"Prevention is not only better for the individual, helping people stay well, but it also benefits the business by reducing the impact of ill-health."
- Katharine Moxham - GRiD
New research from GRiD has found that 31% of employers prioritise preventative health and wellbeing support, compared with just 21% who place greater emphasis on supporting employees once they become ill.
Ahead of World Mental Health Day on 10th October, GRiD’s research has revealed that mental health support is the most common form of preventative health and wellbeing offered by employers: 57% of organisations provide initiatives to help employees manage stress and mental health and build resilience.
50% offer support for physical health, using initiatives to encourage better health behaviours to mitigate against illness, while 40% offer social health support, such as organising social events or supporting voluntary work, and 37% offer employees support for financial health, including financial planning and debt consolidation.
GRiD says that employee benefits, such as employer-sponsored life assurance, income protection and critical illness cover, collectively known as group risk benefits, can give employees access to a range of preventative health and wellbeing support.
READ MORE: Beyond awareness: why insurers need earlier cancer and menopause support
According to GRiD, this can include EAPs, counselling and specialist mental health support, helping employees address concerns early before they escalate, as well as giving them practical tools to self-manage, develop coping strategies, stay well, and stay in work.
"It is really encouraging to see employers prioritising preventative support," Katharine Moxham, spokesperson for GRiD, said. "Prevention is not only better for the individual, helping people stay well, but it also benefits the business by reducing the impact of ill-health.
"It is also particularly positive to see employers recognising the importance of prevention when it comes to mental health, where early support can make such a difference."
"World Mental Health Day puts mental health firmly in the spotlight, so employers should use the opportunity to remind their people what support is available and, importantly, how to access it," Katherine added. "Regular communication is key in turning the support employers provide into support employees actually use."
