GRiD, the industry body for the group risk sector, is encouraging employers to help staff stick with their New Year’s resolutions by making better use of the often-untapped support available within their employee benefits.
Whether employees want to improve their health, get fitter, or change lifestyle behaviours, motivation can dip and resolutions can tend to slide in mid-January, which can negatively affect mental health. By contrast, exercising, making healthier nutrition choices, and giving up habits such as smoking can all contribute to a healthier workforce that is more able and ready to attend work.
Katharine Moxham, spokesperson for GRiD, said, “Many employees may feel less motivated during the darker, more challenging days after Christmas, as this period often coincides with returning to work after the holidays, post-Christmas debt, bad weather, and limited daylight. However, employers can focus on helping staff stay on track with their health and wellness goals – which can help mitigate the impact of a challenging time.”
Many employees want to get fit and healthy, but there can be many barriers to doing so. From being busy, juggling caring responsibilities, low confidence, stress, concerns about cost or simply not knowing where to start, people can face multiple factors that prevent them from improving their health.
However, resources within employee benefits can help remove or reduce a lot of these obstacles, and they often come at no additional cost to the employer and employee and are usually available 24/7, so they can be accessed whether an employee is working on site, at home, or is away on business.
Employee benefits, including group risk benefits (employer-sponsored life assurance, income protection and critical illness benefits), offer a wide-ranging programme of support and activities that are ideal for employees wanting a positive start to the year. This often includes:
· Rewards and vouchers for exercising
· Discount on devices for tracking fitness
· Reductions on gym memberships or online fitness classes
· Gamified challenges for smoking or alcohol cessation
· Classes and webinars for tackling health challenges such as sleep deprivation and menopause
· Mindfulness support and access to counselling for those with mental health issues
Katharine Moxham concluded: “Encouraging employees to take greater advantage of health-related benefits is a true win-win for any organisation. When staff feel supported in looking after their physical and mental wellbeing, they are more energised, confident and motivated. In turn, this leads to a happier workforce that is better equipped to make meaningful, lasting contributions to the workplace. By fostering a culture that prioritises wellbeing, employers not only enhance productivity but also strengthen overall employee satisfaction and loyalty.”
