Future-Proofing Workplace Wellbeing: What REBA and WTW's 2024 Reports Mean for Your Benefits Strategy

Featured

Dec 10

Future-Proofing Workplace Wellbeing: What REBA and WTW's 2024 Reports Mean for Your Benefits Strategy

Written by: Paula Antalffy 3-4 minute read

In this blog, we provide a comprehensive overview of the key findings from two leading studies on employee wellbeing: REBA's "Employee Wellbeing Research 2024," conducted in partnership with AXA Health, and WTW’s Global Benefits Attitude Survey. Together, these reports offer an in-depth look at the latest trends, challenges, and strategies shaping the future of workplace health and wellbeing.

Our summary covers the key takeaways from both studies, examining shifts in wellbeing responsibilities, the impact of demographic diversity, the role of DEI, and the increasing use of data to drive health strategies.

Below, we explore the methodology behind each survey, followed by a breakdown of the insights and statistics that reveal how companies are evolving their approach to employee health and engagement.

Research Methodology

The research for REBA’s survey was conducted through an online survey between November 2023 and January 2024. It reached 251 employers across diverse industries and organisation sizes, representing approximately 2 million employees.

This quantitative approach enabled REBA to capture robust, data-driven insights that reflect a cross-section of employer sizes and sectors in the UK.

WTW’s research methodology for the Global Benefits Attitudes Survey draws on extensive employee insights gathered over more than a decade. In its sixth biennial edition, conducted from January to March 2024, the survey engaged 45,000 employees from medium and large private sector organisations across 29 countries and territories.

By capturing a wide range of employee perspectives on benefits, attraction and retention drivers, and attitudes toward wellbeing, the survey offers a comprehensive view of employee expectations.

Below we break down the key findings outlined in each of these surveys.

Supporting Health – A Shift in Responsibility

The Headline: 41% of employers expect to increase their spending on health and wellbeing.

REBA’s survey highlights that employers are increasingly stepping in to support employee health as pressures on the NHS continue to rise - making it more difficult for people to access timely support. This shift is significant, with 87% of respondents acknowledging that the government’s reliance on businesses to offer workplace health support is impacting their strategies. This change in the way healthcare is provided by employers rather than the state, reflects directly on the US’s approach to healthcare - where businesses are often the ones giving health coverage to their employees rather than a national program.

Health costs are also a driving factor; over the next two years, 41% of employers expect to increase their spending on health and wellbeing to accommodate rising insurance premiums, while around 30% plan to absorb increased costs in non-insurance benefits.

Employers are also fostering shared responsibility across the organisation.

Line managers (67%), HR teams (54%), and wellbeing champions (64%) are expected to play larger roles, with employees themselves encouraged to take greater ownership of their health. This top-down commitment reflects a fundamental shift in how workplaces approach health.

Employers increasingly understand that in order to help truly support the health and wellbeing of their people, they must embed this attitude into every level of their organisational culture and individual responsibilities.

Findings from WTW’s Global Benefits Attitude Survey complement REBA’s report, revealing that employees increasingly view wellbeing support as a key factor in choosing employers. More than half of employees feel that health and wellbeing offerings influence their engagement and loyalty to an organisation. The survey also found that a significant portion of employees prefer a proactive approach to health benefits, reinforcing REBA’s findings that companies must embed health into their culture to meet rising expectations.

Driving DEI – Health, Wellbeing, and Inclusion

The Headline: Employees are 2.5 times more likely to feel a sense of belonging if they receive DEI-sensitive health and wellbeing benefits

The integration of DEI into wellbeing strategies is a top priority for businesses according to REBA’s survey. This is because employers are increasingly recognising the need for equitable health offerings.

REBA reports found that in 2023, 54% of employers reported increased spending to support DEI in wellbeing. What's more, 28% planned to have additional increases over the next two years. Women’s specific health needs and neurodivergent employee support take centre stage within their benefits with 56% of respondents showing clear intentions towards having more inclusive health benefits.

Employers are also expanding support for specific employee groups, such as caregivers and employees from diverse backgrounds. For instance, 50% of employers are introducing or planning programs to support caring responsibilities. This comes with a clear shift in attitude towards recognising the varied needs of employees within their workforce.

As DEI policy becomes essential to recruitment and retention, investment is aligning with employees’ rising expectations for inclusive, accessible benefits.

WTW’s research underscores the importance of DEI in retaining talent, as employees from diverse backgrounds increasingly expect personalised health support. The survey shows that employees are 2.5 times more likely to feel a sense of belonging if they receive DEI-sensitive health and wellbeing benefits, which aligns with REBA’s observation that DEI policy is essential to attracting and retaining talent. With DEI at the heart of engagement, both reports highlight the urgency of aligning wellbeing investment with employees' values and expectations.

Age Demographics – Adapting to a Multi-Generational Workforce

The Headline: 53% of employers anticipate adapting wellbeing strategies to address generational differences.

Employers are increasingly aware of the diverse health needs of a multi-generational workforce. REBA’s survey highlights that as society ages, 53% of employers anticipate adapting wellbeing strategies to address generational differences. Today HR teams can no longer offer one-size-fits-all solutions for employee support due to varied needs.

For younger employees, mental health is a priority, with 77% of organisations addressing or planning to address mental health needs related to anxiety and depression, which are notably prevalent among Gen Z workers. WTW’s survey adds to this highlighting that more than 60% of employees under 35 prioritise mental health benefits in their workplace decisions.

Older employees, meanwhile, benefit from policies that consider chronic physical conditions. Around 42% of employers currently offer support for age-related physical health issues, with additional plans to provide services like cancer screenings (47%) and musculoskeletal health (50%). WTW survey shows that older employees value flexibility and financial security, which emphasises the need for employers to support not only physical health but also financial wellbeing and retirement planning.

From REBA and WTW’s findings, it is clear that a holistic and varied approach is key to creating benefits programs which benefit all types of workers. As younger people join the workforce, and people continue to work later into their life, it is important for employers to recognise these varying needs and cater to them.

Using Data – Informing Wellbeing Strategies with Evidence

The Headline: 45% of employers consider data essential in building a compelling wellbeing program

Data is increasingly pivotal in refining and scaling wellbeing strategies. Nearly 61% of employers use data to evaluate the impact of wellbeing initiatives on employee performance and productivity, while 58% track how wellbeing efforts influence HR objectives. This data-driven approach is allowing organisations to better understand cost impacts and identify areas of intervention that are most likely to yield positive outcomes.

Data driven benefits programs are especially useful, since HR managers have often been seen to struggle to secure funding for wellbeing initiatives. The use of concrete data, and direct ROI, can empower organisations to find what benefits strategies do and don’t work, and ensure that they are spending their money effectively.

Additionally, REBA’s survey highlights that 67% of employers are using data to analyse future cost risks associated with workforce health, ensuring that wellbeing investments align with broader business goals. This again links back to an ageing workforce - who will need to have more support from their employees.

In line with REBA’s findings, WTW’s survey shows that 45% of employers consider data essential in building a compelling wellbeing program. They highlight that it is crucial for organisations to invest in data-driven strategies to see higher engagement rates. This again highlights the growing demand for analytics to create tailored and impactful health programs.

Together, these insights underscore that data-led approaches are critical for demonstrating wellbeing impact and securing buy-in from leadership.As the demand for data insights grows, employers are moving toward evidence-based strategies, using analytics to both optimise and justify wellbeing expenditures.

Wellbeing Themes and Benefits – Crafting a Comprehensive Strategy

The Headline: 36% of employers plan to implement digital tools such as healthcare and financial wellbeing apps

Organisations are crafting more inclusive and flexible benefits packages in response to rising insurance costs and evolving employee needs. In the last year, 30% of employers reported increased spending on benefits outside of insurance, and 41% anticipate further increases in the next two years. To manage these rising costs, many companies are investing in preventative care and digital health solutions, like telemedicine (offered by 74% of respondents) and mental wellbeing apps (66%).

This is in line with a wider trend within the employee support space, where businesses are approaching the health of their team as an ongoing project, rather than only intervening once issues have already arisen. However, finding what is the most effective way of providing this preventative care is a whole new challenge for businesses.

Employers are also personalising benefits to support the unique needs of diverse workforce groups. For instance, digital tools that offer personalised healthcare and financial wellbeing apps are planned by 36% of employers, aiming to boost engagement through accessible, targeted support. The focus on personalised benefits is not without reason, WTW’s research shows that 72% of employees report that access to personalised benefits strongly impacts their engagement with their employer.

WTW’s data also suggests that preventative care is particularly effective in reducing long-term costs, reinforcing the need for employers to invest in these measures as part of a comprehensive and sustainable health strategy.

myday’s Approach to Employee Wellbeing

The recent findings from REBA's Employee Wellbeing Research and WTW's Global Benefits Attitudes Survey highlight a significant shift towards proactive and inclusive employee wellbeing strategies. For businesses looking to take into account these trends when planning their future workplace benefits, working with a company such as myday is a great option.

Myday’s three pillars, community, impact and activity, offer comprehensive support that addresses the diverse and changing needs of today's workforce.

Here is how.

Community: Building Connections for Inclusive Wellbeing

Both surveys emphasise the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in wellbeing initiatives, recognising the need to support diverse employee groups, including caregivers and individuals with specific health needs.

myday's Community pillar facilitates this by providing safe, moderated spaces where employees can connect over shared interests and challenges. Whether it's mental health, parenting, women's health, or LGBTQIA+ issues, employees can join or create groups that resonate with their experiences.

Through features like kudos, shares, and comments, myday fosters active engagement, helping to build a supportive community that enhances overall wellbeing.

Impact: Empowering Employees to Make a Difference

Today's trends show that employees are increasingly motivated by purpose and the opportunity to make a positive impact. myday's Impact pillar addresses this by offering a Planet Points system, where employees earn points through participation in activities, challenges, and community engagement. These points can be converted into real donations to causes that matter to them, providing a tangible way to contribute positively.

This approach not only boosts engagement but also aligns with the surveys' findings that employees' benefits need to be increasingly based on data drive findings. myday’s portal offers managers direct access to KPIs which show exactly what areas of their benefits programs are and aren’t working. This means pitching to board members for benefits programs has never been easier! What's more, tracking these key bits of data creates a community which is transparent and builds trust with its employees. Our app was created to make reporting on your businesses social impact and value easy.

Activity: Promoting Preventative Care and Physical Wellness

Preventative care is a key focus in both surveys, with employers recognising the need to invest in measures that support long-term health.

myday's Activity pillar promotes this by offering engaging and accessible physical activity challenges. Employees can participate in solo pursuits, one-on-one competitions, or team-wide events, tracking their progress and earning rewards. By encouraging regular physical activity, myday supports both physical and mental health, aligning with the emphasis on preventative care highlighted in the research.

This proactive approach helps reduce the risk of chronic conditions and fosters a healthier, more productive workforce. What’s more myday gives users the ability to individually select what areas of their health they would like to focus on, and get health goals aligned with these. This helps boost engagement based on personalisation.