Bupa: The benefits of engaging employees in health and wellbeing

​There are many ways of approaching the subject of employee engagement. Patrick Watt, Corporate Director at Bupa UK, has recently discussed the relationship between employee engagement and employee health.

Health and wellbeing has evolved beyond just providing health insurance and it is essential that employers understand the importance of having healthy employees.

Watt states:“With more than 31 million people employed in the UK, the workplace presents a great opportunity to engage staff, support them to improve their health and wellbeing and reduce future health risks. There is a compelling business case for doing so, and this is something employees now expect from their employer.”

Research commissioned by Bupa, for whom MSB conducts patient satisfaction monitoring in 220 hospitals, highlights that 85% of UK staff believe their employer has a responsibility to look after their health and wellbeing.

This is not surprising, given that almost two-thirds (63%) of employees say their work life has a negative impact on their health and wellbeing.

In fact, the research shows that almost two-thirds (60%) of UK employees admit that if they felt happy at work, they would be more productive, and more than half (55%) would feel more focused.

Watt goes on to say: “Organisations that do not take action to support the health of their workforce are missing out, because employees who are engaged in their own health take fewer sick days, generate lower healthcare costs and perform better at work.”

With 30 years’ experience in this field, MSB is the ideal partner to assess and improve your employee engagement.
The full version of Patrick Watt’s article can be viewed here.