PROVISION OF HEALTH INITIATIVES GAINING MOMENTUM IN UK FIRMS

• Half of larger firms have seen reduced absenteeism after introduction of health initiatives
•  Four in five senior management say they are setting the health standard
•  But employee engagement in health initiatives still too low

UK firms are using health initiatives to foster a healthy workforce.  The Workplace Health Report* from private medical insurer PruHealth, which examines the impact of health and wellbeing measures and culture in the workplace, has found 89 per cent of larger firms in the UK and 33 per cent of SMEs offer health incentives for their employees.   

Why encourage a healthy workplace?

Senior executives (75 per cent of larger firms and 55 per cent of SMEs) believe fostering a healthy culture in the workplace is part of their role as a responsible employer.  Furthermore, with 83 per cent** of employees stating that an employer’s attitudes to health and wellbeing are an important factor when looking for a new role, providing a health and wellbeing programme has never been more important to help attract and retain quality.

Firms also believe health initiatives can help increase staff morale, improve productivity and reduce absenteeism as a ‘halo’ effect of a healthier workforce:

And the impact of encouraging a healthy culture in the workplace is clearly evident, with 51 per cent of larger firms and 38 per cent of SMEs experiencing a drop in absenteeism since introducing wellbeing initiatives.

Larger firms – health through fitness

With sickness and absence costing UK plc £20 billion a year,*** larger firms with over 250 employees are actively encouraging a healthier and happier workforce as part of their responsibility as employers.  As well as introducing initiatives, an impressive 81 per cent of senior management are leading by example and engaging in healthy behaviour in the workplace.  Senior executives and board members are setting a good example by sponsoring employees’ charity fun runs (55 per cent), taking part in exercise classes and sports teams at work (49 per cent), eating healthily in the office (35 per cent) and by cycling or jogging to work (29 per cent).

 Almost 90 per cent of larger companies offer health benefits to their workforce. 

SMEs – health through behaviour

With economies of scale proving a barrier for some companies, only a third (33 per cent) of SMEs offer health initiatives to staff.  However, almost half (47 per cent) of SME senior executives say they are setting a good example through healthy behaviour, such as eating healthy meal options in the office.  Just one in five (19 per cent) take part in exercise classes and sports teams at work, or cycle or jog to work (17 per cent).

However, a third (33 per cent) of SMEs feel the culture of the company and the small numbers encourage employees to live healthier lifestyles, negating the necessity for organised programmes.

Lack of awareness

However, the report also identifies a distinct lack of awareness of these health-related initiatives among employees in larger organisations.  Almost a third (29 per cent) of large firm employees think their company does not offer any health or wellbeing initiatives, but only three per cent of larger firm employers actually confirm this to be the case.

Shaun Matisonn, CEO, PruHealth comments: “When it comes to health and wellbeing programmes in the workplace, we are seeing a turning point in UK businesses.  The provision of these programmes and investment in employee health are no longer peripheral issues, they are core concerns.  Not only are employees demanding these types of employee benefits, but with the pressures of the current economic environment, fostering a healthy workforce has never been more important to help aid both morale and productivity.

“Having now built this momentum, companies must be careful not to throw money away on poorly executed health and wellness strategies.  It is all very well having these programmes in place, but employee engagement must be actively and continuously encouraged.  It is understandable that employee numbers in small and medium-sized firms may be an obstacle to putting together a football team or exercise classes, but there are lots of smaller-scale initiatives to get staff involved, such as using pedometers and providing fruit bowls. 

PruHealth’s Vitality incentive programme enables smaller companies to provide a full ‘blue-chip’ range of healthy activities for employees as part of their corporate PMI, enabling companies of all sizes to benefit from a healthier workforce.”

Supported by a case study of a PruHealth corporate that has successfully introduced initiatives and led from senior management.

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The information contained in Prudential UK’s press releases is intended solely for journalists and should not be used by consumers to make financial decisions. Full consumer product information can be found at www.pruhealth.co.uk or www.pruprotect.co.uk

Notes to Editors:

*The research was carried out on behalf of PruHealth by Opinium Research LLP. 123 managers of larger firms (over 250 employees), 100 managers of SMEs and 994 employees were questioned online in March 2009. Results are weighted to be representative of the GB adult population.  

** Business in the Community

*** CBI – Absence and Labour Survey 2008

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About PruHealth

PruHealth was launched in October 2004 as a joint venture between Prudential and Discovery Holdings from South Africa.  Since launch, PruHealth has grown quickly. It now covers over 190,000 lives and in a sample of its individual customers, one third said they had changed their behaviour for the better because of its Vitality reward scheme which encourages policyholders to look after their health.