IN our previous articles on how companies have adapted and modified their health and wellbeing polices for a 21st Century workforce. This month, we will show how a client can transform and implement change quickly and easily and address the needs of their employees.
This particular client is a long-established 40-year-old engineering business specialising in generator production, with three directors, six managers, six administrators, all office based staff, and the remainder on site at two separate factory locations housing 60 staff.
The standard array of benefits has historically included pension (now expanded through to all staff under recent pension legislation), life cover for all, and PMI for directors and senior managers.
Following our work with the HR team, it was made clear that expansion of the existing PMI scheme was not viable due to initial cost (a £40K premium expansion to existing scheme), increased claims risk from a predominately 40-plus age profile and expected annual medical inflation increases each year of 10 or 11 per cent.
A staff Wellbeing Benefits Questionnaire discovered that employees were concerned about the following:
GP appointment availability
Increased stress levels generated not just by employment challenges, but home life issues as well, financial/family
Routine health care costs – prescription glasses, dental care, physiotherapy.
NHS waiting list for non-urgent procedures
Losing weight – and the inability to maintain initial weight loss.
Working to a budget of only £15,000 we introduced the following:
For all staff – a fully comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme that provides six face-to-face counselling sessions with fully accredited practitioners, access to articles and videos sourced from leading experts on nutrition, relationships and financial support.
Includes three minutes a day of exclusive health and wellbeing content, highly personalised to the member.
It offers a specifically designed company-wide employee recognition communication tool whereby managers and staff can highlight excellent work of individual employees to business. ?
The EAP also provides “perks’ for staff that amalgamates market-leading discounts on a full array of consumer products all under one application.
For all staff – a fully integrated GP Video Mobile Phone Application, that provides employees 24/7 access to a GP or specialist doctor from anywhere in the world dealing with common medical issues for adults and children, including the facility to receive and order prescriptions over the phone.
Introduced two nurses for a two-day period to take people’s blood pressure and cholesterol readings as part of a proactive programme to assist employees in understanding their key health care numbers and what to do to improve and control these figures and diet
Introduced a company-wide?cash plan to provide cover for dental/optical/therapies.
Total Costs: £12,500.
The client now, 18 months later, has an employee base is more engaged and informed about improving their own heath, feel valued and now have the resources at their disposal to address financially health issues that were a concern for themselves and family.
To find out more contact Michael Cox, Senior Health and Wellbeing Advisor, Redwood Employee Benefits Services on 01604 661144 or email
