# A healthier workforce Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-09-16 Category: BUSINESS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business Meta Title: The Impact of COVID on UK Business and Hybrid Working Trends Meta Description: Discover practical ways for employers to improve employee health and wellbeing post-pandemic without adding huge financial burdens. Learn more here. URL: https://financedigest.com/a-healthier-workforcehtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/istock-1295902079-1736815207634-compressed.jpg) ![](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/professor-denis-kinane-450x673-1736815207658-compressed.jpg) _By_ **_Professor Denis Kinane,_** _Founding Scientist, Cignpost Diagnostics_ COVID had a dramatic and immediate [impact on every part of the UK business community](https://www.financedigest.com/how-mifid-ii-will-impact-financial-advisor-communications.html "HOW MIFID II WILL IMPACT FINANCIAL ADVISOR COMMUNICATIONS"). One change that seems set to remain in place long after the pandemic is over is the shift to [hybrid working](https://www.financedigest.com/how-has-hybrid-working-impacted-the-gender-gap.html "How has hybrid working impacted the gender gap?"). A substantial [4.33 million of UK employees](https://www.monster.co.uk/career-advice/article/vision-of-uk-home-working) now work from home all or part of the time . With rates of [COVID vaccination](https://www.financedigest.com/first-foreign-covid-vaccines-head-to-china-from-germany.html "First foreign COVID vaccines head to China from Germany") high and concerns about catching the virus falling fast, companies have sought to encourage a return to office. However, the anticipated mass return to working from offices has failed to materialise as employees have learnt to appreciate the [financial and health](https://www.financedigest.com/how-can-fintechs-better-engage-zillennials-with-their-financial-health-the-answer-lies-in-speaking-to-them-in-their-own-language.html "How can fintechs better engage Zillennials with their financial health? The answer lies in speaking to them in their own language") benefits available from hybrid working. Recent research by [Cignpost Diagnostics has shown that employees in the UK are more health-conscious post pandemic](https://www.financedigest.com/marketing-communications-is-a-business-critical-pillar-now-and-in-a-post-pandemic-future.html "Marketing Communications is a business-critical pillar now – and in a post pandemic future"), with 42% exercising more and 44% eating better. But there is also now heightened expectations that [employers can do more to help their workers’](https://www.financedigest.com/more-than-half-of-workers-are-open-to-leaving-their-current-employers.html "MORE THAN HALF OF WORKERS ARE OPEN TO LEAVING THEIR CURRENT EMPLOYERS") health and wellbeing. [Almost half of employees for example want their employers to offer regular health screenings](https://www.financedigest.com/almost-1-in-3-never-fix-their-damaged-phone-screens.html "Almost 1 in 3 never fix their damaged phone screens") that allow for greater visibility about wellness as well as the chance to identify health concerns early. Worryingly, Cignpost’s research also found that 22% of [employees have signed](https://www.financedigest.com/4-reasons-your-finance-employees-are-showing-signs-of-stress.html "4 reasons your finance employees are showing signs of stress") off work due to a mental health condition over the last year, with mental wellbeing particularly affecting younger employees between the age of 18-24. Post-pandemic, employers understand that making their workplaces collaborative and positive places to work will help to encourage people to [return to the office](https://www.financedigest.com/are-we-witnessing-the-great-return-to-the-office.html "Are we witnessing the great return to the office?"). However, focusing on how to improve the health of their [employees is undoubtedly an important additional factor and is an important consideration for employees who expect their employer to be invested in their health](https://www.financedigest.com/why-investing-in-employee-health-can-be-good-for-business.html "Why investing in employee health can be good for business") and wellbeing. Currently, almost a quarter of [employees feel that their employer does not support](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-manage-burnout-and-how-leaders-should-support-employee-wellbeing-tom-keya.html "How to manage burnout and how leaders should support employee wellbeing | Tom Keya") their health well. The question is, what can they do practically that will make a genuine difference without adding huge extra [financial burdens at a time when a recession is looming](https://www.financedigest.com/financial-forecast-for-2023-recessionary-fog-looming.html "Financial Forecast for 2023: Recessionary fog looming"). At one end, [companies can offer](https://www.financedigest.com/factbox-european-companies-offer-one-off-bonuses-hike-pay-amid-cost-of-living-crisis.html "Factbox-European companies offer one-off bonuses, hike pay amid cost-of-living crisis") things like subsidised gym membership or free subscriptions to wellness apps. These options are low cost but there is [little evidence these offer](https://www.financedigest.com/big-fall-in-euro-zone-inflation-offers-little-help-for-ecb.html "Big fall in euro zone inflation offers little help for ECB") significant health improvements. At the other end, private health [insurance can ensure](https://www.financedigest.com/vias-cloud-based-solutions-ensure-painless-office-move-for-insurance-body.html "VIA’S CLOUD-BASED SOLUTIONS ENSURE PAINLESS OFFICE MOVE FOR INSURANCE BODY") employees are seen quickly when they are ill.  But such [insurance cover](https://www.financedigest.com/japan-insurers-to-maintain-cover-for-lng-vessels-in-russian-waters.html "Japan insurers to maintain cover for LNG vessels in Russian waters") can be extremely expensive if applied to all staff.  It is mostly also a “reactive” alternative to the NHS for those who are already ill rather than [prevention that enables employees to change their behaviour themselves or seek](https://www.financedigest.com/eu-seeks-deal-on-law-preventing-import-of-deforestation-linked-goods.html "EU seeks deal on law preventing import of deforestation-linked goods") medical help before a condition becomes serious. Where these kinds of preventative annual health tests can sometimes be offered by private medical groups, typically take up can be extremely low – as low as 1 in 5 [according to one recent study](https://www.financedigest.com/investors-seek-higher-returns-as-catastrophe-bond-issuance-slows-during-q2-according-to-aon-study.html "INVESTORS SEEK HIGHER RETURNS AS CATASTROPHE BOND ISSUANCE SLOWS DURING Q2, ACCORDING TO AON STUDY"). [Companies can therefore end up paying](https://www.financedigest.com/why-it-pays-for-companies-to-hold-physical-assets-in-separate-limited-companies.html "Why it pays for companies to hold physical assets in separate limited companies") significant sums out without deriving the healthier – and motivated – workforce they crave. So how can employers harness the [positive change](https://www.financedigest.com/the-meta-trends-driving-positive-change-for-financial-services.html "The meta trends driving positive change for Financial Services") in attitude workers have displayed towards wellbeing to provide something that can make a difference. The first is to ensure that staff are [aware of what is already available and any health](https://www.financedigest.com/kids-oral-care-products-market-sale-is-anticipated-to-boost-with-tremendous-growth-by-2030-due-to-health-awareness-of-kids.html "Kids Oral Care Products Market Sale Is Anticipated To Boost With Tremendous Growth By 2030 Due To Health Awareness Of Kids") and wellness aids that are available either subsidised by the company or free.  Alternatively, to think about how to motivate staff to take annual health checks where these are on offer. An [option businesses are increasingly considering](https://www.financedigest.com/3-options-to-consider-when-you-owe-the-irs-back-taxes.html "3 Options to Consider When You Owe The IRS Back Taxes") is using annual or six monthly diagnostic testing. On the back of [COVID testing](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-not-planning-covid-testing-for-travellers-from-china.html "UK not planning COVID testing for travellers from China"), there is a much greater acceptance of the role of diagnostic tests, whether of saliva or blood, can provide vital information about a wide range of conditions, from skin cancer to heart health. Importantly, health providers, like Cignpost do not rely on employees going to a clinic for test but, instead, brings the [testing facility and laboratory to the site where they work](https://www.financedigest.com/biden-says-he-is-doing-well-working-after-testing-positive-for-covid.html "Biden says he is ‘doing well,’ working after testing positive for COVID"). Evidence suggests that take up of this kind of [testing option is far higher than traditional screening as well as producing results that enabled people to then take action on any health concerns](https://www.financedigest.com/new-china-covid-rules-spur-concern-as-some-cities-halt-routine-tests.html "New China COVID rules spur concern as some cities halt routine tests"). Cignpost’s research found that almost 70% of employees surveyed indicated that they were prepared to such [diagnostic tests](https://www.financedigest.com/cognitive-automation-ca-to-drive-the-genetic-diagnostic-testing-market.html "Cognitive automation (CA) to drive the Genetic Diagnostic Testing Market") with younger employees even keener to take up such an option . It has long been a truism that a healthy [business begins with healthy employees](https://www.financedigest.com/employee-retention-tax-credit-is-a-lifeline-for-businesses.html "Employee Retention Tax Credit is a lifeline for businesses"). But the pandemic has demonstrated the critical importance of finding ways to [create that healthier workforce](https://www.financedigest.com/creating-a-skilled-workforce-fit-for-the-future.html "Creating a skilled workforce fit for the future"). Those [businesses that can achieve](https://www.financedigest.com/what-businesses-can-achieve-with-microsofts-full-suite-of-process-automation-tools.html "What businesses can achieve with Microsoft’s full suite of process automation tools") that goal will inevitably steal a competitive march on their rivals – and have a more contented, and motivated workforce. --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---