Family-friendly benefits are a key focus in HR discussions, as organisations increasingly recognise their importance. In step with this, group protection providers now extend many of their health and wellbeing services to all employees and their immediate families. This includes life cover, income protection or critical illness cover, regardless of the proportion of the workforce they’re covering.
In other words, at a time when family-friendly benefits and practices are top of mind for HR, it makes sense for our industry to speak in these terms too - throughout the entire lifetime of the policy, not just at the point of sale. And with everyone in the workforce in mind; whether they have children or not, everyone needs support.
Such discussions lean in heavily to goals providers share with employers, in terms of inclusion, personalisation, and good work being beneficial for health. All of which are essential to help people and organisations grow.
What’s trending in HR media?
There’s growing evidence of family-friendly practices in UK businesses becoming the norm. For example: equal parental leave; reforms to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP); support for carers and those experiencing pregnancy loss. At the core of these initiatives is an emphasis on greater flexibility and personalisation, designed to improve work-life balance and boost employee engagement.
Of course, all this impacts recruitment and retention. Research suggests that almost every employer now openly discusses their commitment to working parents (97%). The number of employers that showcase their support through vlogs and blogs is apparently at a record high.
The societal and economic backdrop
Ill-health ‘prevention’ seems to be one of the top items on the UK’s agenda right now. Especially for the government, in terms of the NHS 10-year plan and its Get Britain Working review. But it’s also pertinent for UK employers, where rising ill-health means more absence and presenteeism, and less engagement and productivity.
Thanks to recent improvements in flexible working practices and expanded protections for workers and their families, the evidence for family friendly practices being the future of work is mounting. UK research finds that 7 in 10 managers say flexible working improves performance. And 76% report an increase in productivity.
The same goes for wellbeing overall. L&G’s group protection data and analysis partner, Fruitful Insights, reports that better employee wellbeing and commitment could boost UK productivity by £34 billion.
Why this lands with SMEs
The SME sector has arguably known this all along, with people often drawn to working for smaller organisations due to their ‘family feel’, according to research by UK charity Working Families. This can make SMEs seem more approachable, supportive, able to ‘know everyone in the business’ and more proactive in their support.
Interestingly though, Working Families also reports that the widespread shift to ‘flexibility by default’ has presented challenges for SMEs. Those firms that already operated a maximum flexibility approach before the Covid-19 pandemic may struggle to compete with larger organisations who have now improved their flexible work offerings, says the report.
So, doing what they can to retain their employee-centred approach seems more crucial than ever. And Group Protection – whatever the type of product or level of workforce covered – is well placed to help, with a range of family-friendly services; from access to mental health support and virtual GPs, to online physiotherapy.
Plus, in the case of Group Income Protection, support for employers, in terms of absence management; help with prevention, return to work planning and reasonable adjustments. A valuable resource for SME business owners, who often have little to no HR, Communication, or Occupational Health support.
These messages seem to be landing. Our quote and buy platform ONIX – designed for intermediaries, especially those working with SME and mid-sized clients – saw Group Protection application volumes and renewal uptakes almost double in 2024, in comparison to 2023.*
Group Protection – family-friendly support in action
Case study 1: Teenage mental health support; at a time and place to suit
Sarah’s employer had an L&G Group Protection policy in place and communicated the availability of Spark to all employees; a new app that brings together all L&G’s health and wellbeing services under one roof.
Sarah’s teenage son Liam was experiencing a level of stress and anxiety at school that was beginning to negatively impact his day-to-day life. She knew, through reports in the national news, that waiting lists to see a mental health professional in the public sector could be months, or even years. So, she decided to try the children’s mental health support accessible via Spark.
Following an initial consultation with Sarah to understand the challenges, Liam was assessed by a specialist to identify his needs, at no extra cost to the family. In addition to this support, both he and his mum could access services like the digital gym, mindfulness resources and nutritional guidance, creating an accessible and holistic support environment for both.
Case study 2: Balancing care for all generations
David is a mid-career professional, balancing the demands of work and parenting two young children in partnership with his wife, all while also caring for his ageing mother.
Like many of the 1.4 million so-called ‘sandwich carers’ in the UK – those caring for dependent children and adult relatives – David often felt thinly stretched, with little time to look after his own health and wellbeing.
This summer, with access to L&G’s Spark through the group protection cover arranged by his employer, David was able to:
- Book a virtual GP appointment, avoiding waiting times and additional stress.
- Speak to care experts, via L&G’s Adult and Elder care resource, to help navigate the state funding system and consider additional care options for his mum.
- Access children’s wellbeing resources to support his 8-year-old daughter who was struggling with ADHD, as well as sleep and anxiety, ahead of going back to school
- And use mental health counselling for himself, finding strategies to cope with the pressure of caring for loved ones across two generations.
As these case studies demonstrate, usage by employees and their families drives value. But services won’t be used unless they’re communicated.
It’s our job, as an industry, to support this on an ongoing basis; helping employers monitor, measure and manage their benefits and services throughout the year, to ensure the best possible outcomes for their people and business.
*Data as at 31 December 2024
