A new survey conducted by Aetna International has revealed that 63 per cent of HR directors believe employers now have more responsibility for their employees’ mental and physical health beyond the workplace.  The research shows that these two-thirds of HR directors now feel more responsibility - particularly for mental health - as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The survey was undertaken by over 4,000 office workers - many of whom were working remotely - and 1,000 HR directors from the UK, US, Singapore and the UAE, with the results implying that business organisations have a greater understanding of employee health concerns than prior to the pandemic.  Fifty-four per cent of HR directors state that their company has improved the provision of mental health support - and has provided benefits such as flexible working.

Despite this, there is a clear difference between the views of HR and employees towards these provisions, as whilst 40 per cent of HR directors saw the quality and health benefits offered as good, this was not endorsed by the employees - with only 23 per cent of employees who work from home and 32 per cent of employees still working in an office, in agreement.

However, this was an improvement compared to pre-Covid 19, when only 25 per cent of employees felt they were being offered good support for mental health conditions.  Over half of UK workers felt that their employer should be spending more on health and benefits whilst only 36 per cent of HR directors felt the same.

Twenty-one per cent of employees stated that the health support they receive has not advanced since the pandemic, showing that employers may not be mindful of the needs of the employees. Prior to the pandemic, 93 per cent of employees stated that good physical health support was a reason for remaining at the company - but now 41 per cent cited good annual leave entitlement as a greater attraction, followed by 35 per cent wanting the ability to work from home.

Damian Lenihan - Executive Director for Europe at Aetna International - stated:

“It’s encouraging to see that employers have recognised the increasing importance of robust health and well-being support, particularly when it comes to benefits and interventions designed to support mental health and well-being. There’s no doubt the pandemic has taken a toll on people’s mental and emotional resilience; this year, businesses everywhere need to consider their role in addressing this burden.”

He continued:

“Whilst it’s positive to see that the perceptions of employers are now more aligned with the experiences of their employees, our research suggests there is still more to do to ensure health benefits and HR strategies are not only fit for purpose today, but also for the future. The views of employers and their employees remain polarised when it comes to the steps businesses need to take to strengthen workplace well-being provisions.  Listening to employees will be absolutely crucial for businesses over the next few months. For a lot of people, health and lifestyle pressures have intensified dramatically as a result of the pandemic, something that businesses cannot afford to ignore. If they haven’t already, businesses must act and respond to these challenges or risk alienating a workforce that is already under strain.”