Category Archives: Wellbeing at Work

Employee Benefits, Employee Engagement, Exercise, News, Wellbeing at Work

Research reveals a personalised employee wellbeing package is key to keeping the workforce engaged

  • User data from Gympass, the world’s largest corporate wellbeing platform, indicates that personalised workout benefits result in significantly higher engagement
  • The data comes as Gympass launches Trainiac by Gympass, a new feature that connects users to a specialised personal trainer to support and guide them on their wellbeing journey
  • Pairing customers with highly qualified professionals to guide them through their wellbeing journey promoted an increase in activity levels; with an average increase of 22% in gym check-ins 90 days after activating Trainiac
  • Employees who were previously inactive, when paired with a trainer completed an average of 36 workouts in the following 90 days

New user data from Trainiac by Gympass has revealed that personalisation plays a key role in engagement with workout plans and activity levels. The data comes as Gympass announces the launch of Trainiac by Gympass in the UK, a new feature that connects users to a specialised personal trainer to support and guide them on their wellbeing journey.

Trainiac by Gympass pairs members with a certified coach to build a bespoke fitness programme and tailored weekly workouts that users can implement either at home, outdoors, or at their chosen gym, all delivered through the app. The trainer monitors the user’s progress through connected health metric tracking, and provides ongoing coaching, guidance and feedback directly to the user via video, text and voice messaging.

So far, pairing customers with highly qualified professionals has promoted a significant increase in activity levels; showing an average increase of 22% in check-in engagement 90 days after activating Trainiac by Gympass.

A health and wellbeing programme is an expected element within a corporate benefits package. Yet Gympass data suggests engagement with such programmes is impacted by both the level of personalisation and the support offered to employees.

Increasing employee’s engagement with a corporate wellbeing programme has shown to be beneficial to both the employer and employee. An employee that engages with resources to improve their overall wellbeing is more productive and present in the workplace, with Gympass research revealing that employees that regularly use their wellbeing benefits are 30% less likely to leave their job, resulting in reduced disruption from employee turnover.

Gympass also found that employees who were previously inactive, reported an average of 36 workouts in the following 90 days once they activated Trainiac, with 93% remaining active with the support of their trainer. This clearly demonstrates that those struggling to engage with wellbeing and find a routine that works for them, benefit greatly from personalisation that will enable them to build health habits for the long-term.

“The data shows that employees are much more likely to engage in a wellbeing offering that offers them support and can be personalised to their own goals,” said Rodrigo Silveira, Senior Vice President New Ventures at Gympass, “We believe that our new UK offering with Trainiac by Gympass will give all employees, no matter their previous relationship with fitness, an easy way to build a wellbeing routine that is suited to them. The additional support offered by the Trainiac by Gympass coaches provides those who may have previously found it difficult to stay committed to fitness, a simple way to identify their next steps.”

Trainiac was initially acquired by Gympass in December 2021, and is already used by Gympass clients in Brazil and the US. Trainiac by Gympass is now available to all Gympass clients in the UK, at no additional cost, initially in the iOS version of the app, starting from the Gold plan. The Android release is scheduled for later this year. To learn more about Gympass, visit gympass.com/uk

 

Menopause, Menopause at work, News, Wellbeing at Work

Industry-recognised Menopause Friendly Employer Awards reveals finalists ahead of ceremony

The leading industry-recognised Menopause Friendly Employer Awards – powered by HSBC UK, first direct and M&S Bank – has revealed its finalists ahead of the live Awards ceremony on Thursday September 22, 2022 at the Leonardo Royal Hotel, St Paul’s. The event will be hosted by broadcaster Louise Minchin: 180 guests will attend in person while 100s more will join via live link from across the country.

Organised by Menopause Friendly and supported by the CIPD, the inaugural Menopause Friendly Employer Awards attracted over 85 entries across 10 categories. Most notable was that the two categories with the highest number of applications were ‘Most Open Workplace’ and ‘Best Support Group’ demonstrating the commitment by employers to open conversations and normalise menopause in the workplace.

Alongside the headline sponsor HSBC UK, first direct and M&S Bank, the Awards are supported by BAE Systems, Santander, Lloyds Banking Group, Boots, Peppy, Bristol Myers Squibb, Celerity, Theramex and Vitabiotics.

“This event will be a chance to come together to recognise all the amazing work that people have done and continue to do”, says Chris Pitt, CEO of first direct. “We feel proud to be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with such exemplary co-sponsors and fellow entrants to these Awards: I wish them all the best of luck. Whatever the outcome, everyone in the room and at the remote employer parties should be proud of the part they’re playing in improving perceptions and actions around menopause in the workplace.”

“Not long ago, menopause was so clearly a taboo in the workplace,” says Deborah Garlick, CEO of Henpicked: Menopause in The Workplace. “The response to our awards is both humbling and encouraging. Seeing the first-class businesses supporting the event and the wide array of entries from employers, large and small, just goes to show the progress being made.

“There is remarkable work being undertaken by many employers: business by business we are changing hearts and minds to make a difference to people’s lived experience of menopause in the workplace.”

 

The finalists in each category are as follows.

 

Category 1 – Menopause Friendly Employer of the Year

Bristol Myers Squibb

HSBC UK including first direct and M&S Bank

Leicestershire County Council

Category 2 – Most Open Workplace

Thames Valley Police

WW

Santander UK

BAE Systems

Ingeus

HSBC UK including first direct and M&S Bank

 

Category 3 – Best Engagement Campaign

Boots UK & Ireland, Boots Opticians and No 7 Beauty Company

Thames Valley Police

QVC UK

Ingeus

 

Category 4 – Most Menopause Friendly Environment

HSBC UK including first direct and M&S Bank

Bristol Myers Squibb

Nottingham University Hospital Trust

 

Category 5 – Best Trained Workforce

Bristol Myers Squibb

Leicestershire County Council

WW

HSBC UK including first direct and M&S Bank

 

Category 6 – Best Training Initiative

Leicestershire County Council

Bristol Myers Squibb

BAE Systems

Hertfordshire & West Essex Integrated Care System

 

Category 7 – Best Support Group

Aster Group

Lloyds Banking Group

Boots UK & Ireland, Boots Opticians and No 7 Beauty Company

Alzheimer’s Society

The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital

Santander UK

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA)

 

Category 8 – Most Supportive Partner

Santander UK

Huddersfield Town Football Club

HSBC UK including first direct and M&S Bank

 

Category 9 – Community Award

Santander UK – Theresa Winters

Experian – Kathy England

QVC UK – Tracey Cuckson

Cadent – Lucy Stuart

first direct Bank – Sue Costello

Leicestershire County Council – Mandy Baughurst

Aster Group – Julie Cridland

 

Category 10 – The Carolyn Lazurus Award

To be announced on the night

 

To find out more visit: https://menopausefriendly.co.uk/awards/

 

 

Mental Health, News, Wellbeing, Wellbeing at Work

Bosses urged to support employee mental health as cost-of-living crisis bites

Employers across the UK are being urged to offer extra help to support their employees’ mental health as the cost-of-living crisis deepens.
Emma Tomes says it’s more important now than ever before for people to be able to spot the signs of poor mental health amongst staff – and for individuals to be able to know when it’s time to ask for help.
“People are being squeezed more and more at the moment and the pressure is building,” she said.
“This is putting a strain on relationships and it can also affect the wider family. People’s stress may not be work-related, but often we can see a change in behaviours within the workplace.  I am on a mission to help employers gain the tools to be able to spot these signs and support employees who may be struggling.
“Employees may find themselves with less tolerance than they previously had. We might see more frustration or snapping and they might be looking for more reassurance than usual. They may withdraw from work and find things overwhelming, or they could struggle to switch off from work. People tend to be very good at masking things, so it’s important we check in regularly.
“As individuals we need to learn what stress looks like for us and how to deal with that. I want to help people to help themselves and give them coping strategies.”
Through her Bournemouth-based business, The Helpful Coach, Emma offers a variety of courses and workshops for businesses and employees, such as mindfulness, resilience, mental health awareness and understanding stress and anxiety.
Emma works on a consultative basis and workshops can all be tailored to the business’s individual needs.
“I really want to remove the stigma that surrounds asking for help,” she added.
“In society we are taught to be independent and strong, but we should feel comfortable in asking for help if we need it. But we don’t need to wait until then. Prevention is also important. It’s helpful to implement strategies such as wellness action plans to help start the conversation about wellbeing at work. Follow up is just as important too.”
Emma’s personal experience means she is well-placed to help people who may be struggling. “For me there came a point in my life about four years ago when I felt I was struggling; I had a ‘just keep swimming’ mentality,” she said.
“Then I hit a brick wall. There was illness in the family and everything came to a head. I started to experience panic attacks and I knew something had to change.
“Some people find it really hard to ask for help, but keeping on swimming is not sustainable. I took time off work, did some work on myself and learned self-help techniques and mindset tools to change my own thinking. It was so helpful to me and taught me coping strategies that worked.”
Emma’s new-found knowledge came into its own when her role as learning and development consultant at Specsavers was made redundant two years ago.
She had earlier set up a Facebook group, offering workshops to share her own mental health tips and to help people and her business grew from there.
“Working at Specsavers felt like I was part of a family and the redundancy felt like a huge loss,” she said. “But I’ve come full circle now. I’m back at Specsavers training their apprenticeship coaches in mental health awareness.
“I’m delighted to be able to help them look after the next generation and hopefully break the stigma of not be able to talk about our mental health at work.”
Emma also hopes to help men in the workplace in particular. “People say men are not very good at talking, but my experience shows me they are. What they actually need is a safe place free of judgement and criticism to do it,” she said.
“As the mother of two sons, now 25 and 15, we really need to encourage boys and men to be able to open up when they can and we need to be ready to listen without judgement. There needs to be space in the workplace for them to talk.”
Emma said it was also important for managers to understand the signs of poor mental health with so many employees working from home.
“We now have a blend of people working in the office and at home, but that can cause challenges with communication. My workshops can help bring people together to explore what help they need to communicate in the most effective way and inclusively too. Our courses help managers be more empathic, patient and compassionate and that results in a more engaged workforce and less absence.”
To find out more about Emma’s workshops and courses, visit helpfulcoach.co.uk
Awards, News, Wellbeing at Work

Moneypenny Receives Great Place to Work Accreditation – The ultimate recognition of its collaborative and inclusive culture.

Staff at Moneypenny’s Wrexham office celebrate the Great Places to Work Accreditation

Moneypenny, a leading provider of answering services, outsourced switchboards, Live Chat and outbound calls for small and large businesses in the UK and US, has been officially accredited as a Great Place to Work-Certified™ organisation.

Certification™ is a very significant achievement as it is based on anonymous surveys of employees’ experience, scoring the business across different aspects of workplace culture, such as inclusivity, employee wellbeing and management.

The process also requires written submission from organisations, outlining their employee experience, how its people are involved in developing new ideas and better ways of doing things, and how – regardless of their role- employees are made to feel included and able to reach their highest potential.

Charlotte Ashdown, People Director at Moneypenny said, “We are thrilled to be Great Place to Work-Certified and this is all based on the honest feedback of our wonderful people.  It is the ultimate recognition of our collaborative and inclusive culture of which we are very proud. We are delighted that our people are happy at work and feel valued and this in turn means they are more productive, drive better business results and really make a difference to our clients.”

“We congratulate Moneypenny on achieving their Certification™,” said Benedict Gautrey, Managing Director of Great Place to Work® . “Organisations which put the employee experience at the heart of their business gain their employees’ trust and, in turn, are truly able to build a great workplace culture that delivers outstanding business results.”

 The award adds to what has been an excellent year for Moneypenny so far, following the recent acquisition of Alphapage in Colorado, US and the company’s continued strong growth.  Moneypenny has over 1,200 staff based in the UK and US and its offering of cutting-edge technology powered by amazing people provides leading communication solutions to help businesses of all shapes and sizes capture every business opportunity.

Absence Management, News, UK, Wellbeing at Work

Managing Absence – How Do You Handle Extra Annual Leave Requests as the Temperatures Rise?

BrightHR has seen a 59% increase in the number of leave requests submitted for this Monday (18th July)

Last Monday saw close to a 70% (68) increase in requests so it seems everyone is making the best of the weather.

But how do you manage absence rates when everyone wants to be off?

Alan Price, CEO at Bright HR, says: “Annual leave requests always pile up once the weather gets better. The beautiful weather we’ve seen recently has put everyone in the holiday mood, and with it predicted to be even hotter this coming week, many are wanting to make the most of it.

It’s important that you don’t leave yourself understaffed so check your annual leave caps prior to accepting any requests.

“People in Essex have booked the most annual leave during this heatwave. Try to be flexible where possible to keep everyone happy but remind staff that can always enjoy the sunshine before and after work and during breaks.

“There was also a 15% increase in the average number of sickness last week with Kent having the highest rates across the country.

“When an employee calls in sick when the weather is good it can be easy to jump to conclusion, but don’t assume that every absence is fake.

“The average number of sicknesses also rose by 15% last week and while there will be genuine cases of illness – especially with rising Covid rates – it can be tempting for staff to use sick leave to enjoy the heat.

“Continue your usual absence management procedures as normal and if you have some concerns consider asking employees to call in rather than text or email.

“Make sure that all absences are recorded. That way you can look for patterns in case some employees have a habit of calling in sick whenever the weather heats up.”

News, News for HRDs, Wellbeing at Work, Wellbeing News

90 per cent of employers admit workplace wellbeing can and should be improved

New research by Gympass in collaboration with People Management Insights indicates that employers are trapped in a ‘workplace first’ mentality. 

The survey, which was completed in June 2022 and surveyed UK HR leaders, found that:

  • 90% of employers feel their wellbeing culture can be improved
  • 84.7% admitted their wellbeing culture was ‘average’ or ‘below average’
  • Fewer than 20% of employees are enrolled on physical wellbeing offerings
  • Nearly 50% of employers cited an increase in Mental Health Champions as a key change in their wellbeing strategy since the pandemic

Having a rigorous workplace wellbeing strategy has been vital to any successful business for decades, but since the pandemic, the health and wellness of the workforce has been under the microscope to a greater degree. Despite this, a new survey from People Management Insights, which worked alongside corporate wellbeing partner Gympass, has found that only 10% of employers feel their workplace culture is ‘excellent’.

The research revealed that employers are being more reactive than proactive when it comes to corporate wellbeing. The top two strategies were providing policies in response to life events (77.6%) and offering counselling services (61.8%).

“Traditionally organisations have taken a reactive approach to wellbeing, through a ‘find-and-fix’ mentality, as we can see by these figures. However, we cannot underestimate the fact that employers that create a culture of care will see happier employees, which in turn will lead to more engaged and productive teams.” says Workplace Wellbeing expert, Karl Simons, OBE.

Simons continues, “The hope is that these figures will lead more companies to understand the benefits of adopting a proactive approach and move towards a ‘predict-and-prevent’ culture.” 

On a more positive note, the survey found that over 50% of the employers increased their wellbeing spend in the last two years with nearly half of employers also having appointed Mental Health Champions in the workplace. This indicates that businesses are becoming far more adept at offering mental health support. No doubt triggered by the impact of the pandemic, this intervention came second only to the ever-popular ‘cycle to work’ scheme, which is offered by 61.9% of employers.

A worrying finding was that employee engagement in wellbeing offerings was very low. Of those who do have a workplace health and wellbeing strategy in place, fewer than 20% of employees are actually enrolled or actively engaged in available programmes.

Luke Bullen, Head of UK & Ireland at Gympass says, “When businesses first come to us, one of their main concerns is that they have wellbeing benefits available, but many of their employees do not know about them or utilise them. We work with businesses to give employees access to benefits they’ll actually use – like Barry’s Bootcamp classes or Calm memberships, because market research shows they value these branded offerings.

“We also feel that with the current cost-of-living crisis, employers have a golden opportunity to really add value to their employees’ day to day lifestyle, outside of the workplace. Bullenadds, “By creating workplace wellbeing packages that support them even when they’re not working, it allows employees to cut back on their own personal expenditure on things such as gym memberships, fitness classes and even counselling. In the current climate, that’s a great employee benefit to have.” 

All in all, it seems that employers are aware of the value of corporate wellness plans but seem unable to implement them sufficiently to engage their employees.

“We know that the introduction of health and well-being initiatives can increase the engagement rate within a company. This in turn has an impact on breaking down barriers that may exist between teams. If businesses turn the current ‘work first’ approach on its head and introduce ‘people first’ physical and mental wellbeing services, I believe they will see better engagement and overall improvement in uptake and satisfaction of their corporate wellbeing policy. After all, good health & well-being is good business.” Simons adds.  

News, Wellbeing at Work

The Workstyle Revolution is here! New book by Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst

“This book is terrific. It provides inspiration that one word can change the course of history. Lizzie and Alex are longtime leaders of the conversation on autonomous working, and this is an eye-opening perspective on the future of work”

Sophie Devonshire, author of LoveWork and Superfast – Lead at Speed.

“Lizzie and Alex have spearheaded the conversation around autonomous and asynchronous working for over a decade, bringing innovative ways of working to change the world of work.”

Caroline Arora, VP People and Culture, Blinkist

“Lizzie and Alex are reinventing the way the world works. Read this vivid and inspiring story of how each and every individual can (and should!) be able to craft their ideal workstyle.”

Pim de Morree, Co-founder, Corporate Rebels

“Workstyle is a brilliant book that we’ve never been in more need of. Lizzie and Alex are the experts on autonomous working and make it easy and exciting for us all to understand and apply.”

Helen Tupper, co-author of The Squiggly Career and You Coach You

When life has to fit around traditional work it damages wellbeing, productivity and society. Authors Alex Hirst and Lizzie Penny introduce and explain the concept of workstyle, and why this is the best and the inevitable solution for a world of work which is currently broken.

Workstyle is a system of autonomous working – not flexible, or hybrid, or office-based methods of working prescribed by companies but an individualised method, defined by each person for themselves.

 

Workstyle is the complete freedom to choose when and where you work. 

Alex and Lizzie believe that workstyle is more than just offering flexible work, more than a four-day week, more than remote or hybrid work, more than part-time work and more than job-sharing. These are halfway house suggestions that do not fix the underlying problem or the damage that has been done.

Workstyle unlocks the key to genuine inclusion and creates a meritocratic workplace where output is rewarded, rather than presenteeism. Workstyle work is inclusive, fulfilling and fair – and one day all businesses will work this way.

 

This book lays out the full story of Workstyle – from its inception, through profoundly inspiring stories of the lives it has changed, to the impact it will have on the world by levelling the playing field and creating true inclusivity and accessibility in our society. The book breaks down the concepts and contains activities to help individuals shape their workstyle future.

Lizzie and Alex take us through the history of work, where the 9-5 came from, and why the time is right for a change. They explain how workstyle differs from flexible, hybrid, or remote working, and why it matters. Most importantly, they introduce the idea that you can design your own workstyle, by reflecting on the things that matter to you, acting to change your life and inspiring others to do the same, all underpinned by research that proves that this is a better way to work for us all.

 

“This book is for everyone who has had to take a day off work to receive a delivery or go to a doctor’s appointment. It is for anyone with caring responsibilities, for parents, those with illnesses, mental health issues, who feel burnt out, or who are living with disabilities. It is for those who are older, who identify as neurodiverse or who consider themselves different in any way. It is for people who feel disenchanted with work and want to live a meaningful, fulfilled life. It is for anyone who questions why they need to commute to an office to be productive. It is for every person who has a life outside of work. This book is for everyone who works or wants to work, and for all of us who want to shape the future of work for generations to come.”

(Alex Hirst and Lizzie Penny)

 

The Workstyle Revolution is here! 

 

Workstyle: A revolution for wellbeing, productivity and society

By Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst

Published by John Murray Learning

RRP £16.99 (TBC)

Available to pre-order on Amazon now 

 

Join the Workstyle Revolution at https://www.workstylerevolution.com

Healthcare, Mental Health, News, Wellbeing at Work

Westfield Health advises businesses how they can support employees in light of NHS waiting times

  • 1.4 million people now on the NHS waiting list for mental health treatment according to NHS Providers
  • Research from Westfield Health has found that workers are seeking (20%) additional mental health support from their employers

The pandemic continues to impact the nation’s mental health, with Westfield Health research finding that almost one in three (31%) employees took leave in 2021 due to mental health reasons.

1.4 million people are currently awaiting treatment for mental health issues1, but the NHS Long Term Plan suggests a £2.3 billion investment fund will be introduced by 2023/24 to ensure the NHS provides high quality, evidence-based mental health services to an additional two million people2.

While support is needed now, Richard Holmes, Director of Wellbeing at Westfield Health, identifies how businesses can better care for their employees when appointments aren’t available. “It’s important for organisations to consider how the waiting list for mental health support might be affecting their workers.

While they can’t replace the NHS’s vital work, there are ways they can support employees who are struggling.

“Embedding wellbeing in company culture and treating mental and physical health equally is essential. Even simple measures such as offering regular one-to-ones with managers can help employers understand the problems their people may be facing and offer or signpost them to support.”

The wellbeing provider’s research found that 20% of employees want their employer to provide additional mental health support and absence due to mental health days cost UK businesses £12.7bn3.

Richard continued, “To support workers during this time, developing a workplace mental health and wellbeing strategy is a vital practice. The pandemic has clearly taken a significant toll on the workforce and employers have the power to help.

When reviewing wellbeing strategies, consider what tailored support you can offer, where you can signpost employees to access information and create a culture where people are comfortable asking for help.”

Some of the measures employers can take to support mental health are:

  • Mental Health First Aiders to provide a confidential avenue to seek support.
  • Webinars and training to encourage conversations and raise awareness of when and where to get help.
  • Encouraging regular physical activity has been known to relieve stress, improve memory, aid sleep and boost an individual’s overall mood.
  • Suggest walking meetings to fit in physical activity while working.
  • Relieving stress through team-building activities is a good way to get workers in a different, more social environment with their colleagues.
  • Training to ensure managers hold regular one-to-ones can help them identify when someone in their team may need extra support.

www.westfieldhealth.com/

 

1 https://www.nationalhealthexecutive.com/articles/new-analysis-shows-record-43-million-referrals-mental-health-services-2021

2 https://www.longtermplan.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/nhs-mental-health-implementation-plan-2019-20-2023-24.pdf

3 https://www.westfieldhealth.com/resources/our-changing-attitudes-to-mental-health

 

Healthcare News, Wellbeing at Work

Westfield Health Appoints Kate Platts as Head of Research and Innovation

Kate Platts will head up research and innovation at Westfield Health to keep businesses ahead amid fast-paced, changing employee wellbeing demands.

Kate comes with a wealth of expertise in the wellbeing space. She is a Researcher at the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University, studying workplace health and wellbeing interventions.

She has previously worked with Westfield Health as part of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), where she explored and evaluated the impact of workplace interventions on employee wellbeing with multiple organisations, from SMEs to large corporates, and has recently published research on the impacts of home-working under lockdown on employee mental health.

Commenting on this appointment, Dave Capper, CEO at Westfield Health, says: “Wellbeing is more than a buzzword. The actions businesses take to look after their employees are important.

“It’s encouraging to see more organisations showing a commitment to health and wellbeing, with many taking a strategic approach and being more proactive than reactive.”

“Offering blanket advice will no longer help businesses that want to make a difference to their employee’s wellbeing and mental health. With the pandemic enabling more open discussions around mental health, employers need solutions that offer the support their people need.

“For us to be able to offer innovative, problem-solving solutions for businesses that are looking to enhance their wellbeing programmes, we wanted to utilise the latest research and expertise. We felt Kate was the perfect match – her vast knowledge in the wellbeing space will allow us to offer the best, refined advice for our clients”, adds Dave.

Poor organisational leadership at work and working after hours are often associated with occupational stress, anxiety, and depression. Both of these factors are more common in the workplace than we think. Commenting on her appointment at Westfield, Kate Platts says, “In the UK, around 1 in 5 adults reported feelings of depression in early 2021 – over double pre-pandemic levels.

“Following all of the changes that we have experienced across the past two years, workplaces need to be innovative in their approaches when handling wellbeing in the workplace.

“By joining Westfield Health, a pioneer in workplace wellbeing solutions, I will be able to apply the research I have conducted over the past three years to developing business solutions that positively impact individuals and organisations alike.

“I am looking forward to continuing my research into wellbeing alongside Westfield Health to ensure businesses across the UK get the best possible insights and programmes to support wellbeing at work”, concludes Kate.

 

News, Wellbeing at Work

Aon’s UK Benefits and Trends Survey 2022 says menopause training and policies are employers’ biggest health benefit aim next year

Three-quarters of UK employers see women’s health as a concern

 Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, has found that UK employers see women’s health as a key priority in their health and wellbeing strategies, with nearly three-quarters of employers (73 percent) reporting women’s health as a concern.

Employers view menopause training and policies as their biggest aim for health benefits next year. Overall, 38 percent of employers are planning to implement menopause training and 40 percent are focusing on a menopause policy.

Aon’s UK Benefits and Trends Survey 2022 shows that employers’ largest concerns overall are stress (96 percent), depression and anxiety (89 percent), women’s health (73 percent), musculoskeletal conditions (67 percent) and men’s health (67 percent).

Rachel Western, principal, Health and Risk, at Aon, said: “Awareness about women’s health at work is shifting – and not before time. The issues women may experience throughout their lives – fertility, post-natal depression, perimenopause and menopause or hidden conditions such as endometriosis – have become far more widely discussed in the media and HR communities. Many employers are spearheading a change, raising awareness and supporting employees so that women’s concerns are less likely to be masked.”

Opening up conversations on the issue can make a difference. In an informal client survey, 67 percent of line manager attendees at a menopause workshop felt “fairly uncomfortable” having menopause conversations with employees, although they recognised that providing support would help productivity, retention, inclusivity and team success. However, after the workshop, 100 percent of attendees said they felt it was useful to have better conversations around menopause.

Rachel Western continued:

“From our perspective, we’re seeing employers nurturing a better health strategy for all employees to build a more resilient workforce, while understanding more about the differing needs of diverse employees. It’s important to analyse, identify and address key employee health risks to support planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of health policies, programmes and projects.

“By taking a step back to understand core issues, it’s possible for employers to increase effectiveness of health interventions, while promoting equity and equality across genders. This could include not only benefit design, but also offering supportive tools, communication and engagement, as well as training and education for all employees.”

Aon’s annual UK Benefits and Trends Survey shows trends in employer benefits strategies, highlighting issues experienced by employers and employees. In its 12th year, the survey took into account the experiences of 253 HR, employee benefit and reward professionals from across the UK in a variety of sectors. Among respondents, 17 percent stated their organisation employs more than 5,000 people; 33 percent employ between 1,001 and 5,000 people; 13 percent employ 501 to 1,000 people; 10 percent employ 251 to 500, and 27 percent employ fewer than 250 people.

More information about how Aon helps businesses build resilient workforces is available here. To access Aon’s UK Benefits and Trends Survey 2022, click here.

About Aon

Aon plc (NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the better — to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Our colleagues provide our clients in over 120 countries with advice and solutions that give them the clarity and confidence to make better decisions to protect and grow their business.