Comments from: Angelika Blicharz, Head of People & Culture uPacjenta:
How can Polish businesses retain their workers and in turn reduce employee turnover? More/better employee wellness perks and benefits?
We are facing a real revolution in the approach of companies to incentive systems and perks. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, care for the mental and physical health of employees has become the overriding value in many companies. WHO claims that every $1 invested in employee health generates $4 in return for the company (1). At the same time, Polish employers see a correlation between employees’ health and work efficiency and are aware of the losses resulting from long-term L4. That is why some owners and HR managers have already revised their anti-rotation programs and benefits policy, replacing more traditional and less adequate perks, like gym tickets, with pro-health campaigns, workplace examinations or access to psychological care. In the past, training to increase the quality and efficiency of work were the standard. Today, empowering employees with tools referring to health and wellbeing is becoming more and more important.
Boosting health is also an important element of employer branding, especially when we want to attract the Gen Z talents. The COVID-19 pandemic has limited access to health care. Medical facilities remain overcrowded and not always safe, so if a company encourages employees to look after their health and give the tools to do it, its attractiveness on the market goes up.
How to boost health in the company?
Preventive examinations in the company should be performed at least once a year. A basic biochemical test is enough to check the health condition, but many companies we work with extend their scope, e.g. with tests checking immunity, the state of the hormonal economy, stress levels, cancer markers, as well as gender-specific packages. It is also very important that each set of tests should be selected individually according to the needs of employees and the specificity of work in the industry in which the company operates.
Sources:
- WHO. Mental health in the workplace.