"We encourage employers to take every opportunity to promote their benefits at the recruitment stage, from job adverts and interviews to induction. There is no point in having benefits if nobody knows they exist."
- Debra Clark, Head of Wellbeing at Towergate Health & Protection
Of those surveyed (500), 21% of employers thought their overall health & wellbeing strategy had become a priority for both current and prospective employees. This was followed by mental health support (20%) and support with financial health (13%). For some, company ethics override this with 10% stating that the importance of having an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy had grown considerably over the last twelve months – in terms of enhancing recruitment and retention.
However, 31% of employers continue to find recruitment more difficult, with 28% saying it’s harder to hold on to talent. Nearly a third (30%) of employers said they don’t offer enough support which impacts their ability to recruit and retain staff.
Notably, 28% of the employers who took part in this survey said it’s becoming harder to engage with their staff. Towergate Health & Protection suggests this should be linked to the 10% of employers who said communication of the health & wellbeing support they offer had been the most important factor in terms of recruitment improvements in the last twelve months.
“This research confirms something of which we have long since been aware: that salary alone is no longer enough to attract and retain the best talent. Health & wellbeing support is now a key driver when people are choosing their employer,” said Debra Clark, Head of Wellbeing at Towergate Health & Protection.
“In the post-Pandemic world, with hybrid working and a new focus on work/life balance, health & wellbeing support is more vital than ever in attracting the best talent from a range of demographics,” she added.
However, Debra believes that there’s more to health & wellbeing than simply putting support in place: “Employers must make sure employees know about the support, and are engaged with it if they want it to help with their recruitment and retention […] digital platforms and issuing regular messaging can help ensure employees are aware of what is available and find it easy to access when they need it.”
