REBA Inside Track: Employers have a pivotal role to play in preventative wellbeing
In the evolving landscape of workforce health, the role of employers in supporting employee wellbeing is more essential than ever.
The rise in chronic conditions, coupled with an ageing population and mounting pressures on public healthcare systems, signals a new era for workplace health strategies.
The World Health Organization predicts that by 2030, one in six adults will be over 60, with many still economically active. This demographic shift isn’t just a future issue; its impact on workforce wellbeing demands attention today.
Employers cannot single-handedly solve the nation’s complex healthcare issues; nor should they be expected to. But they can play a pivotal role in promoting good health and wellbeing practices in the workplace by developing preventative wellbeing strategies.
Core health challenges
The Societal health: adapting working to aid prevention report, the third in our trilogy, looks at how work design, reward strategies and employee benefits can mitigate against the core health challenges our society faces.
There are often several interlinking factors leading to an employee falling ill. Although employers are not medical experts, their ability to spot trends through analysing employee health data, benefits take-up and engagement levels could be revolutionary for the UK’s workforce.
Health will always be determined by individual choice: what we put in our bodies, how often we exercise, how we take care of our mental health. But there are also a series of socioeconomic factors at play, with those from marginalised groups or lower-income backgrounds often facing greater health risks and a reduced access to healthcare resources.
This is where employers can step in. A good understanding of the diverse needs of your workforce can lead to the development of an equitable preventative wellbeing strategy.
By acknowledging which health factors are most likely to affect your organisation’s workforce, you can therefore implement appropriate benefits to mitigate these risks.
This could be through greater flexibility, changes to job design, reskilling or simply re-examining benefits.
By shifting from a reactive to a preventative approach to wellbeing, organisations can cultivate a workforce that values health while ensuring that its members remain healthier for longer.
