Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Health benefits at work: what do staff want?

Most workplaces offer at least some employee benefits, which can be a great way to raise morale levels and increase staff loyalty.

The perks offered can vary from things such as discount childcare, to free parking - but according to a recent article in The Guardian, many employees are becoming increasingly worried about the financial impact of poor health and periods of absence.



The article reports that 1/3 of workers are worried about falling ill and not getting paid, while 11% of staff have taken at least six months off already throughout 2011.

So in light of these recent figures, should more employers be offering business medical insurance and income protection for times of illness?

Medical insurance is generally accepted as a valuable staff benefit, which in turn is useful to the employer too – as bmi can offer things such as Saturday appointments, and reduced waiting lists, which may help reduce sickness absence. And if staff know that their employer is dedicated to keeping them healthy and helping them get back to work quicker after a period of illness, it is possible that, coupled with income protection, private medical insurance could be a preferred benefit over discounted childcare and car parking.



What do you think? Would you like your workplace to provide medical insurance?



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