Employee Wellbeing Research 2018: Wellbeing spend is still rising but remains relatively low overall
The results of the Employee Wellbeing Research 2018 published by Reward & Employee Benefits Association (REBA) in association with Punter Southall Health & Protection showed that spend at organisations with a wellbeing strategy in place rose for 51.6% of respondents and for over a third (36.1%) of those without a strategy in place.
For 2018 spending looks set to increase more at those without a strategy (58.7%).
The results also showed that those with a strategy in place tend to invest more on wellbeing initiatives than those without.
Median spend per employee at such organisations is between £26 and £50 compared to £1 to £25 at those without. A quarter (26.4%) of those without a wellbeing strategy spend nothing on employee wellbeing whilst a similar amount (23.9%) that have a strategy spend more than £100 per employee each year.
“Whilst the fact that spending is on the rise in wellbeing is encouraging it is still relatively low when compared to other benefits,” said Debi O’Donovan, director at the Reward & Employee Benefits Association.
“This is especially true at organisations without any wellbeing strategy in place. Part of the reason could be that it’s the NHS, not employers, who generally pick up the bill when employees are sick. But employers have to recognise that there is a cost to them too – in sickness absence, productivity and so on. This could be better tackled by investing more in wellbeing,” she said.
Download a copy of the 88 page Employee Wellbeing Research 2018 (free to REBA Professional Members and all those working for REBA Associate Members).
If you would like to learn more about employee wellbeing, register here to attend the Third Annual Employee Wellbeing Congress on 5 July 2018.
In partnership with Punter Southall Health and Protection
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