Investing in employee health & well-being solutions is essential in the wake of COVID-19

This is a guest blog contribution by REC business partner Howden Employee Benefits & Wellbeing. 

The Reform think tank* recently warned that 10 million people could be waiting for surgery in England by April. Around 224,000 of those patients could be waiting 52 weeks or more to access care, which is an increase of 12,008 compared to March 2020. It comes after there were six million fewer referrals in 2020, due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Cancer Research estimates that 2.4 million people** are waiting for cancer screening while 290,000 people have not been referred with suspected symptoms for hospital tests and more than 23,000 cancers could have gone undiagnosed during lockdown. The pandemic has shone a spotlight on the importance of health and wellbeing like never before.

For many businesses this is a worrying time as prolonged employee absences can have such a negative impact. It not only creates an increased workload for colleagues, but it could negatively impact the business's ability to meet the demands of customers.

So coming out of the crisis, some REC members may want to ensure that they and their employees can access the medical advice and treatment when it’s needed most.

What are the benefits of Group Private Medical Insurance?

Group Private Medical Insurance, taken out by the business, is designed to provide valuable support for your employees and your business by complementing the services offered by the NHS. It enables your employees to quickly see a specialist of their choice, receive treatment at a time and place to suit them which means they should be able to return to work sooner therefore minimising any disruption to your business.

Benefits to employers

• Sends an unequivocal message that the health & wellbeing of your employees is a priority.
• Helps to minimise sickness absence.
• Earlier returns to the workplace can help ease any necessary workload reallocation
• Minimise disruption to your business and to other employees.
• Will help to keep employees happier, healthier and more productive.
• Nurtures loyalty and attracts top talent.
• Costs can be treated as a bona-fide business expense

Benefits to your employees

• Immediate access to treatment when they need it most.
• Convenience and peace of mind – Treatment can be planned to suit busy lifestyles and commitments.
• Specialist mental health services - Many Private Medical Insurance policies can provide mental health support services quickly and discreetly
• Access to virtual GPs - Many insurers offer a 24-hour virtual service, providing an initial assessment in the comfort of your own home.
• They can join the scheme on a Medical History Disregarded (MHD) basis so pre-existing conditions may be covered from as few as one employee.

For recruitment businesses, there is a real opportunity to better engage employees by investing in their health and wellbeing. Providing effective health benefits can have a positive impact on businesses starting to recover – boosting people’s productivity, engagement and loyalty, as well as reducing the risks of costly absenteeism. Where private medical insurance may not be an affordable option, cash plans and virtual GP services offer cost-effective alternatives.

Specialist advice for REC members

To find out more about reviewing your current employee benefits to ensure that they are fit for purpose in the wake of Covid-19, please do get in touch:

Call: 020 35043901
Email: development@howdengroup.com
Website: www.howdengroup.com/uk-en/cover/employee-benefits-and-wellbeing-consulting

* Feb 2021. https://reform.uk/sites/default/files/2021-02/Reform%20Edge%20-%20What%27s%20next%20for%20the%20NHS.pdf

** https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-us/cancer-news/press-release/2020-06-01-over-2-million-people-in-backlog-for-cancer-care

Howden Employee Benefits & Wellbeing Limited is part of the Howden Group. Registered in England and Wales under company number 2248238, with its registered office at One Creechurch Place, London EC3A 5AF. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.