Engage Health Group

Author: Eleanor Chilvers

  • The 3 Pillars of Corporate Wellbeing: What Do Employers Need to Offer?

    The 3 Pillars of Corporate Wellbeing: What Do Employers Need to Offer?

    Businesses are becoming wiser to the fact that employee health and wellbeing is more than just a one-off project. It’s not a job that can be ticked off on a list of to-dos. In reality, it needs to be treated as an important part of company culture.

    This is where the term ‘Corporate Wellbeing’ comes in. It describes the strategic approach through which companies look after their hard-working employees – not just through a single activity, but in a variety of ways and on an ongoing basis.

    A Corporate Wellbeing strategy should consist of the following three pillars:

    • Physical wellbeing
    • Mental wellbeing
    • Financial wellbeing

    In this article, we reveal how these pillars interlink and examine current trends from both the business and employee perspectives.

    If you need professional assistance in setting up the best Corporate Wellbeing strategy for your company, contact our expert team at Engage Health Group +44 (0)1273 974419. We’re happy to answer any queries you may have.

     

    What is Corporate Wellbeing?

    Corporate Wellbeing is an employee support strategy that is designed to assist the health and wellbeing of team members. It can encompass a wide range of tools and activities which, together, are designed to ensure wellbeing needs are successfully met.

    The growth of Corporate Wellbeing reflects the realisation that employers have an important role to play in improving the wellbeing of their staff. Full-time employees spend much of their day – and week – at work. Therefore, their workplace experiences (positive and negative) can have a major bearing on their general wellbeing.

    As mentioned, there are three main pillars of wellbeing that employers need to target to ensure their staff are being looked after:

    • Physical
    • Mental
    • Financial

    Once each of these pillars is accounted for, businesses can build a work culture of wellness. The result? Improved health and happiness, better productivity, and increased staff retention.
     

    How are the three pillars are linked?

    Physical, mental, and financial wellbeing are all inextricably linked. The state of an employee’s mental health will affect their mental wellbeing – and vice versa. Meanwhile, an individual’s financial state is likely to affect their mental, or indeed, physical health. If one element is out of kilter, then all-round wellbeing can suffer.

    These interconnections have been most obvious during the time of Covid. Many of us have experienced a heightened sense of vulnerability. Both mental health and physical wellness have become a well-talked about subject.

    Mental wellbeing remains the most common focus of corporate wellbeing initiatives. According to a report by Deloitte:

    • 76% of employers have a defined strategy for emotional/mental wellbeing
    • 61% have a defined strategy for physical initiatives
    • 41% have a strategy for financial wellbeing

    Mental health and financial issues are particularly linked – over 1.5 million in England alone are experiencing both debt and mental health problems according to The Money and Mental Health Institute. Stress and anxiety have a strong relationship to financial issues, made even more apparent since the onset of the pandemic and the economic uncertainty it’s unleashed.

    For these reasons, the most forward-thinking organisations will have in place wellbeing strategies that encompass all three pillars, thereby providing a well-rounded programme to their staff.
     

    Why should companies address physical, mental, and financial wellbeing?

    Offering corporate wellbeing to employees is no longer deemed as an added perk based on top-line statistics. The majority of employers now agree that they are responsible for influencing employee health and changing behaviours! It’s essential for employers to build healthy and supportive workplaces to truly fulfil their duty of care to staff. Success requires a proactive approach.

    The impact of a corporate wellbeing programme that successfully targets all three pillars results in:

    • Improved employee morale & engagement
    • A healthier & more inclusive culture
    • Lower staff sickness & absence
    • Reduced work-related stress
    • Improved staff retention
    • Improved productivity
    • Enhanced brand reputation

    Offering a range of benefits and choices is the only way to guarantee that each employee receives benefits that they want and need.

    It’s a win-win situation; employers will benefit from reduced presenteeism (less people working while sick), absenteeism, increased productivity, and better business results! For every £1 spent on supporting employee mental health, employers get £5 back on their investment, according to Deloitte. The employee will themselves benefit from improved health, greater work-life balance, feeling of protection whilst they are at work – just a few positive outcomes.
     

    What do employees want from Corporate Wellbeing?

    As we continue to adapt to a pandemic world, so must employers and their corporate wellbeing strategies. In fact, 91% think that employee expectations are changing.

    A 2021 survey by Hooray Health & Protection asked workers to choose their top three most desired benefits. These were the most popular choices:

    • 57% health insurance
    • 45% life insurance
    • 41% extra holiday entitlement
    • 35% generous pension scheme
    • 28% retail leisure discounts

    These statistics reveal an emphasis still on physical health, most likely due to the presence of Covid-19 and a heightened awareness of mortality and illness. However, mental health is still a priority to employees and has become even more so since the pandemic.

    When asked which benefits would best assist their mental wellbeing, these were the top five:

    • 57% access to mental health services
    • 49% flexible working
    • 38% extra holiday entitlement
    • 20% a good pension scheme
    • 20% free/discounted gym membership

    The desire for access to formal mental health support shows that professional assistance is highly valued.

    Are you looking to build a Corporate Wellbeing plan that covers all aspects of your employees’ needs? Get expert advice from the specialists at Engage. We help employers understand the employee benefits and health market by guiding you through the process step-by-step. Put your questions to us using the chat feature in the bottom right or call +44 (0)1273 974419.
     

    What can employers do to help build Corporate Wellbeing?

    When developing a Corporate Wellbeing strategy, the aim should be to actively listen to staff members in order to offer personalised benefits that will best fit their needs. This is becoming more common in the workplace with 78% of staff saying their employer has actively sought out their feedback, according to Hooray Health & Protection.

    Employers need to recognise the need to respond to the changing expectations of employees. And be willing to adapt when they do change!

    Ways that employers can help:

    • Measure wellbeing e.g., tracking absences, retention rates, work performance, surveys
    • Focus on building a positive work culture by making employees feel they are individually contributing
    • Promote a healthy work-life balance by offering flexible or hybrid working arrangements if convenient
    • Reduce direct healthcare costs through Group Health Insurance schemes
    • Establish support networks for staff e.g., mental health counselling, virtual GP, Mental Health First Aid Training

    The 2020 CIPD Health and Wellbeing report reveal which areas of wellbeing employers are prioritising:

    • 80% Mental Health
    • 71% Good Work
    • 71% Collective/Social Relationships
    • 68% Physical Health
    • 66% Values/Principles
    • 62% Personal Growth
    • 53% Good Lifestyle Choices
    • 43% Financial Wellbeing

    These figures highlight how more and more employers are recognising the importance of having a well-rounded Corporate Wellbeing plan.

     

    Has the current climate of Covid-19 changed the face of Corporate Wellbeing?

    Mental health issues have increased, physical activity has declined due to isolation and lockdowns, and delays to medical treatments have become more common. Employers now must think beyond only offering salary and career growth opportunities.

    Nurturing a resilient and adaptable workforce should remain a priority while employees continue to be tested in the aftermath of the pandemic. A heightened demand for support is unlikely to dissipate as various challenges – economic and social – are likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

    But it’s not all downbeat news. An increasingly positive and mutually beneficial relationship between company and employee is a strong foundation on which everyone can prosper. If you haven’t developed a corporate wellness plan, now’s a good time to start.

    If you need help with developing a Corporate Wellbeing strategy that best fits you and your employees, the team at Engage Health Group are here to help. Learn more about how we help deliver employee benefits schemes here.

     

    At Engage Health Group, we work across the health and wellbeing marketplace to ensure you find the right policies at the right price, and ensure your whole benefits package provides prices from across the market.

    Contact our expert team at enquiries@engagehealthgroup.co.uk or call 01273 974419 for FREE no-obligation advice and support.

  • How Much Does Group Life Insurance Cost?

    How Much Does Group Life Insurance Cost?

    Group Life Insurance is one of the most cost-effective employee benefits available. But its value derives from more than just its comparatively low cost. Taking out a Group Life plan demonstrates you care about your employees and their loved ones, which helps foster a greater sense of goodwill from your team.
    So, what is Group Life Insurance? And how much does Group Life Insurance cost?
    To help answer these questions, this article features real-life examples courtesy of some of the insurance companies we work with, including:

     
    If you’d like professional assistance in getting the best deals on Group Life, contact the experts at Engage Health Group on +44 (0)1273 974419. We specialise in providing clarity in an otherwise confusing marketplace. Alternatively, send us a query using the chat function in the bottom right corner.
     

    What is Group Life Insurance?

    Group Life Insurance is a policy that provides a tax-free lump sum to an employee’s dependants (usually family members) if that employee passes away while covered by the policy. Group Life provides financial security to an employee’s family, ensuring peace of mind and financial wellbeing.
    Employers have flexibility on how to structure their cover – either providing for every employee or for defined categories of the workforce. It is often common for businesses to tier Group Life to different levels of staff, establishing different benefit levels.
    Note: Group Life Insurance covers pre-existing conditions with no medical underwriting (health/lifestyle assessment) needed in most cases.
     

    How much does Group Life Insurance cost?

    Most employers will provide coverage for either 2x or 4x an employee’s salary, although some do go higher. For instance, if an employee was earning £20,000 and you provided cover for 2x the salary, the insurance pay out would be £40,000 (should the worst occur). Once a claim is made, this is then paid out as a tax-free lump-sum to that employee’s dependants.
    Another way to provide coverage is by offering a flat pay-out amount, rather than a multiple of the salary.
    To help calculate these costs, the following information is usually required by the insurance provider for each team member:

    • Age
    • Gender
    • Work Location
    • Occupation (dangerous jobs)
    • Salary
    • Any employees absent from work due to sickness
    • Any previous or current long-term absentees
    • Any employees who have suffered serious medical conditions (past 12 months)

    To manage any claims and payments, a Master Trust needs to be appointed to a legal firm. This can be set up by your insurer free of charge, ensuring ease with payments to dependants and to negate inheritance tax.
     
    Are you looking for bespoke deals on Group Life and other employee benefits? Get expert advice from the specialists at Engage. We help businesses understand the health insurance and employee benefits market by using clear and concise language. Simply put your questions to us using the chat feature in the bottom right or call +44 (0)1273 974419.
     

    Examples from Engage Life Insurance providers

    Trying to pinpoint the best deal can be difficult. Every provider offers different terms and conditions which muddy the waters when it comes to trying to make a direct price comparison. Nonetheless, it’s useful to see some real-life examples.
    Below are a few examples from providers that we work with, and how they have set up their Group Life Insurance offers.

    YuLife –

    “Protect your employees today and in the future with Group Life Insurance that inspires your people to live well – and rewards them for it.”

    • Choose a tax-free lump-sum based on multiple of an employees’ salary e.g., 4x salary
    • Choose a fixed lump-sum e.g., £50,000
    • Get the YuLife app which rewards employees for healthy behaviour
      • Earn YuCoin by completing wellness challenges e.g., 10-minute walks/5-minute meditation
      • Convert YuCoin through partners such as Amazon, ASOS, Avios, M&S
      • 24/7 EAP – life coaching, help with bereavement, mental health support with work, relationships, finance

     

    Canada Life –

    “Group Life Insurance can cost as little as 1% of your company’s salary costs. It’s an affordable employee benefit and is deductible as a business expense.”

    • Any organisation/employee can be insured if legally with a discretionary trust – registered in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man
    • Available for most employees – permanent, part-time, directors, zero-hour contracts, fixed-term contract, temporary
    • Option to choose who you want to cover in your policy e.g., might choose to include all permanent employees ages 16-75
    • Option to select the level of cover available e.g.:
      • Multiple of Salary: up to 10-x salary e.g., an employee earning £25,000 is covered by a multiple of 4 will receive £100,000
      • Fixed Benefits: fixed amount regardless of salary e.g., all employees receive £100,000
    • Free bereavement counselling for employees/immediate family
    • Free Probate helpline – expert advice on estate handling (property, money, possessions)

     

    Metlife –

    “helps show you care and often forms a core element of a modern benefits salary”

    • Benefit paid is based on multiples of salary
    • Free bereavement and probate support
    • Six face-to-face bereavement sessions
    • 24-hour helpline – practical guidance and emotional support e.g., how to register a death

     

    Legal & General –

    “providing personalised support around the clock for all your employees”

    • Available to employers wanting to cover 10 or more employees
    • Support from an expert team making administration and set up straightforward
    • Simple claim payments to scheme trustees – within 5 working days of a claim
    • Master trust: lump-sum benefits, no extra cost – offered instead of having to set up your own scheme
    • Specialist cover for equity partners/limited liability partnerships
    • Health and wellbeing app ‘My Healthy Advantage’ to help employees manage overall health 24/7

     

    The impact of covid on Group Life Insurance

    Group Life Insurance has always been a highly regarded benefit for employees but, since the beginning of the pandemic, it has become even more sought after. Group Risk Development revealed for 2020 the total cost of payments for Covid-registered deaths came to £93 million, representing an average lump-sum payment of £100,320.
    These figures show just how important Group Life Insurance and why it should be an important consideration within any employee benefits strategy.
     
    Contact us through Engage Health Group for our free no-obligation advice & support to learn more about how Group Life Insurance can benefit your business.

  • Summary of AXA Virtual Health Days Live Talks on Workplace Mental Health

    Summary of AXA Virtual Health Days Live Talks on Workplace Mental Health

    The AXA Virtual Talks provide insights from business experts, researchers, and non-profit speakers, giving a deep exploration of the factors affecting sustainable wellbeing.

    After 2 years of individual and collective struggle from the pandemic, social change regarding mental health has emerged. Through the whole world experiencing shared challenges, a “heightened awareness of vulnerability” is opening discussions on how we can enact change in the work environment to benefit both employer and employee, and how much cultural differences impacts this.

    Further reading: AXA Global Healthcare: Is it the right option for your business?

    AXA virtual health live talks

    AXA’s Virtual Health Days Live Talks consisted of 4 sessions to choose from. The sessions we, at Engage, joined were:

    Session 1 “Transitioning to a sustainable wellbeing society”, which explored mental health regarding young people, employees, and expats.

    Session 3 “Tackling the mental health impact of the covid-19 crisis”, discussing how the pandemic has affected work and mental wellbeing.

    Key takeaways and interesting highlights

    Mental health (Session 1)

    • 50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by the age of 14, 75% by the age of 24.
    • 25% of people who predisposed with depression before the pandemic has gone up to 51% during the pandemic, while anxiety has risen from 8% to 23%.
    • When working from home people feel they are disconnected, missing not only social interactions but also important data/information that could have negative impact on their day-to-day job functioning.
    • Work can contribute to mental health issues, but also workplace can have a role in the treatment of mental health disorders, this needs to be explored more in the future.
    • Young people have shifted the way we perceive work: work has become a means to fulfil other aspects of life, rather than living to work! There is more drive for flexible working – employers must adapt and learn from covid to keep up.
    • Young people with mental health issues struggle to find and hold down jobs: employers should be more flexible with their approaches to work hours, at home working, work schedules, and train managers in different mental health issues to be another source of support for other employees.
    • WHO study: long work hours leading to burnout. From 2000-2016, 745,000 deaths were attributed to long hours, more than deaths cause by air pollution. From an international perspective, working more than 55 hours a week is more common in Asia and Pacific than EU and Africa. In Japan, long working hours are a part of the work culture, while stigma in Morocco, these lead to more issue of mental health.
    • Working from home has both positives and negatives: no commuting time means a gain in 1-1.5 hours, but 40% say they spend this time working for longer instead of relaxing or seeing family. Also, with digital technology in place (24/7) it is difficult to disconnect from work. So, for some, it is now harder to have a good work/ life balance.
    • Predictions for future work: mixture of in-person (for interactions, discussions, meeting with people, gatherings, creativity) and at home digital working (for focussed concentration).
    • WHO study: 46% of expats returning looked positively at their experience, with 10% saying their mental health had deteriorated. Young expats are more affected, face more challenges than senior expats – less experience therefore need more support from organisations.
    • Employers need to take duty of care very seriously for expats, not only with Employee Assistance Programmes, but EAP with both virtual and physical means of connecting. What is really important is good management and caring, regular chats with expats, a holistic approach to mental and physical care.

     

    Mental health & covid (Session 3)

    Discussion around how mental health has evolved throughout the different phases of the pandemic – an interesting take on how the pandemic has affected all of us!

    • Beginning of pandemic: anxiety on covid itself – contracting the virus, fear of loss, fear for loved ones
    • Pandemic continuing: anxiety shifts to isolation, loneliness, relationship issues, burnout, juggling work and life at home, lack of control
    • Developing into: covid fatigue, economic pressures, redundancies, disconnection from other cultures and contexts
    • Had to learn to live alongside covid

    What is the role of the insurance providers, like AXA?

    Insurers have a role to play in breaking down the taboo of mental health at work! AXA with millions of customers have a responsibility to support both clients and society. Example of AXA’s initiatives to tackle mental health:

    • Open conversation to break down the tabu
    • Invest in research
    • Developing early intervention tools
    • Holistic platforms – from breathing exercises to talking to psychologists
    • Have a Duty of Care
    • Provide access to virtual doctors with the same language
    • Introducing affordable and accessible digital platforms
    • Emma app supported by both AI and humans: All-in-one insurance and health services platform across Asia, with 2 million users (1. View policies 2. Submit & track claims 3. Manage funds 4. Range of health services 5. Chatbox service 6. Teleconsultation service)
    • Angel app: same as above, being implemented across Europe

     

    What have AXA done since the pandemic for its employees?

    • Heightened awareness at an early stage of the pandemic – recognising a deterioration of mental health from employees
    • School help/child support – additional stress and isolation is a risk for employees with families, need extra support
    • ‘In this together’ initiative to find ways to connect with each other: Online yoga classes to help reduce stress and feelings of isolation/manager walk and talks to connect away from work
    • Invest in Mental Health First Aiders – AXA began this before the pandemic
    • Increase applications for EAP’s
    • Introduced app-based platform – access to doctors and psychologists, as a safety net
    • Promote inclusive culture

     

    Adaptation of workplace is key

    The AXA Virtual Health Days Talks provided an interactive take on an extremely talked about subject within the workforce. Such interesting commentary from all involved, leaving viewers with questions answered as well as wanting to discuss more.

    One of those lingering thoughts we were left with was raised by Prof. Lode Godderis (AXA-supported researcher, Leuven University, Belgium):

    “Remote working doesn’t become a means to perform best but becomes an objective and this is one of the challenges companies might have… as to what extent can we talk and discuss to employees about their needs, their expectancies, but also to see how we can create the best workplaces, including home.”

    “My advice is please think about the means you need to perform best and that make people engage and passionate about their job, rather than instrumentalising workplaces… I really think we need to adapt, be flexible, and listen to each other’s expectancies and doubts.”

    Contact us at Engage Health Group Ltd for our free no-obligation advice, where we can help answer any of your questions on how to best support your employees during this time.
     
    Speakers:
    Nadia Charbit
    Prof. Lode Godderis, AXA-supported researcher, Leuven University, Belgium
    Dr Jasmin Wertz, AXA-supported researcher, Duke University, USA
    Thomas Wilkinson, CEO AXA Global Healthcare
    Wiebke Welgemoed, Chief Operating Officer ICAS
    Andrew Davies, Chief Executive Officer ICAS
    Dr Leena Johns, Head of Health & Wellness MAXIS GBN

  • How to measure employee wellness in the workplace

    How to measure employee wellness in the workplace

    The success of any organisation lies in the happiness of staff and employee wellness, where companies promoting a culture of health and wellbeing will inevitably attract great employees and lead to productivity levels soaring.

    Employee wellness in the workplace getting more attention

    The importance of employee wellness in the workplace is gradually growing – with 44% of organisations now having a wellbeing strategy, an increase of 4% from 2019 (Health and Wellbeing at Work CIPD Report)! These statistics positively point towards a future where the business world is shifting the traditionally reactive response to employee health and wellbeing, to one which is preventive and addresses the source.

    Many different factors fall under employee wellness – stress management, mental health, fitness, nutrition, work/life balance, and even financial wellbeing – making setting up a successful employee wellness programme difficult! Not only this, each employees’ wellbeing, and ways of dealing with wellness, are individual and personal to that employee. Employee wellness in the workplace must be tailored and made relevant to each employee.

    So, what is employee wellness in the workplace? And how can organisations measure and tailor their employee wellness programmes to be the most effective for their needs?

    What is employee wellness in the workplace? 

    Employee wellness in the workplace should always be rooted in and built around the needs of the employee. The definition of employee wellness is broad and inconclusive, making it incredibly adaptable as health means something different in different contexts and for different people. It can range from focusing on the quality and safety of the physical work environment, to how employees feel about the work they are doing, to the general work climate and emotional connection between employees and their employers.

    A healthy, productive, and happy employee should feel like:

    • Their work is valuable and meaningful
    • They are healthy, happy, satisfied, and having fun
    • They identify with the company they work for
    • They have a strong work/life balance
    • They trust in their employer to support them

     

    Many employers are still approaching employee wellness from a reactive standpoint, only focusing on the health of their staff after medical and mental health concerns have been raised. To successfully integrate employee wellness into a workforce, employers instead must focus on the happiness of their staff – establishing a culture where staff are content and feel protected at work.

    Why does employee wellness need to be a priority? 

    Over recent years, employee wellness has become more and more needed, especially dealing with the fallout from the pandemic and facing possibilities of uncertain futures of lockdowns and isolation. In this climate, it is apparent that organisations need to demonstrate support for their employees, to establish programmes that target everyone in their workforce.

    YouGov research commissioned by Push and Solent Mind (2021) surveyed 1000 UK working adults addressing how much work-life impacted overall wellness. The key contributing factors among those who felt their work-life contributed to their worsened wellbeing:

    • 31% said too much change in the workplace
    • 30% said unclear communication
    • 27% said employees do not feel comfortable talking about mental wellbeing in the workplace/to their employers

     

    The YouGov research highlights just how influential employers can be over supporting the wellness of their staff, and how impactful making the workplace a positive space to be present in can be.

    Benefits of promoting employee wellness in the workplace

    The link between a healthy workforce and the success of an organisation are inherently tied together, producing many positive outcomes for both employer and employee. Listed below are some benefits of supporting employee wellness:

    • Improves morale and productivity
    • Increases employee recruitment and retention
    • Improves engagement
    • Reduces absenteeism and presenteeism
    • Reduces stress
    • Reduces costs

     

    (Top 5 Benefits of Corporate Wellness Programmes).

    For these benefits to come to light, organisations need to internalise employee wellness practices into the workforce, and constantly look for ways to improve and adapt strategies so to help as many employees as possible.

    How can employee wellness be measured in the workplace? 

    The most important part of implementing a successful employee wellness strategy is knowing how to understand what your employees want, how to measure its success, and being able to identify areas that need improvement.

    Establishing a fluid, moving approach to your employee wellness programme will ensure that your organisation is constantly working and adapting to specific employing needs – being preventive rather than reactive.

    Listed below are easy and simple ways employers can measure employee wellness in the workplace:-

    Employee Surveys: 

    • employee feedback/ratings e.g., productivity levels against happiness levels, sick days, overtime, fluctuation rates
    • gives regular updates of how employees are feeling/reacting
    • insights into specific issues e.g., stress, anxiety, bullying behaviour

    HR Data: 

    • number and frequency of absences (however, mental health absence is often reported as a physical illness by employees, so cannot rely solely on data)
    • quantity rates of work
    • staff retention

    Culture of Openness:

    • managers to set up regular one-to-one meetings – personal check-ins
    • Mental Health First Aid training
    • Promote an environment where it is normal to talk about wellness – managers can set the example here by opening to colleagues about themselves

    Management Information: 

    • Demographics on age, gender, cultures – tracking trends
    • Provides an understanding of the challenges different employees may face

    Spotting Risk Areas: 

    • Track changes in feedback
    • Recognise themes in data and employee responses

     Ask “Why Wellness?”:

    • Help establish what it is employers want to achieve
    • Provides a point which employers can measure success against
    • E.g., “Is there an increase in absenteeism?” “Is there a problem with employee stress?”

     

    Each of these measures will ensure that employers can tailor to whatever employees want and need, using wellness and incentive programmes to set up a workplace culture that prioritises community and the support of its staff.

    Different approaches to employee wellness

    Determining how to measure employee wellness in the workplace goes together with deciding which approach you will take in your strategy. Every company is different – some will only need a simple approach of setting up one-to-ones, whilst other organisations will go fully in with a vast and comprehensive wellness plan.

    Either way can work! But no matter how many programmes and workshops you include, if they are not centred around prioritising the health of employees, your plan will not be successful.

    Below are a few ideas and products, from the Engage website, and the aspects of wellness they tackle:

    Stress Management: 

    • Meditation
    • Pension Services

    Mental Health: 

    • Educational Workshops including stress, mental resilience, and nutrition
    • Mental Health days off
    • Mental Health First Aid training
    • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, 24/7 counselling services under Health Cash Plan/ Employee Assistance Programmes

    Fitness: 

    • Basic Health Screening
    • Full Health Screening
    • Gym flex
    • Fitness classes
    • Step Count benefits

    Work/Life Balance: 

    • Employee Benefits Platform
    • Benefit Promotion – remote and on-site
    • Flexible working options
    • Wellbeing Days
    • One-to-One meetings for regular updates on both work and personal events

    Hosting an Employee Wellness Week: 

    • Instant boost in engagement
    • Use the momentum of the event to distribute key health and wellbeing information
    • Combination of different talks, workshops, activities, skills, and experience sharing

     

    These are just a few ideas that keep employee wellness in the workplace at the forefront of conversation and products that help employees feel comfortable and looked after.

    At Engage Health Group, we recognise that every customer has different needs, and we will work closely to make sure every product, tool, and insurance strategy complement each other and ensure far-reaching and positive results throughout your workforce!

    (6 Reasons Why Businesses Offer Top Employee Health Screening to Top Staff).

    The impact of covid over employee wellness in the workplace

    Employee wellness in the workplace should always be a priority, but the presence of the pandemic still hanging over us has pushed it even more into the foreground. Covid has meant increased importance on providing health and wellbeing support for employees. 54% of people working from home would like their employer to introduce mental wellness days, with another 54% of homeworkers saying their employer should address needing to be present and online (Canada Life Research, January 2021).

    Covid has taught us many things, one being that we are now much clearer on what’s important to us, prioritising wellbeing over other goals such as career advancement that used to dominate work culture. Organisations are becoming much more person-led – valuing their employees and providing support – and these are the companies that will be successful in the aftermath of the pandemic.

    3 pillars of employee wellbeing

    No matter the size or depth of your employee wellness plan in the workplace, if the strategies are centred around employee needs, they can only help your business to succeed. Implementing a full and detailed employee wellness plan will target the 3 Pillars of Wellbeing – physical, mental, and financial – ensuring that employees are getting focused support in any aspect of life they need.

    At Engage, we follow the same procedure of focussing on these 3 Pillars of Wellbeing through a people-centred benefit design, creating a benefits strategy that is adaptable to any type of work culture and employees. Find out what else can be involved in employee wellness here.

    Contact us at Engage, where we give free no-obligation advice and support. Whether you need advice on the health of your employees or simply want to improve general employee wellness to boost the morale of your company, we at Engage will help simplify any employee benefits need.

  • The cancer backlog: how can employee health checks help?

    The cancer backlog: how can employee health checks help?

    Across the duration of the pandemic, every aspect of our lives has been impacted, from taking the bus to not seeing our loved ones. But one devastating effect of COVID-19 has been on cancer care, with huge numbers of missed health checks leading to missed diagnoses and delayed treatments.

    We spoke to Nikola Jack, Corporate Account Executive at Check4Cancer, providing insights into employee cancer screening tests and the huge impact of incorporating cancer screenings into your employee benefits plan.

    Engage and Check4Cancer formed a new partnership earlier this year in March – something we were very excited about, especially to help combat the effect of Covid over health screenings.

    A way that organisations can help ease the pressure off the backlog is through establishing cancer screening tests for their employees to enable them to take control of their health. A proactive approach to managing cancer helps with early detection and can lead to better treatment options and improved survival rates.
     

    What are employee health checks for cancer? 

    Employee cancer screening tests are a preventive measure that can be incorporated into an organisation’s wellbeing strategy.

    When providing these employee health checks for cancer, the two main motivations to remember are prevention (education to flag up risk factors for each type of cancer) and early detection (leading to earlier action). The earlier an employee can receive treatment, the greater the chance of successful recovery, leading to less time off work (from a business perspective!).

    Employee health checks can be offered at a range of different levels, and often most health assessments will directly support cancer health checks. Some examples of which employee health checks support cancer screening are listed below:

    • Medical History Questionnaire
    • Blood Pressure
    • Cervical Smear
    • Chest x-ray
    • Prostate Cancer Blood Test
    • Full Biochemistry Profile
    • Lung Function Test
    • Testicular Examination
    • Bowel Cancer Test
    • Breast Examination
    • Mammography

    Company Medical Insurance is also another way employers can support their staff with cancer care. This benefit plan enables employees to have access to direct treatment and specialist consultations, avoiding the NHS waiting list and speeding up the whole process. Typical covers can include:

    • Consultations with specialists
    • Diagnostic tests
    • Operations and surgical procedures
    • Cancer treatment e.g., radio/chemotherapy
    • Cancer drugs
    • Physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropractic treatment
    • Mental health and psychiatric treatment

     

    These employee benefits are an easy way for organisations to show they care for their staff, and target both the physical and mental fallout experienced from cancer.
     

    Current climate affecting cancer care and employee health checks

    During the first year of the pandemic, 369,000 fewer people than estimated were referred to a specialist for cancer diagnosis, leading to an estimated 19,500 people with missed cancer diagnoses (Institute for Public Policy Research). At this time, it was also predicted that the problem of missed diagnoses and cancer support would resolve itself in a few months – but no one could have predicted the dragged-out duration of the pandemic.

    The NHS waiting list is currently at a record high of around 4.6 million, with 300,000 of those being on hold for more than 12 months. This is in comparison to 1,600 before the pandemic, showing the influence of COVID-19 over cancer treatment and care.
     

    Cancer Screening Backlog 

    The emergence of a cancer screening backlog, often referred to as ‘missing patients’, will worryingly take the nation a lot to recover from. The proportion of highly curable cancers diagnosed fell from 44% (pre-pandemic) down to 41% last year, with estimations of the NHS England cancer services taking more than 10 years to be on top of the backlog (IPPR).

    For example, almost 1 million British women missed a breast cancer screening during the height of the first lockdown  (Breast Cancer Now) which means that potentially there are many missed cancers that will present at a later stage, when the treatment outcomes may not be as effective if the cancer was caught earlier.

    This backlog not only means that potential cancer patients are missing out on life-saving treatments, but those missing patients will also eventually emerge causing an even larger increase in the cancer backlog. The IPPR report Building Back Cancer Services in England estimates that 75% of the missing cancer patients will eventually need some form of NHS service, and 90% of those already diagnosed will also emerge for cancer treatments e.g., chemotherapy, radiotherapy, palliative care. This will cause even more strain on an already thinly stretched NHS.
     

    Why are employee health checks for cancer so important? 

    Employee health checks for cancer are becoming more and more important to help with cancer screening backlogs, where early diagnosis means an increased range of treatment options, improving long-term survival, and quality of life. NHS cancer care is still adjusting to staff being spread across critical support roles to deal with pressures from the pandemic, as well as the stopping of cancer screenings early in 2020 (although having started up again).

    Cancer Research UK revealed that, from March to August 2020, 45% of those with potential cancer symptoms did not contact their doctor.
    The reasons for this are:

    • worrying about wasting healthcare professionals’ time
    • worrying about burdening and putting more strain on the NHS
    • fear of contracting COVID-19
    • not wanting to be seen as making a fuss during the pandemic

    By ensuring more staff are going through employee health checks at work, it places staff in a worry-free environment whilst also diverting strain away from the already huge cancer screening backlog.
    Nikola Jack, from Check4Cancer, provided us with an insight into the different types of cancer health screenings – which is the most popular and how our clients can access their services (and even gain a discount!). Nikola outlines, “we have provided over 50,000 cancer checks, and our skin cancer screening service called SkinCheck is very popular.” Reasons for this popularity are, “it’s available for both genders and 18+ whereas all the other screenings you have to be older to have them. Plus, the SkinCheck itself is very thorough and face to face.”

    Our clients can access discounted cancer health screenings at Check4Cancer – just click through this link here.

    What are the benefits of employee health checks for employers and staff? 

    Promoting employee health checks as part of an organisation’s overall wellbeing strategy can reap many benefits both for the employer and their staff, especially with the focus on cancer screenings in response to the current climate.

    Examples of these benefits:

    • shows an Employer Duty of Care
    • Faster screening process – avoiding adding to the waiting list backlog
    • Provides emotional and clinical support for staff experiencing cancer both first and second hand
    • Promotes a healthy work environment and lifestyles e.g., weight management, physical exercise, quit-smoking programmes (reducing risk factors)
    • Raises awareness of cancer
    • Makes the workplace a supportive space for staff to ensure wellbeing

    Employers should be proactive in encouraging staff to take responsibility for their own wellbeing. This can be achieved through employee health checks for cancer for early detection, prevention, and diagnoses.

    (6 Reasons Why Businesses Offer Top Employee Health Screening to Top Staff)

    Nikola also explained just how important cancer health screenings included in employee benefits are. Using an example of a real-life case study of an employee Dan Wood who underwent a prostate cancer screening through his employee benefits platform at work, discovering he had prostate cancer even without symptoms.

    Nikola outlined how “without taking this screening the outcome could have been very different for him”, highlighting the necessity of cancer health screenings at work. Check out Dan’s story here.

    Are health checks the way forward?

    Dealing with cancer care is always a daunting prospect, whether that’s experienced first or second hand, but the pressures added from the fallout of the pandemic have only made it even harder. Especially in this current climate of stress, anxiety, and uncertainty, employers need to be promoting policies that support the cancer care ecosystem as well as the individual needs of their staff.

    By ensuring staff have access to employee health checks for cancer, organisations can target the different pillars of wellbeing, particularly the mental and physical wellbeing of employees. Look here to find out what else can be included in employee health checks and health screenings.

    Contact us at Engage for our free no-obligation advice and support, where our People-Centred Design can help you feel reassured in employee wellbeing benefits and needs, fitting with your work culture. 

  • Expat Health Insurance France: Public or Private Cover?

    Expat Health Insurance France: Public or Private Cover?

    One of the leading influences on the demand for moving to France is the impressive healthcare system, ranking 8th out of 89 countries, only behind Austria, Denmark, and Spain, in Europe (Health Care Index 2019). France’s public healthcare system offers universal coverage for all citizens regardless of age or economic situation, funded by government agencies.

    Even with this impressive public healthcare, choosing the right health insurance policy is still a top priority for expats moving to France. Although 96% of France’s population uses the country’s public healthcare, an estimated 40 million French citizens own a private health insurance policy (2018).

    Need help understanding the international health insurance market? Our friendly team of experts can help. Contact us at +44 (0)1273 20974419 for one-to-one advice.

     

    Top questions on ex-pat health insurance France

    When moving for work or long-term travel anywhere in the world, it is important to learn about a country’s healthcare system  – what additional policies are offered or what is already covered by the state – and which are the best policies companies can offer their employees moving or working in France?

    So, what are the best French health insurance options for expats living or moving to France? What needs to be considered when looking at France’s healthcare as a whole?

    What is the French Public Healthcare System? 

    France’s public healthcare system is one of the best in the world. In 2016, French healthcare was overhauled to create the Protection Maladie Universelle (PUMA), unlimited healthcare as a right for all French residents. This is regardless of age or previous medical history.

    The government implementation of PUMA was impactful for expats living in France, where previously several conditions had to be met. The 2016 changes guaranteed that any resident living or working in France for longer than 3 months consecutively would have access to public healthcare and reimbursements.

    PUMA reimbursements refer to state-fixed tariffs, such as a standard charge for doctor consultations. You can expect to receive a minimum reimbursement of 70% of a medical bill, with long-term illnesses having 100% of the costs covered.

    PUMA guarantees that legal residents keep their health insurance despite any changes in circumstances.

    What does French public health insurance cover? 

    PUMA provides state-funded cover for a wide range of treatments and procedures, with French residents having to pay upfront fees that are reimbursed by government-funded agencies. What is covered under France’s public healthcare?

    • Doctors: usually pay a flat fee of €25 – insurance providers partially reimburse these costs
    • Emergency Care: A&E services under state healthcare
    • Specialist Care:  may charge higher fees than general doctors – for reimbursement need to have been referred by GP
    • Medication: most are covered by state
    • Dental Care: covered the same way as Specialist Care, covers general visits
    • Maternity Care: majority covered – 70% of first 2 scans are covered, cost of next 6 months fully covered

     

    How expats can register for healthcare: 

    The first step to registering for health insurance in France is to either join the social security system to register for PUMA or visit a local CPAM, the local department of national health (Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie). Expats drawing from a UK State Pension can apply for a UK S1 form to signify a change in address.

    Most employers will register their employees with social security, arranging the healthcare formalities.

    Once becoming an expat working or living in France for more than 3 months, your staff can then apply to be covered by PUMA, registering for public healthcare.

    Employees will need:

    • Passport / valid ID
    • Proof of French residence
    • Proof of address
    • Marriage/birth certificates (to include family under cover)
    • Evidence of income

     

    Who has access to French public health insurance? 

    Anyone who pays into the French social security system, or have lived consecutively for 3 months in France, is entitled to state health insurance. These social contributions average out to around 8% of net income above a minimum threshold set by the state.

    So, can all expats and citizens have access to state healthcare?

    • Residents: regular residency in France for 3 consecutive months per year – must intend to live there for at least 6 months a year
    • Employees: social security contributions
    • Self-employed / business owners: have access to medical insurance through Regime Social des Independants system (2006)
    • Children: automatically eligible regardless of nationality
    • Students: not typically recognised as residents (most get Student’s Social Security covering health expenses) – exceptions available for EU/EEA students with EHIC cards, scholarship students, students studying for less than 3 months
    • EU, EEA, Swiss citizens: use EHIC cards if staying temporarily
    • Unemployed / Low income:eligible for health insurance, can also get subsidies

     

    What are the different options for private expat health insurance France? 

    Although the quality of French public health care is incredibly high, residents also often opt for private French health insurance to ensure full coverage of payments and procedures. Below are the different options available for expats when deciding on French health insurance.

    Health Card – Carte Vitale:  don’t have to make upfront payments, contains administrative information needed by medical professionals

    Mutuelle: a policy that reimburses medical costs not covered by Social Security – are offered by insurers as different packages which are catered specifically to your needs, can be offered as part of a benefits package – basic Mutuelle’s focus on hospital care and medicine, and may include limited dental coverage

    European Health Insurance Card: healthcare at the same cost as locals

    For local health insurance cover, there are many providers that offer cover for expats moving to France. A few of the largest include, April, AXA, and Allianz – all of which we at Engage work with and support.

    (Look here to discover what can be included in International Private Medical Insurance)
     

    Why is expat health insurance France needed?

    Even with France’s top public healthcare in place, being an expat in France still has many difficulties. French expats must face a range of issues when navigating and understanding what is on offer to them regarding healthcare.

    Listed below are some reasons why French expats top up their cover with private international health insurance:

    • Dentistry and private hospital care are usually only available to those with private health insurance
    • Expats may be liable to pay a percentage of most treatments – PMI can bridge this gap
    • International private health insurance is global and will cover expats anywhere in the world
    • Provides a more comprehensive plan that can be suited to specific circumstances and needs
    • Provides access to a wider range of French healthcare facilities and doctors
    • Language barriers and French social rules can prove challenging to overcome
    • A good option for those with chronic illnesses – state/public will not cover chiropractors, osteopaths, psychologist consultations
    • Covers any possible scenarios – a medical security blanket!
    • Access to private hospitals and eye care
    • Covers the first 3 months of living and working in France, before having access to the public scheme

     

    (The topmost Spanish health insurance options for expats in Spain: An inside look at Spain’s health care system)

    International Private Health insurance for expats in France ensures ease and comfort during an already tumultuous move to a different country. Where the public health care system already provides protection and care, understanding a new country’s policies and methods can be confusing and hard to navigate. Having an international private health insurance plan means that staff are completely covered for any circumstance and get any extra support they might need.

    Learn more about how expats can access international health insurance and some of the key questions to ask.

    Contact us through Engage Health Group where we give free no-obligation advice and support and discover more on International Private Health Insurance.

  • The Importance of Understanding the Impacts of Menopause in the Workplace

    The Importance of Understanding the Impacts of Menopause in the Workplace

    According to the Faculty of Occupational Medicine, around 75-80% of women of menopausal age are in the workforce, with women over 50 becoming the fastest-growing demographic within the UK’s workforce (CIPD). With this being the case, why isn’t menopause at the top of work health and wellbeing concerns for every employer?

    Many often assume menopause is just hot flashes and mood changes, but these misconceptions and their lack of understanding are damaging to women and others experiencing these changes. Menopause is much broader and experienced differently by each person.

    We took a look at how employees are affected by menopause and what employers need to do to build a work culture that recognises and supports those experiencing these changes. We also talked to Emily Perry, HR Director and founder of The People Consultancy who created Work With the Menopause in collaboration with Dr Louise Taylor, a GP and menopause coach, providing solutions for businesses on how to support women going through the menopause.

    What is menopause? 

    Menopause occurs at the average age of 51 as oestrogen levels begin to lower, but people can experience symptoms either earlier or later. Perimenopause is the lead-up of symptoms before a woman has no menstrual periods for 12 months in a row. This can take up to 10 years.

    Some of the symptoms can include:

    • Hot flashes
    • Insomnia
    • Tiredness
    • Heart palpitations
    • Low sex drive
    • Vaginal dryness
    • Brain fog
    • Poor memory
    • Night sweats
    • Joint pain
    • Skin itching
    • Mood changes
    • Anxiety
    • Difficulty concentrating

     

    Menopause can leave women battling a mixture of physical and emotional symptoms, affecting overall wellbeing. These physical, psychological, and behavioural symptoms differ from person-to-person, but should all be understood to help provide the proper support for a person experiencing menopause.

    Who is affected by menopause? 

    With 3.5 million women over 50 in the UK workforce, it is no surprise that it is predominantly women that are affected by menopause in the workplace. However, menopause is not just a gendered issue, it is a wellbeing one.

    Menopause can affect many different employees:

    • Women
    • Transgendered people
    • Intersex people
    • Non-binary
    • Relatives, colleagues, and carers supporting someone going through menopause

     

    No two person’s experience is the same, so it is important to be aware of different circumstances. Establishing an open environment for discussion is incredibly helpful for those going through menopause, as well as those that are experiencing it second-hand. Feelings of isolation become lowered and talking to others will raise awareness and further understanding.

    Menopause and the law

    Employers have a legal Duty of Care to their employees. Employers must abide by health and safety employment laws, but also ensure the general wellbeing of employees on an individual level. This is one-way menopause comes into the legal obligation of the employer, where it can affect someone’s general sense of wellbeing in often drastic ways.

    If an employer is seen to discriminate against staff because of issues relating to menopause, there can be grounds for an employee to claim gender reassignment, sex, disability, or age discrimination. However, menopauses’ direct relation to the law is still unclear in employment, resulting in a further lack of reassurance for someone experiencing it.

    The stigma of menopause in the workplace 

    Wellbeing of Women states that although women occupy nearly half the UK workforce, around 900,000 of them have quit their jobs due to menopause. This is an astounding figure! Women are unwilling to discuss menopause-related issues at work due to the negative stereotypes and stigma surrounding menopause, leaving these employees feeling embarrassed and isolated in their positions.

    Where does the stigma come from? 

    The stigma around menopause in the workplace is rooted in embarrassment, an overriding thought that it will jeopardise professional standings, and most importantly a lack of understanding and knowledge on the topic.

    Statistics from the Circle In report ‘Driving the Change: Menopause and the Workplace’ reveals just how deep these stigmas run. For example:

    • 70% of respondents who have experienced menopause don’t feel comfortable talking to their manager about their needs
    • 52% of respondents say their manager’s awareness would have made them feel more supported
    • 73% of respondents say their stress and anxiety levels were higher at work during the menopause
    • 57% of respondents say their confidence at work went down during the menopause
    • 76% of respondents say they would have liked more information, advice, access to support at work
    • Only 3% of respondents rated the help they received at work as ‘excellent’

     

    Emily Perry (from The People Consultancy) explained: “Employers cannot ignore the fact that 50% of the population will experience menopause.  In our experience, the biggest hurdle working women face when going through menopause is they don’t feel comfortable speaking to their employer about the symptoms they may be experiencing, and they don’t feel they can ask for help.  This can lead to unexplained absences, unacceptable levels of absence and performance that is not to their normal standard. “

    The breaking down of the stigma around menopause: 

    The first step in destigmatising menopause in the workplace is to establish a space for open discussion, normalising it, and encouraging those affected to outline their needs. Managers hold a key role to play in this, where it is their responsibility to encourage a work culture of open discussion around health concerns.

    Efforts made towards destigmatising can prevent someone from:

    • Losing confidence in their work abilities and skills
    • Feeling at risk from ridicule and gendered ageism
    • Taking more time off work and hide the reasons for doing so
    • Having an increase in mental health conditions e.g., depression, anxiety, stress
    • Leaving their job

     

    Anything employers can do to bring menopause into a company’s culture and normalise it will help support staff and generally produce positive side effects for the whole organisation by promoting support and understanding.

    Emily added, “If women don’t feel they are able to talk openly and honestly about their menopause symptoms, this could lead to formal action being taken by the employer and a huge risk that an employer could be taken to a tribunal for unfair dismissal and potentially discrimination. But beyond the fear of an employment tribunal, our aim at Work with The Menopause is to support the change of workplace cultures so that everyone is aware of the menopause and feels comfortable talking about it.  We want women to feel empowered that they can talk to their (often male) boss about their symptoms and ask for support, and that they can be open and honest and feel no shame.  We want HR professionals and line managers to feel confident in talking about menopause and understand what support a business may need to offer. We work with businesses of all sizes and have developed a range of educational services such as training for HR and line managers, colleague webinars, guides and policy documents.”
     

    What can employers do to support staff experiencing menopause?

    There are lots of different approaches employers can take in tackling the stigma around menopause at work and providing support for those who are or have experienced it. Even just taking a simple approach can create a ripple effect of positive attitudes towards menopause.

    Some examples could be:

    • Online support communities and channels
    • Workshops to raise awareness amongst all staff
    • Posters/newsletters – showing awareness and support
    • Regular informal conversations between managers and employees
    • Flexible working/shift changes
    • Ensure easy access to washroom facilities

     

    The most important way employers can offer support is by educating themselves! The more you know, the more equipped you will be to help your staff and signpost to relevant resources.
    Employers can also take an organisational approach in providing support for those struggling with menopause. This can be done by putting a workplace menopause policy in place. NHS Wales is a good example of an organisation achieving this successfully. Introducing a policy in 2018, NHS Wales constructed this menopause policy to outline why menopause is a workplace issue, show how to support employees, clearly establish the link between menopause and the law, and outline where employees can seek help.

    Having a strong Employee Assistance Programme also offers employees another platform for confidential support, providing them access to a wide range of services whilst reducing the overall sickness absence of your organisation. EAP’s also provide emotional support with access to therapeutic services.

    A vital element of any approach to menopause is to train managers and leading staff members, so to eventually educate the whole workforce. Training should include:

    • Learning to talk/listen sensitively
    • Learning to signposting
    • How to talk with and encourage staff to raise any menopause-related concerns
    • How different stages of menopause can affect staff
    • Which support and workplace changes should be available
    • Gender identity and reassignment discrimination & recognising how important it is to raise awareness, promote inclusivity

     

    What extra resources can be offered? 

    Where it is valuable to acknowledge the normality of menopause in life and open conversations and discussions around the topic, employers also need to be aware that not all women, and people, feel completely confident in talking about their own experiences at work. This is where signposting, online chat rooms, and introducing an occupational health professional to the team can help, offering support from outside sources.

    British Menopause Society (BMS), established in 1989, is an external organisation that educates, informs, and guides healthcare professionals on menopause and all aspects of post-reproductive health.

    Bupa’s approach to menopause in the workplace 

    One of Engage’s insurer partners, Bupa, is one of the many organisations that are working hard to develop their approach to menopause, both for their employees and customers. Having been spotlighted recently in articles, Bupa seem to currently be leading the way in its implementation of menopause policies!

    Bupa’s Menopause Plan for customers is broken down into 6 easy steps:

    1. Pre-appointment questionnaire and symptom-checker – aimed to produce personalised care
    2. 45 minutes with specialised in menopause GP – phone/video
    3. Help to arrange referrals, tests, prescriptions
    4. Receive a care plan to follow – based on personal needs
    5. 15 minutes follow up meeting, 12 weeks following first GP appointment
    6. 24/7 support from specially trained Bupa nurses up to a year after the first appointment

     

    Bupa also outlines the purpose and desired outcomes for their Menopause Plan: to provide advice and an action plan, access to prescriptions, access to blood tests and physical examinations, and access to professional referrals e.g., counsellors or physiotherapists.

    Bupa has recently started supporting the campaign Menopause in the Workplace, by the charity Wellbeing of Women. The campaign recognises that menopause is an issue at work and women need support through positive and respectful communication. In supporting this campaign, Bupa is also committing to actively support and inform employees affected by or experiencing menopause! Bupa will donate 5% of each Menopause Plan sold to Wellbeing of Women, helping to fund research into women’s health.

    Wellbeing and Engage 

    Menopause is a natural and temporary stage of someone’s life – affecting nearly half of the population! Being regarded as a taboo subject for so long has created damaging effects that have been difficult to emerge out of. But, as more and more employers are acknowledging the impact menopause has on every aspect of business and personal wellbeing, the approach to this natural phase in life is changing to one of positivity and support.

    Menopause is not just a woman’s issue. It is something that affects everybody, whether directly and not, therefore it is imperative that each person is aware of its importance.
    Here at Engage Health Group, we use a People-Centred Design focussed on three pillars of wellbeing – physical, and mental and financial – and the positive changes around menopause in the workplace affects mainly the physical and mental wellbeing of employees. of these pillars. Placing a focus on menopause adds to the creation of a work culture that employees will love to be a part of. Check out what else can be offered to employees to support wellbeing.

    Contact us at Engage Health Group for our free no-obligation advice and support, where we simplify any enquiries

  • ISO 31030 Travel Risk Management is Now Released – Your Complete Guide

    ISO 31030 Travel Risk Management is Now Released – Your Complete Guide

    Engage Health Group International Director Ian Abbott has recently explained and discussed the September release of the new ISO 31030 Travel Risk Management, detailing how it can provide the best support for internationally travelling workers. We at Engage wanted to further outline a guide on the ins and outs of the new ISO standard, setting the benchmark for the best practices in corporate travel.
    World Travel Protection hosted a webinar this June by Alex Twiggs (WTP Director), which incorporated insights on the new ISO 31030 Travel Risk management standard. In this guide, we will touch on the key takeaways from the announcement and what the new ISO 31030 means for international organisations.
    The ISO 31030 means international businesses go from a lack of understanding and unpreparedness for risk situations to having a well-thought-out critical travel risk management strategy. So, here is how the new ISO standard is changing the face of travel risk management and assessments.
     

    What is the ISO 31030 Travel Risk Management standard? 

    Originating from the ISO 31000 (2018) Risk Management, the 31030 standard is bringing risk assessment and management further into the travel industry. The new standard will provide organisations with a global Travel Risk framework, where all companies will need to align their existing management strategies to, developing the best safety procedures for their employees.
    The aim of the ISO 31030 is to promote a global culture with international businesses by making travel-related risks a more serious matter. The new standard focuses on the travellers and the risks they will face, providing guidance and tools for managing risks under a common language and principle.
    The ISO 31030 will cover all aspects of business travel: authorisations, planning, policy, traveller assessment, transportation, destination, accommodation – to name a few!
     

    Why is ISO 31030 needed for international business with corporate travel? 

    For many businesses working internationally, corporate travel is unavoidable and needed to expand into new markets and clients. With the world becoming more globalised and connected, the number of countries workers are travelling to is growing, consequently raising the number of risks that will be encountered.
    With international companies working globally, not having a local base can lead to complexities in protecting employees compared to those in domestic locations. Therefore, the more focussed approach outlined in the ISO 31030 standard is needed.
    The emergence of the ISO 31030, following the pandemic, has meant that international businesses can explore what has been going wrong in their travel management plans. The pandemic has brought forward a different set of issues and safety risks that weren’t apparent before, and this developed ISO standard provides a space for travelling employees to state what is needed for their health and safety from their organisations.
    Providing detailed support for these internationally mobile workers gives travellers the confidence they need to feel safe when working elsewhere in the world.
     
    (Which Businesses Should be Considering Kidnapping and Ransom Insurance?)
     

    Where to start with Risk Management?

    A good starting point for approaching your organisation’s risk management plan is by identifying everyone that is affected and involved. This can be done through feedback forums and mechanisms.
    Keeping up-to-date information on employees and business travel locations is also a good place to start, where this travel risk information should be incorporated into the overall basics of a risk management strategy.
    There are also external tools that are available to companies to help with getting started with risk management. For example, the Check My Travel Risk website which allows organisations to check their existing travel risk programmes against the new ISO 31030, guiding how to implement the best management for their travelling employees.
     

    Rules and responsibilities

    Businesses have a Duty of Care to their employees no matter where in the world they are. Duty of Care is a businesses’ moral and legal obligation to care for its employees. Regarding travel, this means ensuring the safety and security of travelling employees as an organisation’s responsibility doesn’t stop when employees arrive in a different location.
    Employees also have a Duty of Care to their companies as they need to communicate effectively on incidents and risks that occur when working abroad through feedback forums. Organisations can then learn from issues and implement change.
    Once understood, this loop of accountability between staff and employers will help travel risk managers to develop a streamlined process to ensure safety, developed from open discussion and critical collected data.
     

    Travel risk and accommodation

    Accommodation is a vital part of managing travel risk – to the point that the hotel industry was deeply involved in the creation of the ISO 31030. The hotel industry was the expert travel industry group, outlining issues of hygiene, fire safety, and general travel safety.
    The hotel industry helps to ensure that accommodation is fit for business purposes, meaning they are constantly aware of risk avoidance, reduction, and risk-sharing.
     

    Does the ISO 31030 provide a Risk Management template?

    The ISO 31030 uses the same terminology, principles, and framework as the previous ISO 31000, referring to the same risk profile template on how to build risk tolerance and dealing with general risk. The new ISO provides a more structured approach to the development, implementation, and evaluation of strategies. However, there is still room for variety where organisations can adapt to the risk management templates to fit with their company.
     

    Which businesses does the ISO 31030 target? 

    The ISO 31030 travel risk standard is available for all organisations and industries, where the size of your business doesn’t matter. From commercial, charities, education, non-government organisations, non-profit, HR, health and safety, procurement, sales, marketing, to security – it applies to all!
    The only industries that the new standard won’t apply to are tourism and leisure organisations.
     

    Summary 

    The safety concerns of travelling employees have always been a priority for organisations, but with the world still dealing with the fallout from the pandemic, the Duty of Care is higher than it ever has been before. The development and release of the ISO 31030 couldn’t have come at a better time, especially as a return to travelling across the globe is in full swing.
    Providing clarity and support for organisations, international businesses must also develop a shift in their risk management strategies to fall in line with the upcoming changes emerging from this Autumn. Look here to learn more about international employee benefits and safety issues.
     
     
    Contact us at Engage Health Group where we give free no-obligation advice and support, simplifying any international needs and enquiries.
     
     

  • Lack of Cultural Competency Training Can Impact International Businesses: here’s why

    Lack of Cultural Competency Training Can Impact International Businesses: here’s why

    Every culture comes with its values, beliefs, priorities, behaviours, and social norms, specific to ethnicity, nationality, or religion. Culture surrounds all of us, meaning we are all products of whichever cultural socialisation we grew up in, influenced by people and communities. If this is the case for our everyday interactions and national identities, it is even more apparent for businesses with their increasingly diverse teams and connections.

    When there is a lack of understanding, or willingness to learn, about different cultures, especially when working with different people or in other parts of the world, mistakes are made, and offence can be easily taken. One way that businesses can prevent this is by introducing cultural competency training (or cross-cultural training) for their employees, educating them on social practices and expressions, and developing deeper empathy towards others.

    But what happens when cultural competency training isn’t in place? What goes wrong when companies don’t offer it, and how can cultural competency training help? How important is it?

     

    What is cultural competency training? 

    Cultural competency training (or cross-cultural training / cultural humility / cultural dexterity) is an opportunity offered to employees to learn how to recognise the differences and similarities between cultures amongst other colleagues or destination countries (for working expats). Cultural competency training targets 4 main concepts: awareness, attitude, knowledge, and skills.

    Any well-thought-out cultural competency training must always begin with the individual. Internationally mobile workforce must gain an understanding of their style, behaviour, background, self-knowledge, and cultural influences, to understand their own impact on the world and colleagues. Once this is established, being able to understand others will come more easily, enabling expats to learn which elements of culture are priorities for different people.

    It is the responsibility of employers to invest in their people and teams, creating an environment of support and engagement. Cultural competency training is not a static programme. It should be a practice that grows and develops alongside a business, strengthening the workplace environment and building inclusivity amongst employees and other business relationships.

    Cultural competency training is also an important practice for employees working in global marketing or sales teams, when working with and selling to different cultures and countries. By embracing the differences in cultural norms, international companies will successfully be able to get into new markets, attract international customers, or enabling a local product to be transferable to a global audience.

    By integrating cultural competency training into a workforce, employers can create a working culture that recognises, respects, and values the differences between people. Without this drive to promote difference, employees are left lacking the skills to expand out into the world.

     

    Why is cultural competency training so important for global businesses? 

    With the ever-present COVID-19 hanging over us, the importance of cultural competency training has become even more of a priority for international businesses. The pandemic has meant businesses are adopting a more globalised approach, connecting with more people abroad through virtual meetings and training.

    So, why is cultural competency training such a necessity? Listed below are some reasons supporting the significance of cultural competency training:

    • Developing self-knowledge enables employees to understand how their behaviour can impact those around them
    • Teaches how to recognise/adapt
    • Teaches how to value/appreciate different perspectives, communication, and behaviour
    • Improves diversity
    • Develops inclusivity
    • Broadens a business’s marketing range to different communities
    • Leads to higher staff morale
    • Enhances leadership skills
    • Attracts global attention and investment
    • Improves overall communication within the workforce
    • Encourages active listening skills

    Bringing together employees from different cultural backgrounds produces a diversity of perspectives, ideas, and strategies – cultural competency training only brings this out further!

     

    Examples of different cultural backgrounds

    To highlight how much a lack of understanding between different cultures can impact the success of a company, below is a broken-down simplified list of typical cultural differences between the UK, Japan, Spain, and the USA – showing how deep cultural differences can run.

    Expats between UK and USA:

    Although stereotypically linked together due to sharing the same language and pop and music cultures, the UK and USA have lots of dissimilarities that get overlooked, causing issues in the workplace.

      UK USA IMPLICATIONS
    Work-Life Balance More relaxed where employees prioritise a separation between private and work-life American Dream – work culture of anyone can be successful if they work hard enough, leads to a feeling of needing to succeed Clashing in approaches to work/life balance
    Punctuality Meetings rarely begin on time / last for an hour or more Meetings begin on schedule / over quickly Could cause the feel of disrespect
    Communication Communication – understated, cynical, sincere, deflect praise, moderation, self-control, no self-promotion, “kind of”, “sort of” Communication – optimistic, energised, generous with praise/encouragement, sell themselves, “totally”, “literally” Can lead to misunderstandings over email / during meetings

    Interestingly, the move from US to UK has the most expatriate failure ratings, where the expat (and their family) isn’t prepared – with the assumption that these two cultures really aren’t that different. Expatriate failures can be extremely costly for international businesses, with the financial costs of bringing the employee home as well as the mental costs on the employee having had a bad expat experience due to a lack of cultural competency training. Earlier studies have shown that expatriate failures can cost companies two to five of the employee’s salary!

    Expats between UK and Spain:

    The UK and Spain often work together but fully understanding the ins and outs of these two cultures prove harder than it looks

    UK SPAIN IMPLICATIONS
    Timings Small lunch with dinner as main meal 7 pm Lunch as main meal with light dinner 9 pm Can be difficult to sync up timings for meetings, different schedules
    Body Language Non-contact culture, very little physical contact beyond a handshake High-contact culture, kissing of cheeks, standing close when talking Misinterpretation making people uncomfortable and even offended
    Business Negotiations Often more formal – sometimes more task-oriented Expect to build a personal relationship/trust before negotiations Must gain an understanding of the way business relationships need to be approached

    Also, in Spain, there are 17 autonomous regions in the country. This means there are 17 areas with their own particular cultures, some having their official languages, where Spaniards culturally identify based on regions!

    Expats between UK and Japan:

    Two cultures that are often classed as being very different are the UK and Japan, where their opposing cultures are often highlighted even more in the business world.

    UK JAPAN IMPLICATIONS
    Body Language “me” / “I” = pointing to chest “me” / “I” = pointing to nose Miscommunication
    Mistakes Opportunities to learn from, more open to discuss Often prefer to hide mistakes Affects collaboration and teamwork
    Work-Life balance Prioritise private life Work can become the main priority Clashes in approaches to work and wellbeing
    Language meanings “no” means “no” “no” directly is bad, instead “That could be difficult” Can cause offence if the meanings of language choices aren’t understood properly
    Decision Making Make decisions quickly even with insufficient information To make decisions, require a lot of detail – can lead to decision-making being slow Can lead to frustration between the different cultures

    Even with just the typical cultural differences outlined in these comparisons, it reinforces how the ways of thinking and working between different cultural backgrounds can be massively different. From hierarchical vs egalitarian, relationship-oriented vs task-oriented, team/collective psychology vs individualistic – the slight nuances in cultural differences can massively affect business relationships if not understood.

     

    What happens when there is no cultural competency training? 

    From these examples, whichever countries are working together, no matter how similar you think they might be, there will always be cultural differences. This is where cultural competency training comes in, without it issues begin to emerge.

    Here are some examples of what goes wrong when your business doesn’t have cultural competency training:

    • Natural reflex to label people that are different from ourselves – this label tends to be something negative
    • Misunderstandings in communication
    • External work complaints – discrimination, harassment, hostile work environment – could lead to government fines, legal action, loss of good employees
    • Privacy / personal space – in different cultures, there are different ideas of how much or how little privacy everyone has e.g., in some cultures, people cluster tightly and in others, they spread out
    • Physical contact – different cultures have different values on physical touch, therefore the need for anti-harassment training with guidelines for appropriate workplace behaviour and cultural sensitivity is evident is needed
    • Political correctness
    • Generation gap – different belief systems between young and old

    Cultural competency training can help any of these issues. Even if you don’t have full comprehensive background knowledge on every culture, shifting your attitude to being empathetic and understanding towards your colleagues can make all the difference in avoiding discomfort and conflict.

    (Why Cross-Cultural Training is a Must for International Businesses in 2021)

     

    Wellbeing and Engage 

    Introducing cultural competence training to your internationally mobile workforce is a process that develops and evolves – this is no quick-fix solution! For companies to fully reap the benefits from cultural competence, their workforce must be willing and open to learning, which can only come from genuinely being interested in other people.

    Cultural competence training helps create a working environment that employees are proud to be a part of, targeting all aspects of wellbeing. Training is rooted in supporting the happiness of employees, providing opportunity and space for relaxed communication and expression. Look here to see what else is involved in cultural training.

    At Engage Health Group, we work across the health and wellbeing marketplace to ensure you find the right policies at the right price, and ensure your whole benefits package provides prices from across the market.

    Contact our expert team at enquiries@engagehealthgroup.co.uk or call 01273 974419 for FREE no-obligation advice and support.

  • Employee health checks on the rise in the face of COVID-19

    Employee health checks on the rise in the face of COVID-19

    Employee health checks getting people back to work

    Despite COVID-19 slowly becoming the new normal in our everyday lives, the general climate of demand and strain on the NHS is still high. During the second wave of the pandemic, there was never any fewer than 10,000 COVID patients in the hospital, with more than 3,000 new COVID patients being admitted every day.
    So how does this impact general perceptions on health? Particularly in the workplace?

    For any organisation to be successful, maintaining the wellbeing and health of employees must be a priority. One strategy that many organisations adopt to develop their wellness strategies is frequent employee health checks for staff, opening and normalising discussion on health and wellbeing. The continued presence of COVID has made this even more important.

    Pressure on NHS services has meant a huge increase in those waiting for even just a first appointment. The Department of Health produced figures from April to June 2021 that 348,867 people were on the waiting list for appointments, a rise of 38,946 compared to the previous year. This is an immense amount of people, resulting in inevitable frustration and negativity towards health services. Are these attitudes the same for employee health checks?

    As we approach our second autumn of the pandemic, how much is COVID still affecting the approach to employee health at work? Is COVID impacting the level of response for employee health checks? And what else can employers do to help?

    What are employee health checks? 

    Employee health checks are detailed check-ups aimed to provide a clear view of an employee’s health and wellbeing. They help to identify potential health risks, ensuring that members of staff are fit to be in the workforce.

    Employee health checks are designed to target individual needs, so there is no one-size-fits-all structure. They can be adapted to suit company size, location, overall wellbeing strategies, and individual needs.

    NHS health checks are offered to everyone aged 40-74 in England every 5 years, but companies can develop their own employee health scheme including either a basic health check or full:

    • Basic: blood pressure, heart rate, height & weight, body mass index, cholesterol, diabetes hydration percentage, body fat percentage, glucose
    • Full (includes the above): urine analysis, full biochemistry profile, liver & kidney function, nutrition, spinal assessment, lung function, breast examination – as a few examples.

     

    Look here to find more on what employers can offer with employee health checks.

    Is it a legal obligation or an opportunity for businesses?

    Employee health checks are not enforced by law or government standards, leaving the responsibility down to the employer to ensure they are available to their staff. Any type of employee health checks are becoming increasingly popular for companies in the face of the pandemic, with increased emphasis and anxiety around health.

    Sally Bedeau, Loch Wellbeing’s Business Manager at Loch Associates added “Whilst there is no legal obligation for employers to offer Health Checks at work some businesses find that this can benefit both the employee and the business. Employees feel looked after, valued and cared for and businesses can use high-level data gathered from health checks to identify if there are any common health issues affecting their workforce that they can help to address through targeted wellbeing initiatives.”

    In one of their case studies Loch’s HR Medical Specialists identified that in a cross-site organisation, one location had higher average blood pressure readings than the others.  It was identified that the common cause of this was that there were more smokers based at that location. The business, along with advice from their HR Medical Specialists, then supported the employees to either quit or reduce smoking, resulting in an overall improvement in health.  It also resulted in reducing sickness absences in the future.

    Sally added “With our wellness checks at Loch Wellbeing, individual health information is kept confidential but the business report we prepare is an invaluable insight into the health of the workforce. In this report, our HR Medical Specialists will identify any concerns, highlight areas for improvement and how that can be achieved.  By following the HR Medical Specialists’ recommendations businesses can reduce absences, increase productivity and have a healthier and more engaged team.”

    How have employee health checks changed since COVID?

    To keep up with the ever-changing landscape of the pandemic, every aspect of work and life must also adapt. This also goes for employee health checks. By adapting the regular procedures of monitoring employee wellbeing and health in line with COVID, businesses can access the knowledge of how best to prevent the spread of illness and ensure the best possible environment for their employees.

    Popular health checks since COVID:

    • Temperature screening checks: quickly manage employees with potential symptoms
    • Health Checkpoints: designed to not disrupt the general workflow, can include surveys, booking socially distanced desks, technological-based help
    • Hand sanitiser and cleaning stations 
    • Access to lateral flow testing
    • Emphasis on respiratory checks

    One issue that employers are now facing is the emergence of ‘Long COVID’ (continuation of symptoms more than 12 weeks from getting ill). The lack of support and knowledge surrounding this means employees are left feeling isolated and confused whilst struggling with symptoms. Employee health checks can be a way for employers to tackle this, opening a dialogue for staff and access to support.

    However, not everyone has access to health checks due to increasingly long waiting lists. Employers must also find other ways to show their support, such as flexible working hours giving staff the room to adapt to a different way of working.

    Impact of COVID on waiting lists – statistics and attitudes 

    As outlined above, the influence of COVID has seeped into almost every aspect of life. A leading current topic is how seriously the pandemic has affected NHS waiting lists and the backlog for treatment. This backlog acts as an obstacle for many people, giving rise to a new approach to health where the public are waiting things out until after COVID. In short, people aren’t attending health checks producing a general atmosphere of poor wellbeing and health.

    This delay is a result of the public trying to help the NHS as they struggle with pressures from COVID! But instead, people are left with not getting the help they need when they need it.

    Employers can support their employees by informing and pushing them to respond to signs and symptoms, ensuring staff take full advantage of other health services that are on offer. Through a well-developed wellness strategy and employee benefits scheme, including employee health checks, employers can create a workspace that feels safe and productive during unprecedented times and prioritise the wellbeing of their employees.

    Aviva’s report “The Changing Landscape – Embracing a New Approach” outlines how 48% of people polled said they would be more likely to take up a health check than before the pandemic. Unfortunately, 60% of respondents hadn’t had a health check in the last 12 months. This highlights how the pandemic has made health more of a priority for employees, but there is little support for the increased demand and receiving a health check is near impossible.

    Again, this is where employers must step up for the wellbeing of their staff where other services are straining in the face of the pandemic.

    (Top 5 Benefits of Corporate Wellness)

    Wellbeing and Engage Health Group 

    Employees attending their health checks at work is incredibly important. It provides an opportunity for at least an initial appointment and the option for referrals during a time when everything seems difficult to achieve. Having employee health checks on offer promotes integrity and trust in an organisation, showing employees that you value their wellbeing and care for their health.

    Employee health checks are just one way organisations can provide further support to employees during the pandemic. Look here to see what else can go into a wellbeing strategy.

    Contact us at Engage Health Group for our free no-obligation advice and discover what else can be on offer to employees to support their wellbeing and health during COVID-19.