Engage Health Group

Tag: employee wellbeing

  • Top 5 EAP providers for UK businesses

    Top 5 EAP providers for UK businesses

    Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) are a fantastic way to help staff handle anything that life and work might throw at them, providing proactive support with a range of emotional and psychological issues. But there are many EAPs out there on the market, each with their own set of price points and features.

    We’ll explain exactly how they work and look at the services offered by five leading EAP providers in the UK.

    Need helping finding the right EAP for your business? Get FREE one-to-one advice from our award-winning friendly team on 01273 974419 or drop us an email at enquiries@engagehealthgroup.co.uk.

    What is an Employee Assistance Programme?

    Employee Assistance Programmes are designed to support the general mental health and wellbeing of staff. EAP providers offer a range of services which usually include access to professional counselling sessions, self-help tools and activities, and discount schemes.

    EAPs are accessible under one platform, helping employees to manage problems in work and in life in general. An EAP can help with the stresses and strains associated with:

    • Financial worries
    • Work-related issues
    • Family problems
    • Legal difficulties
    • Housing insecurity
    • Substance abuse
    • Gambling addiction
    • Stress, anxiety, depression
    • Bullying and harassment
    • Feelings of isolation
    • Domestic violence
    • General health and lifestyle issues

    An EAP is not just designed to help those in serious need and you don’t need to be going through a traumatic event to benefit from it’s services! The resources provided are there to improve general emotional resilience, teaching staff how to reach their own inner calm, and feel equipped to handle anything life throws at them.

    Employee Assistance Programmes are accessible for many types of company – big or small – due to its adaptable nature and the wide range of services on offer!

    5 EAP providers to check out

    #1 TELUS Health (Formerly LifeWorks)

    TELUS Health is an EAP provider that covers over 20,000 different businesses, offering support for over 26 million individuals internationally, having joined forces with LifeWorks in 2022. TELUS Health has developed a modern EAP service, with 24/7 counselling and online wellbeing resources to help staff reach their fitness goals and bolster their inner resilience. They also offer savings and discounts on daily essentials and key life events.

    On top of the core coverage, TELUS Health also offers some innovative extras to their programme:

    • Access to a digital news feed providing resources on general wellbeing and the latest updates
    • Discounts on retailers, restaurants, fun activities, daily grocery shop
    • Tools for business owners to track analytics, engagement, talent retention, and productivity
    • Work-life balance support

    #2 Care First

    Care First is an international EAP provider experienced in working with small businesses, as well as larger organisations from across different industries varying in size from 25 to 220,000 employees. Care First has a particular focus on its counselling services and people management tools, including all the traditional EAP features.

    An incredibly helpful option Care First offers is its service integration, ensuring that there are no overlaps or interference with any pre-existing services, potentially helping businesses save money in the process. Every client is unique and so should their EAP service be! Care First works to fit the services seamlessly with any existing business services such as Occupational Health and Absence Management.

    Care First also includes specialist SME solutions to provide the most efficient and affordable cover for small businesses. They have designed a bespoke service for businesses with between 35 to 1,000 employees.

    Would you like to speed up your fact-finding mission by talking to an impartial broker? We’ll be happy to field all your questions about EAPs and give our expert verdict. Get in touch at enquiries@engagehealthgroup.co.uk or call 01273 974419 for no-obligation advice and support.

    #3 Spectrum Life

    Spectrum Life provides mental health and wellbeing support to members and staff of over 2,000 organisations across both Ireland and the UK. Its EAP supports over 4 million active users. Spectrum Life provides Total Mental Health (a professionally accredited mental health resource), digital clinics covering everything from parenting to ergonomics and a range of wellbeing support services. Spectrum Life use its digital platform to provide a single connected solution, combining onsite wellness, digital wellbeing, Employee Assistance Programmes, and health screening.

    Spectrum Life also provides access to a catalogue of mental health seminars and workshops, as well as a variety of digital wellbeing events. They have more than 6,000 wellbeing events booked each year! These can provide extra support and insight to staff and employers, improving their mental health and wellbeing even more – and learning along the way!

    #4 Health Assured

    Health Assured is an award-winning EAP service provider, offering support to over 15 million people in over 160 countries, making them the largest independent UK and Ireland provider. Health Assured offer a variety of services, providing support to many organisations across a range of industries from public, private, and non-profit sectors all the way through to student assistance programmes.

    Health Assured also includes:

    • 24/7 helpline to counsellors, legal, and financial specialists – always answered locally in the UK.
    • My Healthy Advantage: smartphone app and personalised wellbeing tools and content; including videos, webinars, health checks, coaching.
    • Access to a global network of over 1,500 counsellors, trainers and critical incident responders across different communication platforms.
    • Report analytics, management information, organisational benchmarking.

    #5 ComPsych

    ComPsych is a leading international EAP provider based in the US, with one of the largest customer bases in the world, providing support to over 68,000 businesses and 139 million individuals globally. ComPsych’s ‘GuidanceResources’ platform includes its EAP, alongside behavioural health, wellness, and absence management services.

    The company’s global reach and network enables multinational employers and businesses to have a centrally managed EAP to offer to all their staff wherever they may be based. ComPsych, like any good EAP, looks at things from a holistic perspective with a extensive team of in-house specialists on hand to help address a wide variety of needs.

    Employees can access their EAP services in different formats and languages, boosting the overall accessibility for businesses for those with a global reach or expansion goals. Training resources are also provided on wellbeing subjects, including mindfulness and management skills to help members address any life challenges they may face.

    Which EAP provider is right for your staff?

    Finding the right EAP provider can quickly become overwhelming with hundreds of international and UK-based providers all offering different features and price points. However, as an independent benefits and health insurance broker, we can advise on the one which works best for your business and how it interacts with any other benefits you already have in place.

    Remember: most health insurance providers also offer a free EAP with their policies. For example, Bupa’s EAP and AXA’s EAP both come included with their Group Health Insurance plan. So if you’re considering buying a health policy, it might be wise to delay making a decision right away.

    Our expert team of award-winning brokers at Engage Health Group will take you through your options and gather a variety of quotes from across the whole market. We advise on all things employee benefits and health insurance, ensuring your staff’s wellbeing is protected and their needs fully addressed.

    Contact us at enquiries@engagehealthgroup.co.uk or call 01273 974419 for no-obligation advice and support.

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

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

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

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

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

    • Physical wellbeing
    • Mental wellbeing
    • Financial wellbeing

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

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

     

    What is Corporate Wellbeing?

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

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

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

    • Physical
    • Mental
    • Financial

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

    How are the three pillars are linked?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    What do employees want from Corporate Wellbeing?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    What can employers do to help build Corporate Wellbeing?

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

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

    Ways that employers can help:

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

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

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

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

     

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

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

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

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

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

     

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

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

  • How to measure employee wellness in the workplace

    How to measure employee wellness in the workplace

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

    Employee wellness in the workplace getting more attention

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

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

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

    What is employee wellness in the workplace? 

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

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

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

     

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

    Why does employee wellness need to be a priority? 

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

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

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

     

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

    Benefits of promoting employee wellness in the workplace

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

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

     

    (Top 5 Benefits of Corporate Wellness Programmes).

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

    How can employee wellness be measured in the workplace? 

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

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

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

    Employee Surveys: 

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

    HR Data: 

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

    Culture of Openness:

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

    Management Information: 

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

    Spotting Risk Areas: 

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

     Ask “Why Wellness?”:

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

     

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

    Different approaches to employee wellness

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

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

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

    Stress Management: 

    • Meditation
    • Pension Services

    Mental Health: 

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

    Fitness: 

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

    Work/Life Balance: 

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

    Hosting an Employee Wellness Week: 

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

     

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

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

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

    The impact of covid over employee wellness in the workplace

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

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

    3 pillars of employee wellbeing

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

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

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

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

    The cancer backlog: how can employee health checks help?

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

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

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

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

    What are employee health checks for cancer? 

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

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

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

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

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

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

     

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

    Current climate affecting cancer care and employee health checks

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

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

    Cancer Screening Backlog 

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

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

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

    Why are employee health checks for cancer so important? 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Examples of these benefits:

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

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

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

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

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

    Are health checks the way forward?

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

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

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

  • 6 reasons why businesses offer employee health screening

    6 reasons why businesses offer employee health screening

    Employee health screening is a simple and affordable way to to protect the wellbeing of employees. The idea of providing health checks at work has grown in popularity and is driving people to better better lifestyle choices – 72% of people who take health assessments say they will make positive lifestyle changes as a result.

    In this blog post, we examine:

    • The different levels of health screening available to businesses
    • The increasing trend towards health screening for senior execs
    • The bottom-line business benefit of offering health screening

    Would you like a FREE quote for health screening services and other workplace perks? Engage Health Group guides HR teams through the tangled web of employee benefit schemes, helping them save money and reduce their workload. Call 01273 974419.

    What is employee health screening?

    Employee health screening programmes are in-depth health checks and tests which measure an employee’s overall health. They identify health risks amongst staff, helping to prevent serious problems arising by addressing them early.

    Health checks at work can be as simple or as comprehensive as you like, depending on your budget. Specialist companies provide a range of screening services, but it’s important to note that Group Health Insurance policies and Health Cash Plans often include diagnostic tests too.

    There are two main levels of health screening:

    Basic health screening

    Basic employee health screening programmes are generally more light touch and include measures such as blood pressure, heart rate, height & weight, body mass index, cholesterol, diabetes, hydration percentage, body fat percentage and glucose.

    The basic level of health screening can typically cost between £30 – £40 per employee. Beyond this, employers can adopt a more detailed and comprehensive employee health screening programme. The cost of these full health screenings can range from £150 – £790.

    Full health screening

    Below are some examples of what is included in a full employee health screening programme (on top of what is included in the basic):

    • Urine analysis
    • Full biochemistry profile
    • Liver & kidney function
    • Nutritional status
    • Spinal assessment
    • Lung function test
    • Physiological resilience
    • Resting ECG
    • Cardiovascular risk assessment
    • Dynamic cardiovascular test
    • Chest x-ray
    • Breast examination
    • Prostate cancer blood test
    • Mammography
    • Metabolic analysis
    • Cervical smear
    • Thyroid function
    • Testicular examination

    Businesses often only offer full health screenings as a high-level employee benefit for executive and senior staff, with the basic being provided to all other employee levels.

    6 reasons why companies offer health checks to senior employees

    As outlined above, one of the key reasons why businesses can’t offer full employee health screening is simply down to cost. But more so than ever before, those in executive roles expect comprehensive health screening as part of their package.

    But beyond the basic “wants” of the individuals, HR functions are realising the value in providing this level of screening to their senior staff.

    1. Higher risk profile – Executives are particularly valuable to the company and often experience higher levels stress and pressure as they prioritise work over wellbeing. Alongside this added pressure, the average age of staff with an executive position is 54 years old and, therefore, at a higher risk of developing serious health issues.
    2. Reduces absences – Taking care of senior employees has a knock-on effect on the mental wellbeing and the everyday running of the rest of the company – after all, a workplace culture is set by those at the top. Ensuring they can tackle ailments before they get serious will reduce sickness-induced absences.
    3. Increases productivity – Showing that employees are valued leads to an improvement in happiness and productivity, with employees wanting to reward companies with their best work.
    4. Lower turnover rate – Employees are more likely to stay at the company if they feel valued.
    5. Attracting more employees – Produces a higher recruitment rate as wellbeing has become an increasing selling point for many people following the repercussions of COVID and an increasing emphasis on self-care.
    6. Lower starting price – Screenings act as a cheaper benefit than many health-related policies, enabling employers to add to their wellness strategies at little extra cost.

    In need of one-to-one professional advice and pricings? Contact our independent team of brokers for the latest advice on all issue related to employee benefits. No contracts, no fees, just straightforward guidance. Email enquiries@engagehealthgroup.co.uk.

    Should you provide health screening to the whole workforce? 

    Although businesses often provide top-level health screening just to directors or executive roles, the implementation of health screenings has far-reaching impacts and benefits for the rest of the company. Companies can provide basic levels of health screenings to other employees, creating a widespread environment of health and wellbeing.

    Listed are a few examples of the benefits for companies implementing health checks at work:

    • Helps to build trust, reinforcing the company’s commitment to employees by showing concern and care – improves staff retention, boosts productivity, improves engagement.
    • Reduces absenteeism – with 140 million days of work being lost every year to sickness absence, if employers can identify a serious health problem early, it can be prevented or helped sooner, reducing the time needed off work.
    • Promotes health awareness / healthy habits – an opportunity for employees to reflect on their lifestyle in a safe and honest environment, empowering staff to make proactive choices.
    • Prevention through early detection – identifying chronic health conditions which promotes a healthy workforce.
    • Short, convenient, can take place at work.
    • Helps employers learn what type of wellness initiatives their staff want.
    • Boosts productivity and motivation.

    Health, wellbeing and Engage

    Incorporating health checks into your wellbeing provision can help organisations decide which health programmes they should be offering. For example, if many employees show signs of vitamin deficiencies, then the company could offer nutritional cooking classes as an added benefit!

    Of course, providing employee health screenings is not enough. These programmes can contribute towards a developed health and wellbeing plan, working alongside other benefits that employees need. Having a fully developed wellbeing strategy can be so powerful for a company and their staff, where having access to health resources can ensure a lifestyle of wellness.

    Further reading: Top 5 benefits of corporate wellness program)

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

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