Only one in four organisations plan to continue COVID-19 wellbeing programmes

The drop in support for wellbeing programmes is worrying, but not necessarily a widespread trend, says Martin Blinder.

Recent findings from the research and advisory company, Gartner, reveal that only a quarter of employers plan to keep up the wellbeing programmes they initiated during the pandemic. This intended drop in support comes despite the fact that over a quarter of employees (29%) stated they felt depressed during this period.

The research also identified that after lockdown restrictions were introduced, nearly two-thirds of employers provided a new wellbeing programme for staff and 34% expanded on previous programmes. Meanwhile, the majority of employers (almost nine in 10) initiated extra special measures to support employees, for example, by providing flexible working hours as well as paid time off for parents and caregivers.

“We applaud the support that employers have given their people, but it’s vitally important that this keeps going as the effects of lockdown will not dissipate quickly. We can see from the engagement people have with our app, whether it’s for emotional or physical health, that employees are seeking support. At the end of the day, individuals who have more resilience can better weather the storm, and help their employer to do the same”.

Indeed, findings from Gartner’s report reflect this need for increased assistance as many employees believe their employers can do more for their wellbeing: only 49% feel their manager understands their needs and less than half (46%) believe their wellbeing offerings are adequately personalised.

Minder Blinder adds;  

Employers must support their employees, and at the same time, gain accurate reflections of issues within the workforce to ensure the support is right. By using data analytics, employers can pinpoint their particular issues and ensure employees gain relevant support.

Martin Blinder, Former CEO of Tictrac, now Dialogue.