Seven in 10 (71%) employers have seen increased employee demand for wellbeing benefits over the past year, according to research by employee benefits technology provider Zest.
Its survey of 2,000 people also found that 76% of HR respondents said their organisation has increased investment in wellbeing benefits over the past 12 months, while 75% said their employer has introduced more mental or physical health benefits during the same period.
Despite this, 46% of employee respondents feel like their organisation offers more wellbeing benefits than a year ago, dropping to just 17% among those aged over 55. More than half (54%) of employee respondents believe their employer cares about their wellbeing.
Two-fifths (41%) think their workplace benefits package is inadequate, which rises to nearly half (47%) among 18-34 year olds. To combat this, almost half (48%) of employees are calling for their employer to introduce a head of wellbeing role in the organisation.
Around two-thirds (63%) of employee respondents agreed that benefits have become more important to them when deciding where to work, rising to 72% among those aged 18-34. Meanwhile, 56% of employees would leave their current job if another organisation offered them a better benefits package.
Matt Russell, chief executive officer of Zest, said: “Worryingly, despite the vast majority of organisations investing heavily in wellbeing benefits, many employees still believe that their employer could do much more to support their mental and physical wellbeing. Employers not investing in their benefits packages or ensuring that the benefits on offer match the needs of employees will struggle to keep pace with competitors as the wellbeing revolution accelerates. Those that fail in this area face a real struggle to attract and retain key talent if they don’t understand the wellbeing demands of their workforce.”
