Keep ahead of the tech times

Attitudes to staff health are changing almost as fast as the technology we use on a daily basis. Canny employers make sure that the two are combined for an effective strategy, says Ian Bird, founder and director of business development at Mybenefitsatwork, part of the Foster Denovo group.

Ian said: “I firmly believe that adopting a holistic approach makes complete business sense. Employers should be looking to join up the various aspects of wellness – physical, social, mental and financial – to ensure the programme is effective and there is a good return on investment. Such an approach will also ensure that people are getting the most from the initiatives.”

Discussing the importance of effective communication, Ian said: “it is encouraging to hear of employers becom­ing more receptive. And it is also positive to see the increased take-up in workplace wellbeing programmes. But I’d argue that without strong communication around these initiatives, employers aren’t effectively engaging their employees. It is vital that employees are provided with all the correct and relevant benefits information. Only then will it deliver the best value for the investment, supporting employee recruitment and retention.”

Ian believes that keeping up to speed with technology is key; “We are a society that has become dependent on our mobile phones and tablets, communicating through them, buying things and using apps for work-related activities. The number of UK smartphone users in 2016 stood at 42.4m and this is set to rise to 46.4m by 2018.

However, I’d suggest that many employers have failed to keep pace with the technology, with many of the traditional techniques for communicating workplace initiatives not always delivering the best outcomes. A multi-channel approach is always recommended.”

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