UK employers who invest in and prioritise their workers’ wellbeing are more likely to retain their teams for longer, according to new research from The Executive Development Network (EDN).
The insight, which was the result of nationwide consultation with employers and employees across a range of industries, reveals that 85.8% of employees would be more likely to leave a job if there was no obvious support for employee wellbeing; and when seeking new opportunities, more than 83% of employees are more attracted to working at an organisation with a progressive company culture.
Covid 19’s legacy left businesses across all industries with a heightened focus on their teams’ wellbeing. And with many corporate organisations restructuring to allow for more remote working, many businesses are seeking ways to invest in wellbeing and company culture to provide tangible support for employees – from attention to mental health and flexible working allowances to neurodiversity considerations and beyond.
As a result, employee expectation for an enhanced benefits package has grown, with the majority of employees (69.1%) keen to see measures put in place that help create a positive work life balance, while first aid for mental health was a priority for 45.3%.
“It’s clear to see that employees around the country, and particularly those who may now not have much face-to-face contact with their employers and peers, are focused on the benefits that come with working for an employer which is invested in their wellbeing,” says Jill Whittaker, Managing Director of EDN.
“For example, we know that almost 60% (59.3%) of companies would consider offering first aid training for mental health to their employees, while 61.7% would be interested in focusing training to help create a positive work life balance among staff, so the demand is there from employers seeking routes to training too.”
When asked what more their workplace could offer to enhance its benefits package, responses from employees included training in areas such as diversity and inclusion of ethnic minorities within the workplace (19.8%), LGBTQ+ inclusion (17.6%) and understanding the impact of menopause (19.4%) – vital topics that the businesses EDN surveyed would also consider delivering training to their teams in.
With employers’ and employees’ visions of what makes a progressive workplace that supports wellbeing clearly aligned, it’s essential that businesses consider ways to train teams so that these values create a solid foundation that supports everyone in the workplace long into the future.
