This is a simple blood test, which can be undertaken at home or with a nurse, to reveal a range of health issues.
As well as identifying fertility and reproductive issues, hormones tests can highlight thyroid problems and provide greater clarity around menopause and, for male employees, andropause. They can also support trans employees, allowing them to monitor testosterone and oestrogen levels.
More specialised tests are also available that can help pick up a health problem early or help an employee make lifestyle changes. These include DNA cheek swabs, which can provide insight into nutrition and exercise; PSA blood tests, which screen for signs of prostate cancer; and gut microbiome tests, that can identify food intolerances and optimum diets.
Valuable health insight
With so many tests available, McGrath recommends that employers offer a curated list to employees. “Offering a broad range of tests will ensure there’s something for everyone but it doesn’t need to be complex,” she says. “Three or four providers will cover most tests.”
There are some potential pitfalls to avoid too. Organisations need to make sure employees can act on the findings they receive, says Karen Taylor, research director of the Centre for Health Solutions at Deloitte. “Employers need to consider what happens when an employee takes the results to their GP,” she explains. “Not all tests are recognised by the NHS.”
Chamberlain adds: “New tests are being developed all the time but we will only offer them when there is clinical evidence to back them up. Every test goes through our clinical governance and innovation board to ensure it offers value.”
Behavioural health influences
Testing can deliver personal insight but external influences can play a significant part in employee health too. A link between mental health and activity is already well recognised but the benefits of sport and exercise are increasingly associated with other health conditions.
Menopuase is just one example of this, says McGrath. “Weightlifting during perimenopause can really help women maintain bone density and prevent osteoporosis in later life,” she says. “Employers can help by promoting this information or offering access through gym memberships.”
At the other end of the activity scale is sleep, which also plays a key part in health and wellbeing. Katie Fischer, director at Circadian Sleep Coaching, explains: “If someone isn’t getting enough sleep, they probably won’t want to exercise or eat healthily. This can have serious implications for their health.”
Although most health and wellbeing platforms recognise the importance of sleep, few go beyond offering simple hints and tips. Sleep coaching and workshops can take it to the next level. “I work with employees, including sessions for new parents, to help them understand and improve their sleep,” says Fischer. “Everyone needs different amounts of sleep but people can get stressed if they feel they’re not getting enough.”
This highlights the importance of education, especially as more tests and initiatives are rolled out. “Education, whether through health and wellbeing information or webinars, will help employees understand their own health and any tests they take but it will also raise awareness across the workforce, leading to better support from colleagues,” explains Taylor.
As a deeper understanding of the different influences on employee health emerges, organisations will be able to offer a much more personalised approach. Helping employees access the insight they need to lead healthier lives will have benefits for all.