Engage Health Group

Tag: Mental Health

  • 7 company health insurance trends to watch in 2025

    7 company health insurance trends to watch in 2025

    The private medical insurance (PMI) market continues to grow, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. With more people turning to private healthcare for quicker access to treatment and tailored options, insurers are stepping up to meet growing demand.

    But what could the future hold?

    Based on current industry discussions, here are seven exciting trends we might see evolve in 2025.

    Want to stay ahead of the curve with your own employee benefits offering? Contact Engage Health Group’s award-winning consultants on 01273 974419 or enquiries@engagehealthgroup.co.uk for FREE advice and policy analysis.

     

     

    1.    Innovations in preventative services

    Prevention is better than cure, and insurers have been working hard to deliver more preventative services within their policies. By focusing on preventative care, they aim to help people avoid serious health issues and reduce long-term claims.

    • Experts have recently highlighted the need for a stronger focus on cancer prevention in the UK, so look out for more comprehensive screening programs.
    • The UK government recently secured a tech deal to improve early cancer detection
    • Wellness incentives, like gym discounts or wearable health trackers, are continuing to evolve with new features and functionality that put ease-of-use at its core.

    This shift isn’t just about saving money. It’s about encouraging healthier habits and catching problems early.

    As claims spiral, we can expect to see insurers continue to innovate in this area.

     

    2.    Support for neurodiversity

    As awareness of neurodiversity grows, so does the demand for services to support people with conditions like ADHD and autism. Insurers are starting to recognise this and may expand their policies to meet the need.

    • Benefits could include more diagnostic assessments, therapy, and even workplace support for neurodiverse employees.
    • Employers may see more tools and resources aimed at creating inclusive work environments.

    Zurich UK’s decision to offer neurodiversity assessments for staff shows how this trend has been gaining traction. Meanwhile, Aviva offers a Neurodevelopment Pathway on its corporate plans.

    So far, efforts have focused on diagnosis. Could 2025 be the year we see specialist advice and support for neurodivergent people post-diagnosis?

    Further reading: The real truth about neurodiversity in the workplace.

     

    3.    More self-help options

    Insurers are ramping up their digital tools for a generation that prefers to manage everything online. Self-service platforms and apps are becoming the norm, giving policyholders more control over their healthcare.

    • Expect to see apps where you can book GP appointments, track claims, or access mental health support.
    • Self-help tools like symptom checkers and guided therapy sessions might also be on offer.

    By catering to Gen Z and future generations, digitising healthcare and providing direct access to what they need can empower people to manage their health more efficiently.

     

    4.    Gender-specific health services

    Healthcare isn’t one-size-fits-all, and insurers are tailoring their offerings to meet gender-specific needs.

    • Women’s health services could include maternity support, menopause care, and dedicated GP options.
    • Men’s health services could cover prostate health, heart care, fertility issues and mental health.

    Examples of this trend include:

    • Simplyhealth’s women’s free health GP option: Provided by HealthHero, these women-focused GP services are now accessible to all customers with the insurer’s health plans and can be used 24/7 via the app or customer portal. This benefit provides quicker care and allows patients to access GPs specializing in women’s health.
    • Aviva’s updates to pregnancy-related cover: Aviva has added six pregnancy complications and more child-specific illnesses to its critical illness cover. Experts hope other insurers will follow, as these changes could significantly help families during tough times.
    • Juniper, a reproductive healthcare insurance provider, recently secured £1.5m in pre-seed funding.

    Prediction: We can expect to see more gender-specific innovations in 2025.

    Would your business benefit from FREE admin support on your health insurance policy? Contact our expert advisors for a no-obligation consultation. Email us on enquiries@engagehealthgroup.co.uk or call 01273 974419.

     

    5.    Innovations in AI

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming everything, and that includes health insurance. Insurers are beginning to use AI to make services faster, smarter, and more personalised.

    • Claims processing could become quicker and smoother, cutting down on frustrating delays.
    • AI might also help identify at-risk individuals, offering tailored advice to prevent health issues before they escalate.
    • Chatbots will be increasingly able to handle policy queries

    Companies like Everest are already using AI to enhance their offerings. For example, the company uses cutting-edge technology in Singapore to match patients and their medical needs with relevant healthcare providers. This saves time and cuts costs for both employers and employees.

    AI can be controversial too, especially if used to process claims without human oversight. Either way, for good and bad you can expect to see more AI innovations around health insurance policies in 2025.

     

    6.    Mental health support

    Expect to see continued attention on mental health support as increasing numbers of people seek out support.

    “I was shocked to learn during a meet with one insurer that their highest claims included in-patient mental health,” said Jo Bills, International Client Support Manager at Engage Health Group.

    “Historically it’s always been cardio and cancer, but in-patient mental health is definitely a bit of a shift. We’ve always known that out-patient mental health support has been popular but the fact that this has now crossed over into in-patient care really surprised me.”

    It’s an issue that predominantly seems to be affecting younger people. The demand for in-patient facilities may reflect a lack of support provided at an earlier stage.

    Preventative solutions will surely be a continued area of attention. Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) will be in high demand and you can expect to see continued innovations in wellness apps.

     

    7.    Global healthcare support

    More companies of all sizes are hiring abroad. This poses a challenge for companies seeking to provide health cover to all their employees wherever they are in the world.

    Corporate companies have long faced this challenge, but more SMEs are employing abroad whether via remote workers or through opening new offices abroad.

    So, one thing we can expect to see are more policies covering multiple countries under a single scheme.

    We might expect to see more policy innovations designed for SMEs with globally dispersed workers  in 2025. Who knows, maybe Engage Health Group will be at the forefront once more?

     

    What does this mean for businesses?

    Insurance providers are always searching out new ways to create value for their clients. Many innovations are first rolled out to corporate customers before gradually being made available to smaller businesses.

    It can be very difficult to keep up with all the latest product offerings in the employee benefits space, but Engage Health Group is here to give one-to-one advice and assistance.

    As an employee benefits consultancy, Engage Health Group stays abreast of all insurer offerings and price points to ensure you get the best advice available.

    We will also benchmark your offerings against similar companies, to ensure that you’re offering remains competitive

    If you’d like a complimentary quote tailored to your business or analysis of any current schemes you have in place, contact us on 01273 974419 or enquiries@engagehealthgroup.co.uk

  • 6 employee benefits that can help ease anxiety and support mental wellbeing

    6 employee benefits that can help ease anxiety and support mental wellbeing

    One in six UK workers is affected by mental health problems like anxiety, stress and depression. Much of our lives are spent in the workplace, so it’s only right that employers take steps to ensure staff are happy and healthy.

    A healthy workplace culture consists of many factors, including good people management, recognition & rewards, and considerate workplace policies.

    And one simple thing employers can do is provide employee benefits that offer practical support for mental wellbeing.

    In this blog, we’ve listed six employee benefits that provide either preventative or reactive support to ensure everyone can benefit regardless of the current state of their mental wellbeing.

    Need help setting up employee benefits for your staff’s health and wellbeing? Email our expert brokers at enquiries@engagehealthgroup.co.uk or call 01273 974419.

    6 employee benefits to help with anxiety, stress and depression

    #1 Mental Health First Aid Training

    A training programme to offer to employees, designed to teach staff how to understand, identify and support colleagues struggling with their mental health. The programme is a two-day course that covers a wide breadth of mental health issues, providing employees with a broad understanding of different issues and how to identify them.

    Benefits of Mental Health First Aid Training:

    • Helps to reduce stigma in the workplace
    • Promotes open discussions on mental health
    • Opens channels of support and how to find help
    • Provides managers with the skills to support struggling colleagues

    Remember, it doesn’t mean trained staff are qualified therapists! So make sure they aren’t taking on too much responsibility.

    Your guide to Mental Health First Aid in the workplace.

     

    #2 Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs)

    EAPs offer staff a range of tools and services to better equip them to handle whatever life and work throws at them. Designed to strengthen the emotional resilience of staff, EAPs allow employees to feel they are taking control over their own mental health, whilst safeguarding anonymity.

    Not every Employee Assistance Programme is the same and each provider will offer different levels of service. But you can expect to find the following services in most EAPs:

    • Professional counselling sessions
    • Managerial support
    • Financial management, advice, and debt support
    • Critical incident management
    • Self-help tools, activities, and programmes

    Benefits of Employee Assistance Programmes:

    • Helps to reduce stress and anxiety – something for every team member!
    • Employers can see where support is needed through trackable usage stats
    • Alleviates managerial pressures
    • Boosts workplace productivity
    • Adaptable to teams large and small

     

    #3 Group Health Cash Plans

    A Health Cash Plan is a form of health insurance providing cover for the day-to-day health needs of staff. Typical plans will include: medical consultations, physiotherapy, dental, counselling. Business Health Cash Plans are a simpler alternative to a larger Group Health Insurance policy, keeping costs low whilst still showing staff you are prioritising their overall wellbeing.

    Benefits of Group Health Cash Plans:

    • Can be easily tailored to fit with the specific needs of your business and staff
    • Helps staff with the stresses associated with routine health issues e.g., dental and eye checks
    • Easy to implement across the company
    • Allows staff autonomy over everyday health issues
    • Alleviates stress and worry for staff

    Learn more about Group Health Cash Plans.

     

    #4 Flexible working options

    Allowing employees to work in a way that best suits them shows you trust them to do the work they are paid for. Flexible working can relate to working hours or the location they work from.

    Benefits of flexible working options:

    • Supports employees’ work-life balance
    • Helps staff better handle childcare needs and elderly care responsibilities
    • Accommodates and recognises the different needs of each employee
    • Helps retain employees who might look elsewhere if you don’t provide some form of flexibility
    • Helps staff avoid the stress and cost of commuting to work everyday
    • Saves employees time and energy

    Related reading: Remote working stats 2023: trends, impacts and demographics.

     

    #5 Mental Health Services & Counselling

    Mental health services and one-to-one counselling can be provided through a Group Health Cash Plan, Employee Assistance Programmes, or as an added value service in a Group Health Insurance scheme. Alternatively, there are many providers in the market exclusively dedicated to mental health support and counselling resources. So mental health services can be invested in as a standalone product too!

    Benefits of providing mental health services:

    • Directly supports staff mental wellbeing
    • Adaptable options to fit with budget and staff needs
    • Reduces absenteeism / presenteeism
    • Boosts productivity and overall morale at work

     

    #6 Wellness apps

    A range of apps are available that provide various tools and exercises for bolstering mental wellbeing. They can consist of:

    • Meditation prompts and courses
    • CBT exercises
    • Dietary plans and prompts
    • Relaxing soundscapes
    • General healthy living guidance

    Some of the market leaders include Headspace and Calm. But many insurers also offer complementary apps in their Group Health Cash Plan and Business Health Insurance plans.

     

    The importance of protecting staff mental wellbeing

    Poor mental health can be directly linked to lower job performance, reduced motivation, and, in serious cases, can affect an employee’s physical wellbeing too.

    Supporting employees’ mental wellbeing is both the right thing and logical thing to do.

    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.

  • Your Guide to Mental Health First Aid in the Workplace

    Your Guide to Mental Health First Aid in the Workplace

    One in six people experience mental health problems at work, according to the Royal College of Psychiatrists. While conversations around mental health are increasing, it’s important to tackle the problem with practical solutions. 

    Enter Mental Health First Aid…

    Mental Health First Aid courses have become a popular option for many businesses seeking to tackle the scourge of poor mental wellbeing. But what is Mental Health First Aid? And does it really have practical benefits? We answer these questions and more…

    Looking for advice on how to boost employee wellbeing through employee benefits? Get FREE one-to-one advice from our expert brokers on 01273 974419 or email enquiries@engagehealthgroup.co.uk. 

     

    What is Mental Health First Aid? 

    Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a training programme designed to teach employees how to understand, identify, and support someone suffering with their mental health. It provides staff with the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of what mental health is and what impacts mental wellbeing.

    MHFA was developed and launched in England in 2006 by the organisation Mental Health First Aid England. Its development revolved around raising awareness of mental health and to reduce the stigma around mental health issues.

    The aim is to get mental health first aiders to act as you would for physical first aid, acting in moments of crisis or distress until professional help is provided. This doesn’t make you a qualified counsellor or psychotherapist though!

    Undergoing mental health first aid training will provide employees with:

    • Practical skills, knowledge, and confidence to recognise symptoms of mental health issues
    • The ability to effectively support anyone in mental distress – respond, listen, reassure
    • Provide information of further professional support and advice
    • A comprehension of mental health issues – understanding depression, anxiety, suicide prevention, psychosis
    • Understanding their own mental wellbeing

     

    How does it work? 

    The two-day course is divided into 4 sections to provide a wide understanding of different issues:

    • Mental Health First Aid – mental health and depression
    • Depression and suicidal crisis
    • Anxiety, personality disorders, eating disorders, self-harm
    • Psychosis, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders

    MHFA has established a 5-step easy to follow action plan:

    1. “Approach the person, assess and assist with any crisis”
    2. “Listen and communicate non-judgmentally”
    3. “Give support and information”
    4. “Encourage the person to get appropriate professional help”
    5. “Encourage other supports”

    Underlining each step is the aim of changing the overall perspective on mental health in the workplace, making mental health just as important as physical wellbeing

     

    How is Mental Health First Aid important? 

    In comparison to physical health, we often view mental health as less important – it’s not something we can physically see and fix simply. When our physical health is poor, so is our ability to enjoy life. The same applies to mental health. Both can shift from day to day, never staying the same, and require just as much attention.

    Mental health is still a huge issue in the UK, at home and in the workplace. Mind outlines just how bad the climate still is. Around 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem every year, with only 1 in 6 reporting these problems.

    MHFA training can be a proactive way that businesses can improve their mental wellbeing strategies, to promote healthy work environments and protect those employed.

     

    What type of businesses use it? 

    MHFA is a programme that can be adopted by any organisation. However, due to cost, it has previously been more accessible to larger firms. There has now been an increased interest from smaller organisations and different sectors, such as construction or finance sectors, or governmental departments (Department of Work and Pensions have trained over 1000).

    Below are examples of businesses that have added MHFA to their wellbeing strategies:

    Royal Mail: 

    • Trained around 1000 employees to contribute towards their Because Healthy Minds Matter wellbeing strategy. Their strategy was developed to increase awareness, decrease stigma, signpost to tools and support, know where to get help in a crisis.

    Channel 4: 

    • 88% of employees agreed they had learnt how to spot warning signs of mental health issues, 93% agreed they would now practice more mindfulness at work and personal routines, 78% said they had learnt more about the influence of social media over young people’s mental health.
    • The programme had helped employees to gain a deeper understanding of each other and their own mental health.

     

    What are the benefits of Mental Health First Aid?

    Research from Deloitte reveals that mental health is costing UK businesses up to £56 billion each year. As well being the right thing to do, tackling mental health is likely to be in a company’s economic self-interest too.

    Investing in Mental Health First Aid can help:

    • Reduce stigma
    • Promote open discussion around asking for help
    • Help staff feel more comfortable reporting mental health as their reason for sickness absence
    • Tackle a mental health issue in its early stages
    • Prevent a crisis from happening – suicide / self-harm
    • Reduce absenteeism & presenteeism
    • Reduce discrimination

     

    What are the disadvantages of Mental Health First Aid? 

    “My main problem with it is that organisations see it as a tick in the box” (Alan Bradshaw, business psychologist). 

    MHFA can improve an organisation’s employee wellbeing strategy but too much reliance on just one programme can negatively impact a company’s approach to mental health. Listed below are a few disadvantages from MHFA:

    • The strain on the mental health of the people trained – requires the skill of knowing when to be empathetic vs apathetic
    • People trained can take on too much responsibility – drawn into a counsellor role without the qualifications
    • Costly – often considered a luxury for most businesses making it an unlikely benefit for most employees 

     

    Wellbeing and Engage

    Although offering training in Mental Health First Aid can help promote awareness in the workplace, to be useful, it must be part of a wider wellbeing strategy. MHFA alone will not transform the psychological wellbeing of an organisation.

    The conversation around mental wellbeing must stay alive, and this can be achieved by companies providing multiple levels of support and different policies. Find out how EAPs can help companies address these issues in a cost-effective way.

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

  • 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 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.

  • Bupa Global Launches New Executive Wellbeing Index

    Bupa Global Launches New Executive Wellbeing Index

    The pandemic has been a nightmare for us all in one way or another, but it has also made us take a step back and reassess how we’ve been living our lives up to now – a lot of us don’t want to go back to exactly how it was before. Perhaps the small silver lining in this crisis is that it has forced us to re-examine our values and goals; What’s really important? And how would we prefer to muddle through this life in the future?

    As we realise that COVID-19, or at least, the effects of it, are here to stay for a good while longer, we’re adapting to a new set of needs and wants. And so, too, are the world’s boardroom executives. These business leaders will be helping to shape businesses, employment, and economies in the Post-COVID world – so how have they felt the impact? How will they respond?

    The New Executive Wellbeing Index

    In light of this, the leading International Health Insurance provider, Bupa Global, has commissioned research across seven key global regions (China, Egypt, France, Hong Kong, UAE, UK and USA), interviewing almost 2,000 high net-worth individuals and senior executives. The result is their recently released: Executive Wellbeing Index – a fascinating insight into how each area reacted to the spread of the virus, both in terms of public health and the economy. The report also comments on how business will be changing in response to the experience of 2020 and indicates how the focus areas within an International Employee Benefits offering may shift. We have outlined some of the key findings below;

    • Seven in 10 experienced poor mental health in this time, rising to eight in 10 for business leaders. For many, this was a new experience and didn’t know how to best handle the situation, with 40% of board-level executives reporting that they delayed seeking help.
    • This experience has led to one in four executives committing to provide better mental health and wellbeing support for colleagues. This is something that Engage Health Group can testify too, with a surge over the last few months, of interest in International Employee Assistance Programmes (iEAP) which deliver low cost, but very high impact mental health support.
    • One in three board-level executive plan to continue working mostly from home on a permanent basis, with over half stating they plan not to return to the same fast pace of life.
    • Other key findings include; a planned cut down of travel, plans to manage down their hours (24%), take more regular exercise (38%), maintain a better diet (32%), make more time for meditation and mindfulness (30%), and an increasing number of executives are looking to opt for early retirement.

    The Wellbeing Index Highlights Mental Health Problems

    It is sad, but perhaps, unsurprising, that mental health and wellbeing was one of the biggest issues identified, with such a large percentage of the interviewees claiming to have experienced mental health issues. The silver lining to this cloud may be a genuine acceleration in embracing the importance of workplace mental and physical wellbeing, and a rebalancing of work/life priorities. These business cultures can often stem from the top down and with such a significant and lasting impact on board level exec’s focus, and crucially budget, being allocated to support the many employees becoming increasingly isolated. A well designed International Employee Benefits strategy is critical in providing employees with a consistent and effective support system, and with a broad range of products and services now available to international businesses, a meaningful International Employee Benefits offering can be provided across a range of budgets and employee host countries.

    Bupa Global’s research also uncovered that 70% of executives now plan to purchase Private Medical Insurance, or International Medical Insurance, with an emphasis on preventative care and mental health, in the next 12 months.

    In anticipation of this demand, Bupa Global has been investing in its mental health services to support employees, individuals and their families by removing annual and monetary limits across their International Medical Insurance plans for in-patient and day-patient mental health treatments. They are now also including cover for various conditions relating to mental health that had previously been excluded from their policies.

    Bupa Global, and the majority of other International Health Insurance providers, now also provides an International EAP incorporated into their company International Private Medical Insurance plans, as standard, to reflect the demand in this space.

    Bupa Global’s full Executive Wellness report can be downloaded here and the accompanying infographic can be downloaded here

  • Bupa Global enhances mental health coverage

    Bupa Global enhances mental health coverage

    Leading international health insurance provider, Bupa Global, has launched a range of improvements to the mental health coverage offered across its international health plans. 

    The improvements announced include:

    • Removal of mental health waiting period
    • Removal of mental health lifetime limits
    • Enhanced out-patient benefits to bring them in line with those of physical conditions
    • Remove of general exclusions for addiction, ADHD and self-inflected injury

     

    These enhancements have already been introduced to a large number of Bupa Global’s International Medical Insurance plans and they aim to have them applied to every plan by April 2021. 

    Bupa leads the way in mental health support

    The move represents a response to the growing demand for mental health support – and provides further value to its global health plans. It’s important to note, there are a range of international plans available for individuals and businesses – and so depth of coverage varies. However, mental health support is being increased across all these products.

    Bupa Global already had one of the more generous coverage levels for mental health conditions on their International Private Medical Insurance plans before these changes. Implementing these improvements now mean that when we compare International Health Insurance products, Bupa Global now lead the market on their approach to, and coverage for, mental health conditions.

    Will competitors follow suit?

    With mental health conditions effecting 1 in 4 people in their lifetime a large number of Bupa Global’s present and future customers should benefit directly from these improvements. This move may trigger an improvement from other insurers in a large and competitive International Health Insurance marketplace, which will now fall short of Bupa Global’s benchmark. Employers are increasingly interested in providing comprehensive mental health support to their teams, particularly for expatriate employees which can be under particular strain.

    ADHD is finally being addressed

    It’s also refreshing to see issues around neurodiversity being addressed too. For example, getting a diagnosis for a condition like ADHD is an important first step for many – and Bupa provides coverage for that. But they are also making available treatment related to some of the mental health issues which may stem from ADHD such as depression or anxiety.  

    Dr Luke James, Medical Director for Bupa Global and Bupa UK Insurance commented:

    “Mental health issues can affect everyone. Early diagnosis and treatment improves outcomes. Our new extended cover, which includes ongoing support for all mental health conditions, will ensure that more people than ever before can access the right help.”

     

    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.