HR Magazine - Employees like bosses who offer wellbeing programmes

Employees like bosses who offer wellbeing programmes

There is still some way to go before health and wellbeing policies are universally offered to staff, according to HR magazine/Harris Interactive's latest poll: 61% of 1,233 workers questioned said nothing is offered to them at all, while a further 5% said it was only available to certain levels of staff.

Less than a quarter (23%) said they could access health schemes such as health screenings, nutritional advice and gym membership. The majority, however, want their bosses to be more involved in looking after their wellbeing (see right), with just 7% saying they should no part to play at all. Overall, 59% said they would look more favourably towards their employer if healthcare and wellbeing programmes were on offer, with females more likely to say this than males (61% vs 57%). Strangely, nearly a third (30%) said being offered health policies would make no difference to them. ABs aged 55+ were most likely to say this, as were those from the North-East. See health and wellbeing supplement, p29

Which of the following statements best describes your view on the level of involvement employers should take in looking after the health and wellbeing of their employees?

- Employers should play a minor role 24%
- Employers should play no part 7%
- Not sure 9%
- Employers should play an active role 38%
- Employers should play a full and active role 22%

Fieldwork dates: 13th - 18th May 2009; interview method: Questions were online, via the Harris Interactive online panel. Sample size was 1,233. Harris Interactive is a member of the British Polling Council: http://www.britishpollingcouncil.org. For more information contact Nikki Bateman nbateman@harrisinteractive.com.