Companies in healthcare failing

Latest research released today by Healthplan provider HSA reveals a worrying picture for the future health of the UK workforce. The annual benchmark survey has found a third of employees believe their company is failing when it comes to providing health and wellbeing advice. With 81% of companies claiming the NHS is unable to adequately support them to manage sickness absence, companies need to act now in order to support the future health of the workforce.

These are just a few of the findings of the ìIs the UK looking at a healthy future?î report which is now in its second year. The independent survey looks at the future of UK health from three key perspectives ñ employee, employer and the UK at large, in an attempt to predict what the future health of our nation holds.

Lee Nicholls, Employer Brand and Values Manager at HSA explains: ìConsidering that employee absence has risen on average to 8.4 days costing UK companies 659 per employee per year , it makes good business sense for companies to look at ways to help reduce this figure. One avenue to explore is healthcare benefits, especially since companies investing in this area have a lower rate of absence compared with those that donít . With 29.08 million people now in employment in the UK , we believe that the workplace is going to play an increasingly valuable role when it comes to the future health of our nation. Particularly useful in this respect will be benefits that help with prevention as well as cure such as occupational health, health screening and dental benefits.î

Key findings from HSAís benchmark survey also reveal:

ï 80% of companies believe that the government will increase duty of care responsibilities in the next 5-10 years

ï Nearly 70% of companies are likely to invest in one or more forms of healthcare provision in the next 5-10 years

ï 44% of companies believe stress has the greatest impact on workplace health, and 43% of workers agreed with this view