Gen Z and millennials lead the way in wanting health cover at work with 60% saying it’s what attracted them to join their company
New research from Simplyhealth shows young employees (18-34) are driving demand for health support at work, as seven in ten (71%) would worry about switching employers if they did not offer health cover.
Eight in ten (78%) younger workers say it is important that their employer provides health cover, while two-thirds (64%) recognise it as their most valuable benefit - compared to less than half (46%) of over 55s.
The research comes amid the ongoing UK workforce sickness epidemic, with a record 2.8 million people off work earlier this year.
Younger workers are leading the charge in asking for health cover from their employers, according to new research from leading low-cost health plan provider Simplyhealth.
As long NHS waiting lists for everyday treatments continue, the data released today found that nearly eight in ten (78%) workers aged 18-34 say it is important to them that their employer provides health cover, with seven in ten (71%) claiming they’d worry about switching employers in case the other did not offer this benefit. Two-thirds (66%) of young workers say if they had health cover they would take less time off work because they could see a doctor sooner. The new research also found that three in ten (30%) businesses say job candidates now expect health cover.
With 2.8 million people in the UK now away from work because of long-term sickness, ensuring that workplaces offer comprehensive health benefits is becoming critical, both for preventing people from becoming so sick they cannot work, and attracting - and retaining - staff.
The new data found three in ten (30%) employers think communicating health cover benefits helped them attract new employees and retain their current workforce (29%).
Among younger workers, almost two thirds (64%) say health cover is the most valued job benefit to them, compared to less than half (46%) of over 55s.
Almost eight in ten (78%) younger workers say having health cover is what attracts them to stay at their company and almost six in ten (59%) said health cover is one of the reasons that attracted them to join their company.
Employers also noticed that they see a marked improvement in employee satisfaction when health cover is provided, with 37% noticing an increase in employee engagement and 33% an increase in productivity. Three-quarters (76%) of 18-34 year-old workers say health cover would improve their productivity at work as they could address health concerns more quickly.
Younger workers no longer view health benefits as a bonus, more, they expect them. While the UK continues to suffer from a workforce sickness epidemic and long NHS waiting times, the provision of affordable and accessible health cover at work has never been more important.
I often hear our customers - across all age ranges - tell us how much they value quick and easy access to treatments for which they have often encountered lengthy NHS waiting times - for example physio, mental health support or GP appointments. It’s especially important for employers to put in place support for muscle and joint and mental health concerns, which are the most common reasons people take time off sick.
Employers who want to attract and retain top talent, keep their workforce healthy, and improve business productivity, should recognise the importance of offering health cover. We urge the new government to acknowledge low-cost health cover as an effective tool to tackle in-work sickness and to reduce the excessive tax burden placed on health cover products to incentivise take up by businesses.
Paul Schreier, CEO at Simplyhealth
Mental health crisis takes toll on employees
The data also reveals that younger UK workers are more likely to take time off work for mental health problems than older workers. Seven in ten (71%) attributed time taken off work in the past 12 months to anxiety, compared to just three in ten (32%) of over 55s.
Employers are feeling the effects of this, with a third (33%) reporting rising mental health days as one of the biggest problems their business is facing. In the past 12 months, 30.95% of all calls to Simplyhealth’s mental health support service were from 18-34 year-olds.
Methodology
Opinium carried out two pieces of research on behalf of Simplyhealth throughout May and June 2024. The first surveyed 500 HR decision makers across UK businesses, while the second surveyed 2,000 employees with a minimum of 100 respondents across business services, construction, manufacturing, professional education, hospitality and leisure, transport, retail, food and drink and healthcare.
2.8 million not working due to long-term sickness in the UK in July 2024 according to ONS figures.
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