Employers “feel pressure” to provide wellbeing schemes

Businesses are struggling to keep pace with rising expectations for workplace wellbeing, with 82% of employers feeling “increasing pressure” to enhance their offering.

According to research by fitness tech specialist EGYM Hussle, while companies understand the importance of workplace wellbeing – 90% of employers included in the study believe improved wellbeing would boost productivity and staff retention – many feel they lack the resources to deliver what employees now expect.

Many cite hurdles with regards to cost (25%), as well as lack of time to dedicate to internal resource management (19%) and feelings that many wellbeing suppliers don’t provide suitable options that fit the needs of their workforce (17%).

Adding another layer of complexity to the issue of workplace wellbeing is the growth of hybrid working, with nearly three-quarters of employers finding it difficult to offer benefits that work equally for in-office, remote and hybrid staff. These inconsistencies are reflected in current workplace wellbeing provisions; while 57% offer flexible working hours and 47% provide mental health support, just 33% offer access to gym or fitness services, highlighting the limits of one-size-fits-all schemes.