Young employees are significantly more likely than older colleagues to see their health worsen while waiting for care, according to new data from Healix Health‘s Hidden Workplace Healthcare Gap Report. Nearly a third (30%) of 18–24-year-olds say their health deteriorated while awaiting treatment in the past year, compared to just 7% of over-55s.
The report, based on a survey of 2,000 respondents across UK employers and employees within businesses that offer corporate healthcare, exposes a significant gap between how employers and employees experience workplace healthcare provision.
The most active users, the least well served
83% of 18–24-year-old employees say they have used their workplace healthcare benefits – the highest of any age group – compared to just 69% of over-55s. Yet higher engagement has not meant better outcomes. More than a third (36%) of young workers have taken extra time off work because they were unable to access the care they needed – compared to only 13% of over 55s.
Much of this reliance stems from pressure on NHS services. More than half (56%) of all employees say NHS waiting times have made them more reliant on workplace healthcare, rising to 62% of 25–34-year-olds. For the youngest workers, speed is a key factor, with a third (31%) of 18–24-year-olds saying they used their workplace benefits specifically to access faster care than the NHS could provide.
Employers and employees see a different picture
Despite the challenges they face, younger workers remain broadly optimistic about the direction of travel. 62% of 18–24s say workplace healthcare support has improved in the past year. But the picture is very different for employers and employees overall: 81% of employers believe their support has improved, while only 50% of employees agree, a gap that drops to just 36% of staff at the largest firms.
The awareness gap
Despite their optimism, younger workers also face the greatest barriers to using the benefits available to them. More than a quarter (26%) of 18–24s say they don’t know how to access their benefits, compared to 10% of over-55s.
A further 21% say they don’t know what services are available at all, and 31% describe the process as too time-consuming, nearly three times the rate among older workers. The result is a generation that is highly engaged with workplace healthcare in principle, but frequently unable to make it work in practice.
“Younger workers are entering their careers under a unique set of pressures – student debt, a difficult job market, rising living costs and higher rates of anxiety and mental health challenges than previous generations faced at the same stage.
It’s no surprise they are turning to workplace healthcare and are the most active users of what’s available. What’s surprising is how often the system lets them down. This is not a gap in provision – it’s an awareness gap.
Too many employers treat communication around healthcare benefits as a once-and-done exercise at onboarding, when it needs to be a year-round effort. Clearer pathways, better signposting and a sustained drumbeat of communication are the difference between a benefit that works and one that goes unused.”
Ian Talbot, CEO at Healix Health
