Engage Health Group

Tag: employee support

  • 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 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

  • Aviva Launches Mental Health Toolkit for Line Managers

    Aviva Launches Mental Health Toolkit for Line Managers

    Insurance provider Aviva have gone the extra mile in their wellbeing services with the launch of a mental health toolkit available for line managers in 2021! The toolkit includes a range of bite-sized video training modules, developed by CBT clinics, alongside a Wellbeing Library with downloadable information and accessible guidance.

    Designed for Group Protection clients managing their workplace wellbeing

    Aviva ensured it would be available across all 3 product lines: Group Life, Group Income Protection, and Group Critical Illness.

    Both the Aviva Mental Health Toolkit and the Wellbeing Library help managers spot changes to increase the occurrence of early intervention. In short, this support provides managers with the confidence they need to carry out difficult conversations with employees and create a positive wellbeing environment.

    So, let’s dive into what Aviva has produced!

    Aviva Line Manager Toolkit for Mental Health – new in 2021

    • 7 bite-sized video training modules & downloads
    • Learn how to spot warning signs of poor mental wellbeing
    • Adaptable to physical and remote working environments
    • Examples scenarios
    • Easily accessible at all times & can revisit

    The 7 modules of the Aviva Mental Health Toolkit include: 

    1. Mental Health in Workplace: helping line managers identify employee behaviours / implement early intervention
    2. Changing Behaviour: teaching how to spot early warning signs of poor mental wellbeing – both physically and remotely
    3. Difficult Conversations: how line managers can feel more confident in supportive conversations with employees
    4. How to Respond to a Crisis Situation: content to help line managers identify a crisis, increasing their confidence in response & taking effective action – crisis contact car with information on who to alert and guidance
    5. Adapting and Adjusting in the Workplace: guidance on the reasonable adjustments that are needed to support employees to stay and return to work
    6. Looking after yourself: how to recognise and respond to your own mental health needs
    7. Signposting: understand the difference between signposting and giving advice – knowing what available support is already in place both externally and in the workplace

    Aviva’s Wellbeing Library: 

    • Accessible through the Aviva DigiCare+ Workplace app / Wellbeing Library online via a shared link
    • Guides, tools, tips
    • Categorised modules e.g., Financial Module: articles covering budgeting, how to avoid financial scams, how to build up money
    • Support on different issues incl. relationships, money, work, mental and physical health conditions

    “Supportive line management is a critical part of an employee’s satisfaction at work and managers are often either the first port of call within the workplace or the first to notice changes at the outset of an employee’s declining mental health.”
    – Sophie Money, group protection wellbeing manager Aviva

    As an insurance provider, Aviva aims to target as many employees as possible, to establish inclusivity in their offers. The Aviva Line Manager Toolkit works for any type of organisation – those without internal resources and those already with a dedicated HR/wellbeing department. The mental health toolkit can be adapted to fit any organisation’s style and needs!

    Engage Health Group is a UK based health insurance broker and employee benefits consultancy, offering expert, impartial advice to business clients. With access to all insurance providers in the UK and in the global market and with no allegiance to any, we compare the best insurance companies for you and secure the best possible premiums. Contact us at Engage Health Group for our free no-obligation advice.

    Further reading: Your guide to Mental Health First Aid in the workplace

  • The Obesity Crisis under the Spotlight in the Middle of the Pandemic | The BUPA Global Webinar

    The Obesity Crisis under the Spotlight in the Middle of the Pandemic | The BUPA Global Webinar

    As the Covid pandemic evolves it has made a major impact from mental health, flexible working, development of vaccinations, state of healthcare to human rights issues. But it has also raised serious questions about the growing percentage of the population with obesity, and its threat to global health and the economy.

    Today, more than 800 million people live with obesity worldwide and this number is predicted to rise. By 2030 it is forecast that half of the global population will be overweight and this was the major topic at the Bupa Global Webinar; When Two Pandemics Collide: Covid and Obesity held on 07/09/2021.

     

    The worldwide prevalence of obesity nearly tripled between 1975 and 2016, and is set to continue

    % of world population living with obesity
    4% in 1975 16 % in 2016 50% predicted by 2030

     

     

    What is the connection between obesity and covid-19? 

    Dr Petra Simic, Medical Director at Bupa Global and UK explained that doctors started to realise early during the Covid-pandemic that people are not affected equally by the virus: more hospitalization, ventilation and death incidents were recorded for male’s over 60 years, within certain ethnic groups, suffering from diabetic problems, immunosuppression and having obesity. This was an interesting finding as doctors would have usually expected people with respiratory diseases to be worse affected by Covid-19, but this isn’t the case. Obesity is now looked at as an independent single risk factor. Actually, Covid-19 death rates are 10 times higher in countries where more than half the population is classed as overweight (World Obesity Forum).

    Dr Petra Simic mentioned that half of the Covid patients in intensive care units have some sort of blood clot. So, Covid-19 (a prothrombotic disease) and obesity (a prothrombotic condition) coming together is not a good combination. Furthermore, evidence reveals that Covid targets the same organs that suffer from obesity, either directly or indirectly: heart, guts, liver, kidney, pancreas, brain.

    Obesity could also affect the ability for a good immune response to vaccination, hence it is currently being studied as to whether the vaccination is less effective among people with obesity.

    Overall, there is sufficient evidence that people with obesity have a greater risk of death or hospitalisation with Covid-19. The Covid pandemic highlighted how obesity leads to the development of other serious illnesses, adding a huge pressure on the health services around the world.

    Obesity: Result of lifestyle choices or a disease?

    Obesity is a complex disease involving an excessive amount of body fat measured by BMI (Body Mass Index) that can occur at any age to both men and women. While the social perception or stigma still focuses on size and diet, it is recognised amongst more and more health professionals that obesity is actually a chronic disease.

    It is a medical condition that results from a variety of factors:

    Genetics

    People who are genetically predisposed to obesity will be more likely to struggle with obesity. Recent studies confirmed that genetic influences are more dominant than environmental factors. For example, identical twins are more likely to have similar weight even if they are brought up in a different environment; females in South Africa or the Afro-American community in the USA tend to be more obese.

    The genes you inherit from your parents have a major effect on your metabolism, how you store and burn fats and how your body regulates your appetite. We need to understand how the gut communicates the sense of feeling full and hunger to the brain, there are 1000’s of hormones involved in these complex interactions!

    High calory intake – a sense of hunger is a powerful biological drive. There are lots of severely obese patients who cannot shake the feeling of hunger, making their body believe it desperately needs to react. In the same way that when we have pain in our body, the only thing we can think about is how to resolve that pain.

    So, diagnosis is not easy and more studies are needed to get a full understanding of this complex disease. 

    Environmental factors

    These are the cultural and social habits in your country or within your family. For example, what type of lunch is provided by your school, what type of dinner is cooked regularly at home, what the education and health system in your country teaches you, whether there is an easy access to a gym, what sort of foods are available in your local supermarkets, or what food labelling regulations apply in your country.

    In short, your physical activity, exercise choices and diet will play a part in developing extra weight. It is very important to mention that psychological factors such as stress, anxiety and mental health issues also have a huge emphasis on this.

    When we talk about obesity, it is imperative that we look at the roots of the problem instead of taking a bias opinion that the individual didn’t take care of her/his health.

    The double challenge with obesity

    The major issue with obesity is that it increases the risk of other diseases and health problems. These can range from heart disease, strokes, diabetes, certain type of cancers, high blood pressure, digestive problems, elevated cholesterol to osteoarthritis. Obesity is also the most important modifiable risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

    Overall, there are more than 200 identified diseases that are likely to be caused by or contributed to, obesity, which is a frightening fact. From this, we can draw a conclusion that obesity likely to be the main driver of mortality in the world at present.

    Why is obesity not taken more seriously?

    The main reason is the world of bias and stigma around obesity. Early prevention and intervention is not part of the general GP practise or conversation. It is not currently a priority of the healthcare service. Johanna Ralston, CEO at World Obesity Federation highlighted that healthcare professionals don’t get training on this in medical school, not even later at primary care level, which is sadly the case in many countries. There is an element of unconscious bias amongst health professionals as well.

    The truth is that people are not comfortable with talking openly about their body index with their GP as they feel ashamed. By the time the patient and GP have a conversation about it, they have often already developed high blood pressure or high cholesterol levels.

    Stigma and bias are different in different parts of the world. For example, in China, excess weight is a sign of wealth and westernisation, highlighting the influence of cultural factors.

    Another reason as to why there is a slow uptake in treating obesity seriously worldwide is the complexity of the disease – the cause factors and correlations were not clearly understood for many years. Dr Philip Schauer, Director of the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute at the Pennington Biomedical Research Centre commented: It is easier to fall back on some of the stereotypes than dealing with a systematic issue when there isn’t a single answer or solution.

    What is the cost of obesity?

    There are successful treatments today that are working effectively with enough evidence to show that even modest weight loss leads to significant health improvement. These treatments include lifestyle changes, behaviour modifications, dietary consultations up to hormone treatments, medications and surgery. The cost of regular preventative health checks and the cost of early interventions are minimal compared to the cost of treating potentially serious health problems for many years to come.

    For severe obesity, gastric band surgery is an effective option that should be made more accessible to people. The surgery now only involves a one-night treatment in hospital which is very safe and common. The vast majority of the weight loss is maintained for many decades, proving the effectiveness of this operation. Recent studies show that mortality risk was decreased by 50% for those who had surgery compared to those who didn’t and kept their weight.

    The capital cost of this operation is much lower than the overall long term cost implications of dealing with diabetes, cancer, heart or kidney conditions, just a few to mention.

    As more and more people become obese, the costs of obesity and obesity-related diseases are increasing. As per the WHO, the total cost of high BMI to health services globally is almost $1 trillion, over 13% of all healthcare expenditure.

    This is why the state has a self-interest in revolutionising the care service around obesity in addition to their social responsibility of saving the lives of their citizens.

    The role of health insurance providers to tackle the obesity crisis

    Health insurance providers also have an important role to play in tackling obesity by offering related products to their customers. One of the reasons why obesity is slowly picked up by the insurance providers is that there isn’t a comprehensive government strategy and there is a myth in the understanding whether it is a preventative product, a chronic disease, wellbeing or a self-care product. There is also a level of bias as well.

    In general, treatments for obesity are not covered by private medical insurance in the Business Health Insurance UK market. Having said that, Vitality does offer weight-loss surgeries (gastric banding, gastric bypass, gastric sleeve) under lifestyle and corrective surgical procedures where it is clinically necessary and meets eligibility criteria. In the International Health Insurance marketplace, a small number of insurers do provide cover for obesity surgery, when members are over a certain BMI and are clinically referred for treatment.

    On a broader level, insurance providers have a huge responsibility to increase awareness around the global obesity crisis, to raise the profile of successful weight loss interventions and treatments as well supporting people more early on in their obesity healthcare journey. There is also a significant commercial advantage to them by helping to highlight the issue and actively encourage preventative strategies.

    What can employers do to help their overweight or obese employees?

    Having a happy and healthy workforce means a greater chance of employers achieving their business goals, so more businesses have started to offer a broad range of benefits. For example, health insurance, employee assistance programmes, health cash plans, flexible working & wellness programmes for their staff.

    Over the last few years, there has been a huge rise in mental health awareness, training and support offered by employers. There has also been a growing push for supporting women with their menopause at work. It is hoped that obesity will follow the same path as these two in the coming years and become an area of real focus. Employers can do a lot to support their staff with regards to raising awareness on obesity and being proactive to avoid their employees developing the disease.

    Such proactive activities could include;

    • Obesity awareness training
    • virtual consultations with a specialist doctor
    • accommodating the right working environment
    • dietician advice
    • basic health checks for BMI, diabetes, glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol, heart rate as a preventative measure
    • gym membership discounts and organised sport activities
    • free fruits for lunch
    • vending machines with health options

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

    Summary

    With over 2 billion people being overweight and with almost 0.8 billion being obese today, it touches every society on Earth. Obesity is a disease in itself and also one of the key risk factors for developing other diseases, consequently claiming many lives today, and it is expected to rise.

    There is a need for a global shift in how we think about, and approach, obesity. The health industry needs to treat it like cancer or strokes, moving the stigmas of obesity away from lifestyle choices. There needs to be necessary funding for early intervention, education and treatments, also a coordinated global response driven by the healthcare system.

    Johanna Ralston, CEO at World Obesity Federation commented on obesity as “the next big issue driving mortality” or Dr Philip Schauer, Director of the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute at the Pennington Biomedical Research Institute “the other pandemic”. With these comments, the alarm bells should be raised for all businesses, states, insurance providers and individuals.

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