Engage Health Group

Category: News

  • Top 5 Benefits of Corporate Wellness Programs

    Top 5 Benefits of Corporate Wellness Programs

    In any business, success is always directly linked to the wellbeing and happiness of employees – businesses are only ever as good as the people that work for them. When corporate wellness, or employee wellbeing, becomes a top priority for companies then success soon follows.
    Starting out as “employee perks”, corporate wellness programs are now increasingly common in company’s benefits packages. In fact, it is now a huge part of attracting future employees to these companies.
    The benefits of corporate wellness programs are extensive for both businesses and their employees, so we will pick out just 5 of the top benefits resulting from wellbeing and health culture.

    Definitions of Corporate Wellness Programs

    Corporate wellness programs are designed to encourage healthier lifestyle choices in the workplace, generally covering any workplace activity or policy that supports the health and wellbeing of employees.
    When first approaching corporate wellness, the broadness of the topic can be daunting for companies. Often businesses find it difficult to know which areas of health and wellbeing to invest in.
    Each company can break it down any way that works for them, the basics being:

    • Career
    • Social
    • Financial
    • Physical
    • Community
    • Mental

    No matter the approach, emphasis should always be on the wellbeing of the employee – from there, company success will follow!
    Each employee’s wellbeing is critical in achieving a company’s overall goals and mission. Corporate wellness can act as an influential way to educate employees on the importance of healthy habits and wellbeing goals, creating a full circle of health and success.

    What are the top 5 benefits of corporate wellness?

    The list of how corporate wellness programs can benefit both employees and businesses are long and overflowing. So, here is just 5 of the top benefits.

    1. Employee retention & recruitment

    Having a good support system in place attracts future employees, where 87% of employees consider health and wellness offerings when choosing where to work. Having wellness programs to help employees work towards personal goals increases loyalty and makes employees feel valued and appreciated.

    1. Greater productivity & engagement

    Establishing a wellness culture through group health activities makes employees feel more connected to the company. Companies showing that they care about their employees will in return receive an increase in morale, motivation, and productivity. Increasing health can reduce absenteeism, boost job satisfaction, and reduce presenteeism.

    1. Lowers elevated health risks

    By keeping on top of, and monitoring, employee’s general health, wellness programs can reduce the risk of every day health threats. Companies can promote an active lifestyle, healthier diet, alcohol and tobacco avoidance. This reduces the risk of diseases e.g., high blood sugar, high blood pressure, high cholesterol.

    1. Reduced stress

    Corporate wellness plans that target mental wellbeing often promote mindfulness programs. These can reduce stress levels, improve sleep quality, improve memory and focus, reduce extreme emotional reactions, improve adaptability (Gallup survey found 45% of employees engaged at work were more adaptable to change).
    These factors are becoming increasingly important in the workplace, with companies looking for employees that can adapt to any situation without stress and worry.

    1. Reduced costs

    By providing preventative health services for employees, businesses can lower their overall outgoing healthcare costs. Examples of preventative services can be frequent check-ups, chiropractic support, or health screenings.
    Another way they reduce overall costs is through programmes addressing employee health behaviour. Behavioural change through education, skills, encouragement, and social support help employees adopt and maintain healthy habits. In the long run, this prevents health conditions caused by smoking, substance abuse, or poor diet.

    How have companies adopted corporate wellness programs?

    Many companies have implemented corporate wellness into their structure. Google is known for their extensive wellness programs, as seen on their page “How we care for Googlers”. The page is broken down into clear sections outlining their employee wellness scheme:

    • “Support your loved ones”

    Parental leave policies, retirement savings, death benefits, even bring your dog to work!

    • “Live a healthy life”

    Access to healthcare, onsite wellness/healthcare services (physicians, chiropractic, physical therapy), onsite fitness centres & classes, nutritious meals, and snacks

    • “Give back”

    Opportunities for charity work

    • “Enjoy quality time”

    Flexibility on holiday and “flex your workday” around personal and business needs

    • “Manage your finances”
    • “Invest in you”

    Personal and professional development e.g., “onsite coding or cooking classes, degree programs, or the guitar lessons you’ve been meaning to take”
    As seen from Google, corporate wellness programs can be adapted to suit the goals and mission of any company. For example, Netflix has more of a focus on a comfortable and relaxed work environment so they offer unlimited time off to employees where they can take holiday with little notice and no questions asked.

    Wellbeing and Engage

    The influence of corporate wellness programs on overall wellbeing is obvious. A full wellness program helps employees achieve aspirations and goals, making them feel cared for and accepted in a workforce. In return, employees improving their health creates higher productivity, morale, and stronger wellbeing.
    So really, it can be a win-win situation for everyone! However, each wellness scheme must be tailored to company and individual needs, so these differ from each business.
    At Engage Health Group, we specialise in certain aspects of corporate wellness – basic numbers, health screenings, employee assistance programs, educational workshops, mental resilience, and so on. Find out more on how we can help you tailor corporate wellness to fit your company.
    Contact us through Engage Health Group where we give free no-obligation advice and support and discover more on the benefits of corporate wellness programs.

  • Why Cross Cultural Training is a Must for International Businesses in 2021

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

    Cross cultural training for international businesses has been an integral part of organisations for years. However, after facing the last 16 months of the COVID-19 outbreak, maintaining cultural relationships and an openness towards other cultures has become essential.

    The one thing COVID has taught us is that we are all in this together, so shouldn’t there be more emphasis on trying to learn about one another?

    Digital technology has opened up new possibilities for businesses. Hiring (and setting up business channels) abroad has never been so easy. This means mastering the art of cross-cultural communication has never been more important.

    So, what is cross-cultural training? What are the latest best practice tips? And how do international businesses get started?

    What is cross cultural training?

    Practised for years in many international businesses, cross-cultural training provides opportunities for expatriates to develop their understanding of the country they are travelling to or communicating with. The main concepts involved are cultural awareness, cultural competence, cultural safety, cultural humility, and cultural intelligence.

    Employees are given the opportunity to learn about the culture and values of a destination country, the beliefs and norms, practical hints and tips for daily living, work issues to specific situations, cross-cultural communication, reflect on cultural assumptions, and to make comparisons to the culture of origins.

    Whilst learning about other cultures is a key part of this training, employees must also gain an awareness of their own cultural background and place in the world. By understanding yourself, you gain an awareness of your own impact on others.

    Employees gain the ability to recognize the differences and similarities between cultures and, in doing so, the capability to adjust to different cultural contexts.

    What are the latest trends in cross cultural training?

    The face of cross-cultural training has shifted massively over the last 10 years. Everything is all about moving with the world – becoming more connected through international and multicultural growth.

    Below are a few predicted trends that international businesses will adopt:

    • Training everyone (not just expats)

    Understanding different cultures is needed at all levels of business – multicultural teams, business travellers, HR, short-term assignees, virtual teams, interacting with clients and vendors abroad.

    • Integrating Technology

    As technology develops, so must the delivery of training. Examples of how to introduce technology more into cultural training: information directly into portals and intranets, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), texting apps, chatbots and training on machine applications.

    • Adopt an Honest Approach

    Trust and honesty mean more business, supplementing businesses’ credibility. Open and honest communication is needed now more than ever, with COVID meaning more virtual meetings where miscommunication can easily take place.

    • Changing language

    Avoid labelling misunderstood interactions as “abnormal” “weird” or “wrong”. Changing slight linguistical approaches can drastically make all parties more comfortable.
    These examples are all based around a larger inclusion of different people and their cultures, encompassing as many people as possible.

    What are the factors influencing these latest trends?

    What is influencing international businesses to change their approaches to cross cultural training?

    • Growing emphasis on virtual training – more access to material
    • There is an increase in connectivity through the internet, social media, and remote working
    • Having culturally diverse teams gives businesses different ways of thinking to develop new approaches to problems
    • COVID – the so-called “new normal” creating distance between businesses and audiences

    One main factor is the rise of the modern learner. These employees are keen to learn (with 94% of employees saying they would stay at a company if it invested in their career) and want to develop skills in body language, communication, emotional intelligence, critical thinking. This shows a shift away from practical knowledge, and a greater emphasis on employees wanting to learn more about people and cultures.

    Is cross cultural training more important than it was 10 years ago?

    Compared to 10 years ago, the leading countries in global connectivity have changed. Where the main connections were between Germany, UK, and US, there is now an increased emphasis on China, Singapore, and India. This change only furthers how small the world is becoming, creating connections further afield.

    Cross-cultural training is more important than it was 10 years ago. Business relations strengthen when employees are trained to communicate effectively across cultures. This is particularly true following the last 16 months of pandemic.

    COVID-19 has meant a more globalised approach to business is needed, bringing people together as everyone faces the same challenges and experiences. Businesses are connecting with more people abroad, made easy through virtual training and meetings. Every employee needs cultural training to be able to understand what is happening in different parts of the world.

    How it can impact wellbeing

    Cross-cultural training not only helps with the success of partnerships and deals for businesses, but it also improves employee wellbeing!

    The relocation service Cartus said that 61% of failed assignments were unsuccessful because of family or personal issues. This highlights the importance of cross-cultural training on the wellbeing of employees.

    Cultural training is rooted in supporting the happiness of employees through direct engagement and interactions with different people. It targets the three pillars of wellbeing, particularly the mental wellbeing of employees, providing a space for open communication. Take a deeper look into international employee benefits and wellbeing here.

    Cross-cultural training for international businesses is a vital part of organisations and is only getting more important as the world is constantly and unpredictably changing. You can find more information of what else is involved in cross-cultural training here.

    Contact us through Engage Health Group where we give free no-obligation advice and support and find out whether your cross-cultural training plan is up to date.
    Reveal the impact of covid on expats’ mental health

  • The Legal Profession has a major mental health crisis with wellbeing a low priority

    The Legal Profession has a major mental health crisis with wellbeing a low priority

    Is mental health an issue for solicitors and lawyers?

    When thinking about the legal sector the first things that come to mind are stereotypical: over-achieving, competitive work environment, insane work hours and workload, drive and attention to detail. But sadly, these traits associated with lawyers and solicitors can also be flipped into weaknesses.
    Statistics and surveys have revealed over the last ten years just how impactful the work environment in law firms really is with a shocking one in ten under 30s experiencing suicidal thoughts from the strained work attitude in this sector (IBA 2020 survey). The legal industry is surrounded by poorly represented cultural attitudes, enforced by hit shows like Suits, promoting a “work is life” mentality, and leaving no room for emotional health.
    In an increasingly competitive space, mental health and wellbeing should be a top priority. So why is it still not being unanimously addressed? And what can be done to help?
     

    Key terms that need to be understood:

    To fully understand what is happening in the legal sector, there are key terms that need to be defined. These include:

    • Burnout: emotional exhaustion / cynicism resulting from over-working and doing “people-work” – showing the employee’s inability to manage emotions when dealing with clients

     

    • Secondary Trauma: psychology signs/symptoms resulting from involvement with traumatised individuals

     

    • Legal Wellbeing: aims to improve work-life balance, manage stress, positive mindset, promote habits of consistent self-care – no one-size-fits-all approach to achieving this, personal (specialised to legal sector)

    Wellbeing is what law firms should be focussing on to provide the support that lawyers and solicitors need to stay working in this environment.
     

    Mental health statistics (for lawyers and solicitors):

    Over the last ten years, there has been an increasing number of surveys looking into how many employees are affected by the work they do. Unfortunately, each survey comes to similar conclusions. The mental well-being of lawyers is being massively underlooked.
    The 2014 Law Society in England and Wales survey reported 96% of solicitors (out of 1,517) were experiencing negative stress, 19% at severe levels.
    Taken place more recently (July 2020 – December 2020), the International Bar Association released findings from their survey addressing the legal industry on an international level. The findings showed:

    • 41% said they could not discuss wellbeing issues with their employer, in-case it would damage their career or livelihoods
    • 22% said there was no wellbeing help, support, or guidance in their jurisdiction
    • Between the ages 25-35, 75% believe their employers are not doing enough for mental wellbeing
    • 28% said they need an increased level of awareness in the workplace
    • 23% asking for more resources for professional support and intervention
    • One in six lawyers with disabilities have experienced suicidal thoughts from work-related mental wellbeing issues – with one in eight having self-harmed

    The numbers shockingly reveal how deep-rooted and serious the mental health issues are in this industry, spreading across all ages and genders. So, do these issues simply just come with practising law? Or is it a structural issue that has been ignored?
     

    Why is there such poor mental wellbeing in legal professions?

    “Law firms have this uncanny ability to keep you forever unsatisfied, striving for something just out of reach” (Richard Martin – former City employment lawyer and author of This Too Will Pass)
    The legal sector’s “just get on with it” attitude means that mental health issues are shrouded in stigma. Struggling means weakness and can ultimately affect career progression. This is just one reason why lawyers are uncomfortable with speaking out about mental health.
    Common trends in the causes for poor lawyer wellbeing are long hours, high billing requirements, large caseloads, alienating culture, competition, deadlines, expectations of success and emotionally demanding work.
    The 2020 IBA survey provides statistics on the main reasons for this mental health crisis:

    • Most common reasons: high workload, work-life balance, stress / pressure
    • How frequently employees experience negative factors: 46% competing demands, 44% long hours, 48% unrealistic time pressures

    Secondary legal trauma is also a huge factor. Working with traumatised individuals, hearing multiple traumatic narratives, and working with distressing evidence is enough to impact anyone’s wellbeing. It is the assumption that lawyers can approach these cases rationally that results in a lack of extra support and understanding.
    Alongside these factors are the unhealthy coping mechanisms that are so widely adopted in the legal community. Law training disconnects lawyers from themselves – work trumps emotional life. To avoid feelings of suffering, substance and alcohol abuse is widely undertaken where extra support and open discussion should be.
     

    What can be done to help solicitors and lawyers?

    Although the most recent surveys outline how much of an issue mental wellbeing currently still is for lawyers, there are steps that can and are being taken to begin to change this.
    The charity LawCare stated that the number of contacts looking for support for anxiety doubled from 2020 to 2021. This shows the shifting legal context where employees are actively seeking help for poor mental health
    Law firms can support staff through schemes such as the Mental Health First Aider (MHFA). The training course provides First Aiders with the knowledge and skills to support any colleague struggling with mental health. It provides an opportunity to understand different mental illnesses from depression, addiction, suicide, to eating and personality disorders.
    Listed below are organisations that are now providing support for those in the legal community:

    • Solicitor’s Regulation Authority: helpline
    • LawCare: charity offering emotional support, information, and training to the UK legal community – raising awareness to improve the legal culture
    • Law Society Helpline
    • Mind
    • Samaritans

    Now with organisations set up to give support and spread awareness on the mental health issues that once seemed too deep-rooted to shift, the legal community are finally opening up.
    However, the change must also take place in the individual. Practising mindfulness, setting up boundaries between work and home, and prioritising the wellbeing of yourself all make huge differences towards changing the very structure of the legal community.
     
    As the focus on mental and corporate wellbeing in the legal industry, and other companies, is slowly becoming a priority, so is the emphasis on employee benefits. Find more information on how mental health comes under employee benefits here.
    Furthermore, some Private Medical Insurance providers are now covering drug and alcohol abuse within their mental health coverage.  This is something that has typically been a general exclusion.
    Contact us through Engage Health Group where we give free no-obligation advice and support on how a well-structured Employee Benefits strategy can work hard to care for your workforce.

  • Post-freedom Day: the UK is Open but Who are being Offered Flexible Working Benefits?

    Post-freedom Day: the UK is Open but Who are being Offered Flexible Working Benefits?

     

    Which sectors are offering their employees flexible working benefits after Freedom Day?

     
    The long-awaited Freedom Day sent excitement throughout the UK with complete restrictions being lifted and a return to normality seemed possible, despite 1 in 75 UK people being infected.
    A week since the reopening of the country, and the concerns are endless. Majority of young people still are not double vaccinated, face masks are being seen less and less, and having to self-isolate is now an everyday occurrence as we enter the pingdemic. One factor is the shift in working patterns where companies now must decide the model of flexible working that they will adopt.
    So, which sectors are offering flexible working benefits? Why not all?
     

    1. What does flexible working benefits mean?

    Flexible working benefits gives an employee more control in how they want to work in the post-pandemic world. Over the past 7 days, the percentage of UK working adults exclusively working from home has decreased from 23% to 21% (Opinions and Lifestyle Survey). This shows the need for a combination in flexible working benefits, where not everyone is desperate to come back into work.
    An example of flexible working benefits could be adjustment of start-finish times or leniency around shift patterns, or a hybrid model of both WFH (Working from Home) and in-person.
    The pandemic has brought forward the importance of a work-life balance, with the wellbeing of employees becoming a top priority to companies. It is important that companies are offering a range of different working options to ensure that each employee’s needs are included as the country returns to normal.
     

    2. Debate around flexible working post-freedom day

    Examples supporting flexible working benefits are childcare, more family time, increase in anxiety and mental health issues around returning to work, finances with food and travel, long commutes, wanting to travel whilst working or living abroad, vulnerable health or shielding.
    The Envoy Report outlines that 70% of UK workers say the hybrid model would provide personal benefits. 34% believe it would improve mental health, with 41% saying it would allow for a better work-life balance.
    These opinions are not shared by everyone. Workers not coming into large offices creates a ripple effect on smaller businesses e.g. coffee and lunch cafes or cleaning companies. Direct physical interactions are highly important for human behaviour, with people having felt increasingly isolated during the pandemic.
    This is the other side of mental wellbeing that has been impacted by the change in how the country is working.
     

    3. Challenges that companies are facing

    To ensure everyone is included, companies are facing many challenges. Some of these challenges are listed below:

    • Health and safety commitments of existing company policies not covering health issues of employees WFH
    • Administration to cover extra monitoring creating a heavier reliance on HR
    • The company becoming split between those WFH and those in the office – resulting in resentment or a loss of company cultures
    • A rethink of communication to maintain a work community
    • Anxiety, stress, depression of employees
    • Physical health risks – COVID and self-isolation

     

    3. Sectors which are able to provide flexible working benefits

    Listed below are sectors that can offer flexible working benefits:

    • Insurance
    • Accountancy
    • Higher positions in large businesses
    • Publishing
    • Entertainment
    • Banking / finance
    • Programming
    • Social media marketing
    • Content marketing
    • PR

    Technology is a vital part as to how these sectors can provide flexibility to their employees. Maintaining connection is possible through programmes such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams. The nature of work is also important, where office-based companies can transfer easily to a home set up.
     

    4. Sectors which are not able to provide flexible working benefits

    Listed below are sectors that cannot offer flexible working benefits:

    • Hospitality
    • Retail
    • Manual labour
    • Construction

    During COVID, these sectors have only been able to keep their employees in work through furlough schemes or PPE precautions.
    A week from Freedom Day and these sectors have become completely overrun because of the pingdemic with a record of 600,000 people having to self-isolate. Establishments become heavily understaffed, with the employees that are in work being faced with more abuse from customers leading to an unhealthy work environment.
     

    5. Examples of companies that are implementing flexible working benefits

    JOHN LEWIS:
    Providing flexible working hours for head office staff. All future job vacancies will be advertised with a flexible working option and support provided to the company partners being given the chance to figure out how and where they want to work.
    ASDA
    Offering a permanent hybrid working model for head office staff. Other employees will be given the option of what stores to work in based on the best location.
    AVIVA
    16,000 UK workers, 95% want a mixture of flexible and remote working. Many staff also value being in the office e.g. employees that live alone or don’t have access to a suitable working space.

    6. Examples of companies that are not implementing flexible working benefits

    FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS:

    • GOLDMAN SACHS
    • BARCLAYS
    • NATWEST

    The financial sector is massively keen to get workers returning to work. Due to the push back of Freedom Day and numbers of cases still rising, most banks are still having to follow a hybrid working model.
    These companies believe interactions are essential for productivity and work cultures, so a hybrid model is the only flexibility they are offering.
    ICELAND FOODS
    3% of total UK staff (more than 1000 workers) are self-isolating, resulting in the store hiring 2000 extra staff to cover. Instead of offering flexible working benefits.
     

    7. Employee wellbeing as a priority

    No matter what the company policy is on flexible working benefits, the top priority is the comfort and engagement of the employees. Following government guidelines, any business can begin to open after holding open communications with their employees. The necessary steps outlined on the GOV website: 

    • Complete health and safety risk assessment
    • Ventilation
    • Maintaining clean environment
    • Enforce self-isolation of anyone experiencing COVID symptoms
    • Enable the NHS check-in
    • Communicate and train

    It is the responsibility of institutions to establish a safe workspace for the physical, mental health, and financial wellbeing of employees. Corporate wellness is a high priority. If this isn’t the case, employees can reach out through Citizens Advice or Health and Safety Executive.
     
    Contact Engage Health Group to discuss how your business can provide flexible working benefits to your staff to support their wellbeing. We are happy to give you free, no-obligation advice.

  • The employee benefits that Generation Z need – and why

    The employee benefits that Generation Z need – and why

    Which Employee Benefits do young people want from your business?

    As Gen Z workers enter the workplace, a new approach to employee benefits may be required. Gen Z bring in a new way of thinking along with different demands. These ‘Zoomers’ are defined as being born between 1997 and the early 2010s, raised on the internet and social media, and highly conscious of issues related to authenticity.

    Who is Generation Z?

    Defining features of Generation Z can be broken down into four parts:

    • Undefined ID – fluidity in how you define yourself
    • Communaholic – a lack of differentiation between circles of friends / inclusive
    • Dialoguer – avoidance of confrontation
    • Realistic – holding a pragmatic approach with all the information

     

    A lot of issues surrounding Gen Z are rooted in identity with emphasis on individual expression, dialogue, and a search for authenticity. An interest in human rights emerges from this (LGBTQ+, race and ethnicity, and feminist issues). Companies must adapt their employee benefits schemes and work communities around causes and interests, rather than previous economic backgrounds.

    Being brought up surrounded by immediate information and social media, Gen Z has a shifted perspective towards consuming for access rather than possession. Organisations and businesses can also do this by focussing on stability in the workplace rather than immediate gratification of high salary.

    Why offer employee benefits for Generation Z?

    The research from the 2018 Perkbox survey (The Great Perk Search) suggests that Generation Z place more importance on workplace perks than other generations. Over a third (36%) of Gen Zers say employee benefits influence their decision to accept a job.

    The Great Perk Search also reveals that just 38% of Gen Z feel entitled to benefits at all. Generation Z grew up surrounded by economic deficit and will continue to feel financial hardship from huge university debts of £45k. Therefore, it is no surprise that financial stability is a high priority for this generation as they carry out their quest for ethics, identity, and truth.

    Just like every other generation, Gen Z benefit from the more general insurance schemes alongside specific perks. Private Medical Insurance, Group Income Protection, Critical Illness Cover, preventative health screening, all remain an important basis in creating a safe and stable work environment.

    How are Generation Z’s demands different from older generations?

    As the world shifts so does the different components in the Employee Value Proposition (EVP), where salary is now only one aspect that is appealing for employees.

    The 2018 survey of 2315 British adults working in part-time and fulltime employment carried out by Perkbox (The Great Perk Search) provides detailed statistics on the popularity and necessity of different employee benefits that are on offer, creating comparisons between generations.

    Below is a comparison between Generation X (born between mid-1960s and 1980s) and Generation Z’s top 5 most popular employee benefits:

    Generation X – Employee Benefits Generation Z – Employee Benefits
    • 95.68% activities / clubs
    • 88.84% supermarket discounts
    • 86.45% bring child to work
    • 85.81% free coffee & hot drinks
    • 85.72% pool table
    • 85.59% paid holiday on birthday
    • 84.62% free coffee & hot drinks
    • 82.83% flexible hours
    • 81.51% free lunches
    • 80.35% private healthcare

    Gen Z are more focussed on smaller perks that bring stability and benefit everyday life, such as free hot drinks and flexible hours. Whereas the percentages from Gen X prioritise team activities and balancing the work-life relationship, with family being important.

    It is clear from the Gen Z list that saving money where possible is essential, with private healthcare and free lunches, which Gen X also share. However, there is more emphasis on team building areas in the workplace from Gen X. This suggests that jobs were more centred at work compared to the flexible hours that are in demand from the younger generation.

    Other employee benefits that appeal to Generation Z

    Where finance is a leading factor for what Generation Z look for in employee benefits, the added extras that make up the work environment are also important to ensure companies are keeping up with needs.

    Examples of changes that can make a difference:

    • Establishing a communal approach to work where employees feel comfortable and open to raise issues
    • A relaxed dress code – to allow for individual identity and comfort
    • Flexible hours – start & finish times / shift patterns
    • Parking access – free parking
    • Transport aid – e.g., bus passes supplied
    • Fresh fruit – promoting health

     

    The Cycle to Work Scheme, set up in 1999, is a perfect example of companies providing opportunity for health and fitness as well as a cheaper means of travelling to work for employees. With this scheme, employees can save 25-39% on a bike and accessories, promoting an environmental and healthy approach.

    Impact of COVID-19 on Generation Z’s employee requirements

    A high level of furlough, working from home, and a loss of jobs during the covid pandemic has produced feelings of boredom, isolation, decrease in fitness, and general anxiety. 57% young adults say they feel the things they do in life are not worthwhile. Also, more than half of 16–24-year-olds (54%) are anxious about the end of restrictions and returning to work (from Aviva’s research).

    As a result, desired employee benefits have changed for younger people. The focus has shifted to address the issues that have come out of COVID-19. Some examples could be:

    What’s the point?

    Altering employee benefits to change with the times, and the generation, is essential for many reasons but mainly to create a safe and stable environment for employees approaching organisations. Some key reasons are broken down below:

    • To improve employee morale
    • To increase productivity / motivation
    • To create a better work environment and culture
    • To improve employee engagement
    • To reduce absences
    • Lead to employees feeling happier and hard working
    • To increase staff retention and reduce staff turnover

     

    Generation Z’s young and fresh perspective is needed in shifting the face of the workforce and business. With little high demands in comparison to past generations, why shouldn’t they receive great employee benefits?

    Contact Engage Health Group to discuss how your business can support your young employees’ wellbeing. We are happy to give you free, no-obligation advice.

  • William Russell release data showing overseas healthcare bills can hit over $390,000

    William Russell release data showing overseas healthcare bills can hit over $390,000

    Overseas International Health Insurance Claims 2019-2020

    We have been given an insight into the stark reality of global healthcare costs as William Russell, a leading International Medical Insurance provider, shares their analysis of overseas international health insurance claims, made between 2019 and 2020.

    The William Russell data reveals that the highest value healthcare claims paid during this period, generally relate to cancer treatment, with 25 claims hitting over $100,000 with five surpassing $300,000. The highest single claim landed in at over $390,000.

    However, the data it also sheds a light on the high cost of treatments in different parts of the world which are equally as eyewatering. Several maternity claims topped $40,000, with Hong Kong coming out as the most expensive country to have a baby. The most expensive medical evacuation during this period was $31,125 – although in extreme cases, complex medical evacuations costs can reach into the hundreds of thousands.

    Even routine treatments in some parts of the world can land you with a medical (healthcare) bill that could keep you awake at night. The highest claim for diabetes came in at $6,806 (Thailand) with the highest dental claim at $8,336. It isn’t just the older age ranges driving the higher costs of treatment either. In several cases expats and families living abroad were charged over $800 for childhood vaccinations.

    This new data is based on claims now up to two years old. With the cost of healthcare globally rising year on year due to new, cutting edge drugs and treatments being available as well as standard inflationary pressures, it’s likely that these figures have already been surpassed in 2020-2021.

    This is another timely reminder of the importance of having the right international health insurance in place for expatriate employees and a considered approach to international employee benefits for overseas staff.

    Commenting on the analysis, Inez Cooper, Managing Director and Co-founder of William Russell, stated:

    “The data shows the huge financial risk for families living and working abroad who seek medical care without cover from international health insurance.

    “While we at William Russell were more than happy to cover these costs on behalf of our global health insurance clients, we dread to think of any expatriate families who may need to pay these fees out of their own pockets.

    “Some of the sums revealed in our data could cause serious, long-term financial difficulty for families, which would add to the stress of illness.”

    Financial Wellbeing

    In addition to the practical considerations of protecting your family or employees at a time when they are ill. We know that Financial wellbeing is increasingly being recognised as a core pillar of mental health, as has been recently documented in the Mental Health Index released by leading Global Employee Assistance Programme provider, Lifeworks / Morneau Shepell, which you can read more about here.

    William Russell are a leading provider of International Health Insurance, which provides comprehensive cover for healthcare treatment anywhere in the world. These products are commonly used by expatriates to protect themselves and their families, and by businesses who want to protect their expatriate employees, or to provide a consistent and harmonised level of health insurance benefit, across multiple international locations.

    Further reading:

  • The AXA Global Healthcare 2021: The latest trends & cutting-edge solutions

    The AXA Global Healthcare 2021: The latest trends & cutting-edge solutions

    Healthcare insight and trends by AXA Global

    AXA launched its interactive Global Healthcare Virtual Conference this March. It incorporated discussions and insights from AXA’s leaders and representatives across the world on the recent trends they’ve noticed and their thoughts on how best to navigate the future terrain.

    Essentially, it was a debrief on the extraordinary last 12 months the industry has had to adapt to.

    As well as taking the opportunity to showcase their upcoming International Health Insurance plans, the conference mostly centred around: “The World of Work” – their latest annual report to have been commissioned. Its aim: to discover what international working looks like today and how this information can help HR decision makers better meet the needs of their assignees and prevent overseas assignments from failing.

    Over the course of a couple of days AXA explored a range of subjects surrounding the challenges the future may bring and how they expect the role of healthcare providers to change.

    They also raised questions like:

    “What complexities has the pandemic created?”

    “Are placements still viable for global businesses?”

    “Do employees still want to go on placement?”

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    Covid-19 impact on businesses

    The head of AXA’s Global reinsurance partnerships in Singapore; Laurent Pochat‑Cottilloux, shared his insights on the impact Covid-19 has had on the business which were particularly interesting.

    Impact #1:

    From his viewpoint, policy retention remained stable throughout the outbreak although new business took a hit as assignments were cancelled or brought to an end earlier than planned.

    Impact #2:

    All in all, people have been much less inclined to look at new policies or think about switching providers. To back up this point he added that sadly, one in five ex-pats left Singapore in 2020. He thinks it unlikely those numbers will return, predicting at least five years before they see similar numbers in Singapore again. 

    Impact #3:

    Of course, with social distancing a new must, the way we sell has changed. Face-to-face selling has not been an option and consequently, an up-tick in telesales has been noted.  

    Impact #4:

    In terms of claims costs, he described a significant drop, in comparison to those seen in 2019, as people have been avoiding medical centres, either by choice or government order.

    Elective, non-emergency and wellbeing claims have dramatically reduced and though the cost of severe Covid-19 cases can be high, these costs are usually funded by local healthcare systems. Furthermore, in the worst hit areas, private beds were requisitioned by governments for public use, so they have not seen the costs of hospital treatment filter through in claims as much as one might have expected.

    You can see further research from competing International Medical Insurance provider Cigna Global on the impact of Covid-19.

    So, what does this mean for 2021 according to AXA?

    AXA do expect to see a marked increase in claim submissions as we move toward the end of 2021 and medical services become safer to access and more widely available. Healthcare providers may need to hike their premiums up this year to cover the losses incurred from 2020.

    Yet, despite the impact this will have on claim costs, insurers are increasingly being asked to freeze their premiums. Therefore, to manage growing claims costs against static premiums, underwriters may increasingly have to ask for Covid-19 to be declared at enrolment. After all, we are still at the beginning of our Covid journey in many ways – only time will tell what the long-term effects of Covid-19 will really be on society.

    How will technology start to play a larger role in healthcare? 

    Accelerating trends

    We know very well that the technology we use to communicate with now was exactly the same technology we had available to us a year ago, we’ve just been forced us to become more adept and accustomed to using it.

    The pandemic has massively accelerated our use of technology in healthcare as people have increasingly felt inclined to make use of virtual GP apps and International Employee Assistance Programs. Mental health issues have been widely talked about since the pandemic began and it’s estimated that one in five employees experience mental health problems during international work placements, so it’s no surprise that intermediaries have reported seeing their clients more willing to actively seek out virtual mental health support such as therapy and counselling.

    New normals

    Communicating with medical professionals virtually, appears to have become another one of our “new normals” and along with it, has come a greater realisation of the benefits of accessing our healthcare this way. In fact, AXA are reporting that 69% of people globally now say they would consider or even prefer virtual consultations – this really opens up the potential for these types of mental health provisions to start expanding rapidly across the world.

    It’s no surprise then, that AXA think technology will become an essential part of international assignments in the future. They responded to this same demand themselves by launching their MIND health service mid-pandemic and including a virtual doctor and second medical opinion service across all their individual and SME plans – you can read more about this here.

    Tech to the rescue?

    We know that we will never have enough healthcare professionals to meet the demands in our communities – we have a growing and ageing population, more chronic disease is to be expected. Additionally, we are seeing an increasing frequency of pandemics and environmental challenges. Therefore, we will need technology to bridge the gap if we are ever going to manage our health needs successfully as a society. Face-to-face medical treatment can never be fully replaced by technology, but it can certainly be used to enhance and streamline our medical services, and we will have to figure out the perfect balance between digital tools and human intervention in terms of accessing and delivering healthcare as time goes on.

    For a long time now, people have been using apps to monitor their health and lifestyle, and more commonly we are seeing virtual technologies such as virtual assistants (or chat robots) in customer support settings with varying degrees of uptake and success, but naturally we expect this type of technology to progress.

    One theory shared toward the end of conference was that perhaps one day we will reach a point where we are able to integrate the information from all the different platforms we use, both public and private, into one single, medical database – where the information gathered by symptom checkers, unit calculators and lifestyle apps can be shared safely with doctors working in traditional healthcare settings to actually assist them in their diagnoses of patients, or even to spot trends and predict potential health crises (like pandemics) in the wider community.

    So, what does the future hold?

    In light of everything discussed over the course of the conference, the general consensus seemed to be that short-term assignments will probably become more common and in terms of health insurance premiums, affordability is likely to become a major customer pain point – medical inflation in the last five years has far surpassed GDP, therefore, efficiency and quality will have to improve. Online healthcare services will become more popular as people become more accustomed to using them, and Virtual GP apps will consequently become more respected.

    Overall, the closing message from the conference was positive: although there have been many challenges this last year, with change comes opportunity and most of the intermediaries participating remarked that they feel positive about the future. In Laurent’s words: “At least the world will be readier for the next pandemic. Hopefully”.

    You can read the findings of the 2020 World of Work report here.

    Axa Global Healthcare is a leading provider of health insurance for international employees and expat health insurance.

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  • Engage Health Group launch partnership with Check4Cancer

    Engage Health Group launch partnership with Check4Cancer

    Check4Cancer supported by Engage Health Group

    Engage Health Group are delighted to announce a new partnership with Check4Cancer, a trusted provider of personised cancer detection services.

    Forming part of their employee benefits offering, Engage will now provide their clients with at-home test kits and in-clinic screening for the six most common cancers in the UK, at a discounted rate.  These include Breast, Cervical, Prostate, Skin, Bowel and Lung cancers.

    Most people are touched in some way by cancer, either through personal experience or via a friend or family member. Around one in three people in the UK will develop cancer at some point in their lifetime and by 2024 it is anticipated that this will rise to one in two.

    The pandemic is affecting access to cancer services across the UK

    The Covid-19 pandemic continues to cause disruption across the country with thousands of people experiencing delays and cancellations to their usual GP and outpatient appointments. With no clear end in sight, it may be some time before NHS services are able to return to normal. Cancer services have been particularly affected: Cancer Research UK’s latest figures suggest as many as 200,000 people per week have not been screened for breast, bowel and cervical cancer, resulting in hundreds of people with cancer going undiagnosed. It is estimated that there will be 18,000 excess cancer deaths in the first twelve months of the pandemic.

    Nick Hale (UK Director at Engage Health Group) commented

    “Health screening is something I have personally championed over the past 20 years working in the Employee Benefits arena, but despite its importance and effectiveness, it’s often proved difficult to encourage take-up.  This new offering helps to remove any accessibility and cost barriers which might have existed, enables employers to promote screening to their workforce in a clear way and ultimately, can save lives”.

    Engage Health Group will initially provide access to all Check4Cancer detection services via their own Employee Benefits Platform, Engage Connect, which was launched earlier this year.  There is no cost to employers for including the cancer screening services, and the benefit can be company or employee funded.

    If you have been looking for cost-effective Benefit Technology for your organisation, with a range of voluntary benefits included as standard, we’d love to hear from you to arrange a demo!

  • Bupa Announce Covid Rebates to UK Health Insurance Customers

    Bupa Announce Covid Rebates to UK Health Insurance Customers

    Bupa covid rebates for individual and business health insurance customers 

    Bupa has this week advised that £125m will be rebated to its UK customers following disruption to medical treatment during the pandemic last year.  The rebate is expected to represent roughly one month’s premium to both individual and business health insurance customers.

    Whilst treatment for critical conditions such as heart and cancer continued throughout the pandemic, some independent hospitals were commandeered by the NHS in order to support high hospitalisation rates caused by Covid.  This meant that many non-urgent but essential treatments couldn’t be conducted as planned, resulting in insurers making higher than expected profits.

    During the height of the pandemic, Bupa pledged to pass back any exceptional financial benefit ultimately arising from the impact of Covid-19 to its UK health insurance customers, and many have been waiting to hear when this would be fulfilled.

    It is understood that Individual health insurance and business health insurance customers who paid a premium between 23rd March and 30th September 2020 will qualify for the rebate, and that there is nothing customers need to do for the rebate to be made.

    Bupa is among a number of UK health insurance providers who will have seen an exceptional reduction in claims costs during 2020, and it’s been fantastic to see how every insurer rallied to make their services remote friendly and ensure that customers could still access a range of other value-added benefits throughout a challenging period. 

    Other health insurance providers (WPA, AXA, Aviva and Vitality)

    Of those other insurers, WPA (Western Provident Association) were the first to act in paying rebates to their customers, issuing two payments (April and June) equating to circa 40% of the customers monthly premium.

    AXA Health, Aviva and Vitality are yet to confirm if and when refunds will be made to their own customers but have indicated that it is being reviewed.

  • Morneau Shepell; Mental Health Index – Key findings and further information

    Morneau Shepell; Mental Health Index – Key findings and further information

    Morneau Shepell’s Mental Health Index 2021-2212

    It has provided some fascinating insight by tracking the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of the working population. So what are the key takeaway’s?

     

    Perceptions of overall psychological health

    Most concerningly; people’s perceptions of their overall psychological health has declined.

    This measure is indicative of how working Britons categories their mental health and is a very strong indicator of your future mental health.

    • April 2020 -2.1
    • Jan 2021 -5.6

    Not only is this figure negative, but still declining. This represents a risk, but not a destiny. These issues won’t just atomically improve when the pandemic ends, mental health doesn’t work like that. However, given the right wake up call to employers, with the right support, training and focus, this can be avoided.

    Who is most impacted by the covid pandemic?

    Savings, children and earning stability predicted the level of mental health through the pandemic.

    • Those without emergency savings have the lowest mental health scores. This has been consistent month by month, in all regions. This isn’t purely a salary factor either, people with a higher income by low emergency savings have worse mental health scores than people with a low to moderate income.
    • Those with children have lower sores that those in a similar situation who do not.
    • Those with reduced salary / hours had worsening mental health through the year. Trying to keep people on can have unintended consequences which need to be managed. A reduction in salary creates lots of uncertainly and anxiety; a red flag for their future? Can they cope financially over time? Will their salary go back to normal? Would they be better looking for another job.. etc. The data shows that overtime this can have more of a negative mental health impact than losing your job in the first place.
    • Additionally, those who are isolated fare worse in each situation.

    Those who indicate better employer support have better mental health Index scores.

    • Support from employers, being focussed and consistent on mental health, makes a massive difference in the scores.
    • If employees scored their employers support for mental health needs ‘very well’, then their overall mental health score, only had a drop if -1.8. vs the -13 average
    • Employees who rate their employers as ‘very poor’ had an overall decrease of -26.6
    • What employers do matter, and maters more now than ever people

    67% of British manages say working from home is helpful for their own mental health

    • One third say there has been no impact, or it has made their mental health worse.
    • It is helpful for some and others it isn’t – often dependant on specific situations.
    • Having flexibility of both home and office work is best.

    Key Highlights

    • We finally realised that mental health is an issue for all, though some are more vulnerable. Having support, and scalable solutions so they are available to everyone, is very important.
    • We depend on managers and recognise the need to support their mental health specifically. Providing appropriate resources and training is crucial.
    • We saw how critical financial wellbeing is to employee mental health and wellbeing. As you think about your mental health strategy, make sure this is an area being considered, as they go hand in hand.
    • We saw that employers support for mental health truly makes a meaningful difference. This is incredibly clear in the data.

    Despite all the data, it is very important to understand that behind all of these numbers, there is a person and a family. Lots of people have been on very difficult journeys, and there have been and will be some fantastic stories of recovery too.

    More information on Morneau Shepell’s Mental health Index can be found here; https://www.morneaushepell.com/ca-en/mental-health-index

    Morneau Shepell are a leading provider of International Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP). A Global EAP allows a business to provide a consistent level of mental health support to employees across multiple international locations. You can find out more about Global EAP’s here;

    Find more information on the full range of International Employee Benefits here

    Find more information on International Business Health Insurance here