More than one in three employers expect employee engagement to get harder, according to new research from Towergate Employee Benefits.
The study found that found that 37 per cent of employers believe this will be an issue, citing the complexity of hybrid working, dispersed teams and digital communication overload as contributing factors.
Towergate says this research raises concerns about how organisations can encourage staff to make use of the health and wellbeing support available to them.
The employee benefits consultancy adds that digital tools are becoming a core part of engagement strategies. Over a third of employers (34 per cent) now use digital platforms to promote health and wellbeing support, helping centralise key information and making it easier for staff to access.
A further 26 per cent highlight benefits via the company intranet, although this Towergate points out this tends to be a passive approach that relies on employees seeking out information themselves. Meanwhile, 22 per cent of employers use written communications, such as emails, to encourage uptake, often with the assistance of benefits advisers and providers.
But Towergate’s research suggests that the rise of digital has not replaced in-person engagement. Around 21 per cent of employers run their own wellbeing events featuring external specialists, while 18 per cent ask advisers or providers to deliver sessions on-site.
Some organisations are also experimenting with new methods to build engagement. Almost a quarter (24 per cent ) now use ‘wellbeing champions’ to promote resources internally, offering a peer-to-peer connection that many employees respond to. Other approaches include wellbeing calendars linked to awareness days (used by 22 per cent of employers), regular promotional campaigns (18 per cent), and webinars (16 per cent).
However, the research also suggests a sizeable number of employees receive little encouragement at all. One in three employers (33 per cent) only direct staff to support when they specifically request it, while 13% per centdo not actively promote their health and wellbeing benefits at all.
Debra Clark, head of wellbeing at Towergate Employee Benefits, said the shift in workplace dynamics was reshaping how employers must communicate. “Hybrid working and virtual meetings are making it increasingly difficult to engage employees,” she said. “Health and wellbeing support can be a virtuous circle – if employees engage with it, they feel more connected to the company. The key is finding more creative and dynamic ways to encourage the use of benefits.”
She adds that drawing on expert input can be particularly effective: “Those providing or advising on the support can offer much deeper knowledge and insight for employees.”
Clark warned that a lack of proactive communication could undermine the impact of employer-funded wellbeing programmes. “Employers who aren’t encouraging use of health and wellbeing support are missing out hugely,” she said. “There are clear advantages for businesses – increased loyalty, reduced absenteeism, greater productivity – but only if employees engage. Otherwise, employers may well be wasting their money.”
