With more and more people facing mental health challenges, providing mental health and wellbeing support as part of the employee benefits you offer is a must nowadays. But unless these benefits are clearly and accurately communicated and the stigma associated with discussing mental health in the workplace is broken, even the best-laid plans can prove ineffective.
Employers have much to learn from the unprecedented rate of staff turnover we’ve witnessed in recent times. The Great Resignation has underlined the importance of organisations really looking after their staff’s needs, including their working arrangements, available support and employee benefits.
A significant proportion of employees say their mental health is worsening. Meanwhile, the majority of employers say they want to better support their employees’ mental health, yet only around a fifth have invested in new employee benefits to provide any such extra support. It seems a perfect opportunity exists for organisations to highlight how much they care about their staff.
England’s beloved NHS continues to struggle as the impact of the pandemic stretches far and wide. But now leaked figures show that the situation is likely to get worse before it improves and that private healthcare groups are being called in to help ease the backlog.
The way in which organisations support and care for their people has always been an important consideration. But changing employee expectations following the events of the past two years will mean employers have to step up their workplace wellbeing games if they want to attract and retain the best talent. While providing the right mix of employee benefits is a great starting point, by placing more focus on employee mental health and instilling an agile culture, employers can further engage their workforce and reap the associated benefits.
The uncertainty and raft of changes brought about by the pandemic has seen many employees seriously questioning their roles and even seeking employment elsewhere to achieve better work-life balances, better employee benefits and better working arrangements. It’s a phenomenon that’s been dubbed the ‘Great Resignation’ by Anthony Klotz, an associate professor of management at Texas A&M University. Organisations would do well to take note of what’s going on or risk losing some of their most valuab
With a significant proportion of the UK population experiencing the effects of so-called long covid, the importance of being able to secure a GP appointment when needed is paramount. But, sadly, many people are unable to get one when they need it most. This reality further highlights how beneficial private medical insurance can be.
Despite many hoping that 2022 would mark the end of the COVID-19 pandemic and we could draw a line under the events of the past c. two years, new coronavirus variants seem to have other ideas. With this in mind, supporting employee health and wellbeing should be a top priority (if it’s not already) for organisations as this year continues to unfold and the role of group risk products should not be underestimated in fulfilling this mission.
As we welcome 2022 with anticipation of a better year than 2021, what better time than now to look at how organisations should look to improve their employees’ health and wellbeing over the next 12 months. The good news for employers is that there are a number of options in addition to employee benefits that can help boost their workforce wellbeing programs - physically, mentally and socially. Here are our top four New Year’s resolutions for employers to better support their employees’ health
The Great Resignation continues, with workers across the globe quitting their jobs in droves, mainly in response to the raft of drastic changes that were implemented because of the COVID-19 pandemic. For firms struggling to hang on to their talent or attract new staff, offering the right mix of employee benefits significantly helps both stem the churn and position them as a company that people want to work for.
Following another year of pandemic-related disruption, it’s more important than ever for healthcare services, including private healthcare, to continue to provide patients with the best clinical outcomes possible. With that in mind, here are 5 healthcare trends we can expect to see in 2022.
Two separate pieces of research have underlined the importance of financial wellbeing at work. With many employees saying they are not financially on track and a significant proportion unable to receive sick pay, the role of employer-provided protection should not be overlooked. In fact, employers should be reviewing the employee benefits they offer to ensure they are working in their employees’ best interests.
The advantages of offering the right employee benefits are well documented. But now new research has revealed how a significant proportion of employees would actually be prepared to quit their jobs and seek employment elsewhere if better perks were offered.
As our growth plans continue at pace, we have a vacancy for an administrator within our healthcare team. Experience of health insurance preferred. Whilst our office is in Paulerspury, Northants, remote working will be considered with travel to head office as required.
With skills and labour shortages affecting most UK industries, protecting employee health has never been more significant for organisations. But as research shows, many companies aren’t doing enough in this area, despite the benefits of providing the right employee benefits being plentiful.
Having experienced a seismic shift towards more remote working as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees would like hybrid working arrangements to continue into the future so they can benefit from improved work-life balances.. The smart employers will be the ones that embrace this sentiment with appropriate employee perks and benefits.
Royal London data for 2019-2020 has revealed that critical illness claims declined by one fifth, with cancer claims in particular down as people delayed healthcare appointments at the height of the pandemic.
The Covid-19 pandemic has taken its toll on many UK adults’ financial security. Meanwhile, younger workers have expressed a preference for financial bonuses over many other incentives. For employers, there is a huge opportunity when it comes to providing financial wellbeing at work.
A significant proportion of employees have experienced stress in the workplace, recent research has revealed. Meanwhile, separate research shows that in-work employee benefits can help alleviate dissatisfaction at work.
For many small business owners, when it comes to protection, the focus is often on the company and not the founder. But such an approach risks leaving the small business owner vulnerable should they become seriously ill or injured. Without them at the helm, how would the business inevitably fare and for how long? That’s why income protection for small businesses is absolutely something that should be considered if the business owner wants to afford total peace of mind.
Our growth plans continued this week with the acquisition of Equity Health Solutions. Equity will become the consumer specialist division of Premier Choice Healthcare and their excellent reputation in the market will see this area of our business continue to grow. We are very excited to have the team at Equity on board.
Many employees at small- and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) have seen their mental health impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as highlighted by two separate pieces of research. For employers, the reality is that staff wellbeing has never been a more prominent subject and, as a result, offering the right employee benefits is more crucial than ever.
An increasing number of Brits are turning to private healthcare for their medical needs as NHS waiting times continue to increase. But for some without private medical insurance, the cost of going private means getting into debt.
The financial wellbeing of employees should be an area of focus for organisations after the Covid pandemic, as research reveals how money worries have resulted in anxiety, stress and depression for staff. With this in mind, businesses should be looking at the staff benefits they are offering and see if they really are supporting their employees’ best interests.
The pandemic has triggered many people to rethink how they access healthcare services. With lockdowns and social distancing requirements, popping to a GP surgery to be seen was, suddenly, no longer a viable option. Now, as employees return from furlough and working from home, we are tasting a sense of normality once more. But what is sure is that people will continue wanting to access healthcare services in innovative ways. That’s why employers need to ensure any health-related employee benefit
As NHS waiting lists continue to lengthen, more and more people are exploring how private healthcare can complement our treasured health service. But if you’ve never had private healthcare before, figuring out what’s what can be a little daunting. But don’t worry we’ve got you covered and in this short guide on how does private healthcare work, we are going to provide you with everything you need to make an informed and confident decision.
With more and more people facing mental health challenges, providing mental health and wellbeing support as part of the employee benefits you offer is a must nowadays. But unless these benefits are clearly and accurately communicated and the stigma associated with discussing mental health in the workplace is broken, even the best-laid plans can prove ineffective.
An increasing number of Brits are turning to private healthcare for their medical needs as NHS waiting times continue to increase. But for some without private medical insurance, the cost of going private means getting into debt.
With the NHS under considerable pressure because of the COVID-19 pandemic and waiting lists hitting record highs, the case for taking out Private Medical Insurance (PMI), which allows access to private healthcare, is stronger than ever.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused nothing short of a healthcare revolution. With significantly more emphasis now being placed on the role of 'digital' and health and wellbeing being placed at the top of most organisation’s agendas, the future of health insurance will be decidedly different.
With the fantastic services provided by the NHS, not to mention most of which are free, is private healthcare in the UK really necessary? We’re here to give you 10 reasons and some food for thought as to why private healthcare is more than just a financial decision for many.
The Covid-19 pandemic has caused many individuals to consider their health, their family’s health and mortality in general. It’s a reality that has led many to investigate the benefits of private healthcare in the UK and review whether private medical insurance would be a smart investment for themselves and their family.
Even though 2020 is over and most of us are pinning our hopes on 2021 being a marked improvement, the topic of stress is still never far away as this New Year unfolds. While the UK’s Covid vaccine rollout will inevitably provide reassurance for many, the thought of returning to work and the associated risks remain a concern for Brits, a new study shows.
With 2021 now in full swing and our health firmly at the forefront of our minds, there is no better time to reflect on everything we learnt during the past unprecedented year. With few areas of our lives receiving as much of our attention as health and wellbeing over the past 12 months, this won’t change in 2021. As such it is worth considering the priority and role that health insurance can play in peoples’ lives.
Back in October, I wrote about how the Covid-19 pandemic is hammering mental health. I also highlighted in that piece how despite the detrimental impact of the current situation, many businesses are responding and supporting their employees as best they can. However, there is no getting away from the fact that Covid-19 is fuelling nothing less than a surge in work-related stress across the globe. Indeed, recently published research from AXA shows exactly what is happening in this regard across
NHS waiting lists are at their highest level since records began and now concerns are growing that we could end up with a two-tier healthcare system here in the UK, as more people look to the private sector to accommodate their health needs.
Individuals who earn above a certain amount should pay for private healthcare to help relieve pressure from the NHS, a leading eye surgeon has said. According to Dr Allon Barsam, co-owner of Ophthalmic Consultants of London in the Harley Street area, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the NHS could be eased with greater private funding, helping the industry as a whole recover from the crisis.
It is a word that is often overused, but the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic has been ‘unprecedented’. One of the sectors in particular that has experienced a significant amount of upheaval has been the group medical insurance industry.
Almost half of employers have increased their focus on employee health and wellbeing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, new research shows. According to research by Employee Benefits, which surveyed 200 HR decision-makers, 46% of organisations said they have boosted their employee health and wellbeing offerings in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.
People with mental health issues have a clear desire to get access to insurance, new research reveals. However, the vast majority of people with poor mental health do not know where to go to get independent advice on how mental health issues can potentially impact an insurance application.
Research shows that emotional and physical wellbeing are closely linked. Therefore, to stand the greatest chance of having happy, healthy and productive staff, employers need to be taking a holistic approach to employee wellbeing.
Even before the coronavirus outbreak occurred, UK productivity was slowing at an alarming rate. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that productivity in the UK has pretty much flatlined since the 2008 recession. In fact, research from academics at Loughborough University and the University of Sussex shows that the productivity growth slowdown since the 2008 financial crisis is unprecedented in more than two centuries.
Executive income protection protects businesses and their employees against the financial impact of a staff member being unable to work due to illness or injury. When a successful claim is made, the policy will pay a monthly cash amount based on the employee’s salary to the business.
The uncertainty and unease caused by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has meant that 2020 will go down in history as one of the most unprecedented in living memory. Now, as we enter 2021, health and wellbeing is going to remain high on people’s agendas as they reflect on the events of the past year.
How long could you and your family survive financially if you suddenly became unable to work? Would state benefits be enough to support you? How long would any savings you’ve accumulated last? If your answer to any of those questions was “I don’t know” then Income Protection (IP) might be something you want to find out more about.
Figures show that income protection (IP) sales are healthy. In fact, according to data released by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), IP sales in the first half of 2019 reached their highest level since FCA records began in Q2 of 2005.
Group critical illness insurance provides financial protection for employees diagnosed with serious medical conditions, offering a lump-sum payment to support them financially during difficult times. In this guide, we’ll detail what group critical illness insurance covers, its importance for businesses, and how to effectively incorporate it into your employee benefits package.
Group life assurance, sometimes referred to as death in service benefit, will cover employees against their death. If an insured employee passes away and a valid claim is made, a cash lump sum or regular pension payments will be made to their beneficiaries.
The Group Risk industry paid out over £2 billion during 2021, a significant increase over 2020 and testimony to the level of help it provides, research shows. Yet many employers are missing out on better deals on the employee benefits they offer as they are simply not taking the time to regularly review them.
For many small business owners, when it comes to protection, the focus is often on the company and not the founder. But such an approach risks leaving the small business owner vulnerable should they become seriously ill or injured. Without them at the helm, how would the business inevitably fare and for how long? That’s why income protection for small businesses is absolutely something that should be considered if the business owner wants to afford total peace of mind.
Employee benefits packages, which usually include Group Risk benefits, play an important role in helping support employee health and wellbeing. That is one of the conclusions made by the government in response to its 2019 consultation on how to reduce ill-health related job loss.
New research reveals the Group Risk market is displaying a ‘gender paradox’, highlighting the need for providers and employers to better facilitate adoption among every gender. According to the Legal & General (L&G) study of over 1,000 UK employees, a gender paradox exists when it comes to group risk protection benefits, with more women than men being aware of the limitations of state health and welfare support. However, fewer women than men actually fully engage with group protection benefits and services.
The Covid-19 pandemic has made most workers consider their financial situations and security, as well as emphasise the importance of Group Risk employee benefits. In fact, Group Risk employee benefits have never been so highly valued (by both employers and employees).
After months of either being furloughed, working from home or carrying out their jobs in a totally different way, employees from organisations across every sector need to be supported by their employers. As a result, there has never been a more important time for employers to look at their duty of care to their employees as now.
In July 2019, the UK Government published a consultation paper: Health is everyone’s business: proposals to reduce ill health-related job loss. It outlined, among other things, how the government and employers can take action to reduce ill health-related job loss. In response to the publication of this consultation, the industry body for the group risk sector, GRiD, set up the Workplace Public Policy Committee (WPPC), with the aim of promoting workplace health and wellbeing matters to...
As if employee benefits needed any more reasons to be at the top of every employer’s agenda, the coronavirus pandemic has firmly underlined their importance once more. Here we take a quick look at how three group risk products can be pivotal during a pandemic, providing reassurance, faster access to healthcare and direct financial support.
UK workers overestimate state benefits, yet few companies have any protection in place. Research has shown that workers overestimate how much support they would receive from the government if they found themselves unable to work due to an illness or disability. Yet only a tiny proportion of UK SMEs have suitable protection in place to safeguard their employees financial security. This suggests that both a huge protection gap and enormous opportunity exist.
According to the study by Opinium on behalf of GRiD Group Risk Development (GRiD), the industry body for the group risk protection sector, 31% of employers do not make early intervention services available to help staff who have been absent for six months or more return to work. Almost the same number of employers again (32%) don’t have any financial support in place for staff if they are absent long term.
In 2019, the Group Risk industry paid out a record £1.76bn in claims, new data shows. According to the figures released by Group Risk Development (GRiD), the industry body for the Group Risk protection sector, the total amount of claims paid last year was £75m more than the year before, with cancer claims making up the majority.
Communication is vital for employee benefits adoption but many employers are missing the mark. At a time when many people are unable to see their GPs — either because they are scared to attend face-to-face appointments for fear of catching coronavirus, or simply due to a lack of available GP appointments — the role of employee benefits has perhaps never been more important.
Enormous drop in GP appointments significantly deteriorating patients’ health. Nearly 27 million GP appointments have been lost since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, new figures from the NHS show. According to NHS Digital data, there were 26.7 million fewer GP appointments in England between March and August this year than there were during the same period in 2019. This stark reality, Cancer Research UK says, could result in a significant number of additional cancer deaths.
When it comes to employee wellbeing, SMEs are falling behind smaller companies in the eyes of their employees. That’s one of the key findings to come out of new research by Legal & General (L&G). According to L&G’s latest SME research, more employees working for smaller companies trust their employer to look after them than those working for larger SMEs. This, despite the fact that these larger organisations are more likely to have a health and wellbeing strategy in place.
Does your organisation currently offer an Employee Assistance Programme, or EAP? If not, what are the reasons? While many businesses won’t have considered offering EAPs because they don’t fully understand the benefits they can afford, others will have overlooked them because of a perceived cost barrier. However, as we have written before, Employee Assistance Programmes are high impact and cost effective. But don’t just take our word for it. New research underlines just how much ROI businesses can get from EAPs.
As if the NHS wasn’t under enough pressure already, the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated the situation exponentially. With NHS waiting lists now at their highest levels since records began, it’s clear that there aren’t enough resources in our beloved health system to cope right now. Add to this the fact that Boris Johnson says the current restrictions could last six months and there really is no immediate end in sight.
Employers are increasing their focus on health and wellbeing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Interestingly, the same research also highlights how the vast majority of organisations want to be seen as a caring employer when introducing a health benefits programme.
At a time of distinct uncertainty, anything that boosts emotional wellbeing should be welcomed with open arms. That’s why new research into the impact of professional financial advice makes for compelling reading. According to the survey, conducted on behalf of Royal London, professional financial advice helps improve people’s emotional wellbeing by making them feel more confident and financially resilient.
UK workers tend to overestimate the amount of support they would receive from the state if they fell ill. And only a tiny proportion of UK SMEs have suitable safeguards, like group income protection, in place. Now, new research reveals how the majority of Brits aged between 45 and 54 are more worried about their financial situation than before the lockdown. It’s a reality that further underlines the importance of the security provided by group risk products.
Weight-related stigmas need to be tackled to save the NHS and social care systems. The cost of obesity in the UK is rising, so much so that it could end up bankrupting the NHS and the country’s social care system. And it’s a “fear of offending people” that is largely to blame, new research suggests.
COVID-19 peak results in record high NHS sickness absence. The NHS lost a staggering 2.3 million full-time equivalent days of work from a total of nearly 36.6 million in April 2020, the highest level in a decade. By comparison, the NHS lost 1.4 million full-time equivalent days out of nearly 35 million in the same month last year.
Worrying times ahead for people awaiting routine or non-urgent treatment through the NHS. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to run its course, a devastating toll is being taken on the NHS, with non-COVID-19 patients affected in particular.
Employees want workplace wellbeing initiatives — especially ones that involve apps — and by providing them, employers can retain their best talent. These are the main findings of some new workplace wellbeing research. At a time when employees are feeling unsettled, despondent and generally uncertain, and many businesses are really feeling the pinch, employers that focus on wellbeing now could weather the storm and come out the other side in a strong position.
According to the report from Axa PPP Healthcare, employee travel to face-to-face GP appointments cost UK businesses £1.5bn in lost working time in 2019. The report, Digital health: the changing landscape of how we access GP services, compiled by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), outlines how virtual GP services can drive efficiency across both business and healthcare.
A saddening reality of the coronavirus pandemic is that nefarious individuals have used the crisis to attempt to scam unsuspecting people into taking out financial services products that do not necessarily meet their needs. According to research by Aviva, the number of suspicious emails, telephone calls and text messages relating to financial services products has risen significantly since the coronavirus crisis started.
Despite the UK coronavirus lockdown easing, official government guidelines still state that if people can work from home, then they should continue to do so. While this will change in the coming months, the reality is that many employees face the probability that their home working days certainly aren’t over.
As COVID-19 lockdowns lift and people start returning to work, a lot of organisations will be focussing their attention on employee wellbeing and wellness. If there’s one thing that the coronavirus pandemic has highlighted, it’s that being stuck at home for abnormally long periods can have a negative impact on both our physical and mental health.
In a recent post our MD, Claire Ginnelly, highlighted the important role of employee benefits in a post-COVID world. Following on from that post, there have been several pieces of interesting research published recently, all of which focus on what employers and employees want when it comes to benefits.
As my colleague Tom Pullinger recently highlighted, presenteeism is rife among home workers, with more than a third of employees who are currently working from home saying they have continued to work during lockdown despite feeling unwell. It’s a reality that outlines the effect of the ‘always on’ work culture that has emerged over the last decade.
The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on both employers and employees alike has been unprecedented. Businesses that thought they were all but immune to crises suddenly discovered they weren’t and more individuals than ever before have been furloughed or working from home. But while many of the changes to working arrangements and workplace policies were implemented as a direct result of the lockdown, a significant number are likely to remain going forward.
My colleague Paul Howell recently wrote an excellent post about prostate cancer mortality rates, specifically how they are predicted to fall by nearly 10% this year. This is very welcome news, although no one really knows the true impact of COVID-19 on patients waiting for treatment.
This year, deaths from prostate cancer are forecast to fall in the UK – and across Europe – thanks to better diagnosis and treatment, new research reveals. It’s welcome news considering that prostate cancer is the third most common cause of cancer deaths in the UK (behind only lung and bowel), accounting for around 7% of total deaths each year.
Employee benefits play a vital role in helping your business recruit and retain the best talent. Numerous studies have shown that individuals want to work for an employer who understands their needs and caters for them by offering the right employee benefits.
Top employers are navigating uncertain economic times by focussing on the health, financial wellbeing and careers of their employees, a study suggests. According to a report by Mercer, the worldwide consultancy firm, there are four trends for multinational organisations and those with globally mobile employees to “win with empathy” now and post-pandemic.
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