Healthier employees are happier and more productive. But have you ever considered that YOU as an employer can contribute to a healthy workforce by offering more health-related benefits? 

It is encouraging to see that XpertHR’s latest survey reveals that more than half (59.4%) of UK organisations offer mental health support to their workforce, especially in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

We know that job satisfaction and retention are not achieved through monetary compensation alone. Employees are looking for other attractive benefits before deciding whether to work for a company, and health and wellbeing is certainly top of people’s wish list!

We take a look at some of the health-related benefits you can offer and consider:

• What role should employers play in supporting their employee’s mental and physical health?
• What health related benefits can you easily implement to get the most out of your employees?
• How can SMEs keep employee health and wellbeing at the top of agenda beyond the Covid-19 pandemic?

Line Managers supporting wellbeing

Managers play a crucial role in supporting their team’s mental wellbeing, creating the right environment for them to thrive, and keeping open communication so that they feel comfortable voicing any concerns or anxieties they might be feeling. 

Yet too many SMEs are not providing the support and training needed to ensure managers have the confidence and capability to do this job well. 

Consider Mental Health First Aid training to help managers recognise the signs and symptoms of those who might be struggling so they can signpost the correct professional help where it might be needed. 

Supporting employees with caregiving responsibilities 

Employees need to consider the extra responsibility and pressure placed on their employees who may support elderly relatives or children with special needs. This might be delivered through offering flexible hours outside a typical working day, compressed work weeks, and shorter days for people with caregiving responsibilities. 

Remember that longer hours don’t always equal more productivity. It’s about shifting the focus to outcomes rather than hours. 

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) 

An employee assistance programme (EAP) is a confidential service that enables you to help your staff with personal or workplace issues that might be impacting their performance, wellbeing, mental or physical health.

According to a survey by Xpert HR, 89% of employers are now offering this service as an employee benefit. 

This gives your employees a confidential, safe place to talk about issues that might be worrying them (whether job-related or personal) so they can better manage issues and perform to their best at work. 

It also provides an invaluable resource for managers, who can refer employees to counselling when they feel unable to help with a more complex issues that an employee is facing.

Other health-related benefits you could consider: 

• Life assurance/death in service benefit
• Flu injections
• Optical benefits
• Health insurance and income protection
• Annual health screening
• Free or subsidised gym membership
• Regular weekly access to mindfulness sessions run by trained colleagues
• In-house health and fitness advice via a dedicated health and wellbeing team

If your SME would like help in designing a health-related employee benefits program, contact our team today for expert advice.