Supporting the health and wellbeing of staff is the most important factor for recruitment and retention of talent, according to new figures1 released by the employee benefits experts at Everywhen. Health and wellbeing support was classed as the most important factor by 44% of employers, similar to, and indeed slightly above, salary levels (43%), revealing the magnitude of the value placed on workplace health and wellbeing.
Debra Clark, head of wellbeing at Everywhen, says: “We were hoping and expecting that employers would recognise the important role health and wellbeing support plays in recruitment and retention, but even we were surprised that it is seen as more important than salary.”
Related to health and wellbeing, working hours and practices were classed as important for recruitment and retention by 42% or employers, and company culture and ethos were stated as important by a third (33%) of employers.
Most important factors in terms of recruitment and retention | |
Health and wellbeing support | 44% |
Salary levels | 43% |
Working hours and practices | 42% |
Training and career progression | 38% |
Company culture and ethos | 33% |
Pension provision | 23% |
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy | 14% |
Looking in greater detail at the research, the health and wellbeing programmes offered by UK companies are seen as being more important to employee retention than to recruitment. Indeed, 39% of employers said that the way they support the health and wellbeing of employees is a key reason people stay with the company. Alongside this, 24% of employers stated that the health and wellbeing support offered is a key reason people decide to work for the company in the first place.
Moreover, employers are using health and wellbeing support strategically, with over a third (34%) stating that it helps them to recruit and retain key demographics of staff, for example, by age and gender. With the value that health and wellbeing support adds, it is a good idea for employers to actively promote what support they offer. Internal promotion will assist with retention of talent, whilst external promotion should be considered for recruitment.
Nearly one in five employers (19%), unfortunately, stated that their company does not offer enough health and wellbeing support, and that this impacts their ability to recruit and retain people.
Health and wellbeing support is key to employee retention | 39% |
Health and wellbeing support helps recruit and retain key demographics of staff, for example by age and gender | 34% |
Health and wellbeing support is key to recruitment | 24% |
We don’t offer enough health and wellbeing support, and this impacts our ability to recruit and retain people | 19% |
Debra Clark comments: “It is great that employers recognise how they can use health and wellbeing benefits to recruit and retain specific demographics, helping to find and match talent with any gaps in the workplace. This shows how employee benefits can be as fundamental to the health and wellbeing of the company as they are to the health and wellbeing of the workforce. For the 19% that feel their recruitment and retention is negatively impacted by lack of health and wellbeing support, perhaps this can help to prove that the outcome is worth the investment.”