
Employee health trends are changing as the world changes, and we look for improved solutions to ensure our employees’ health and well-being.
Here we will discuss some of the biggest employee health trends for 2021.
Telemedicine
With the pandemic, there has been a surge in telemedicine services. Most notably, this jump occurred in the older demographics that were once reluctant to use these kinds of services. However, it does make sense as this older demographic is at a much higher risk of complications if they contract COVID-19.
Telemedicine has seen one of the more significant increases this year and is growing in popularity when it comes to taking advantage of employees’ wellness benefits. More than 87% of employers plan to invest up to 25% more in telemedicine services over the previous year.
Mental Health
Fewer people over the last year have been seen for mental health issues, including adults and children. Conduct disorders made up a significant percentage of the care given to children compared to adults. However, mental health programs are now seeing a rapid increase as the pandemic triggers mental health conditions.
Many employers are increasing their investment into mental health programs by around 88 percent, including stress management and mindfulness.
Improved Safety Measures
More businesses and companies are also adopting improved safety practices to keep their employees safe. This includes incorporating social distancing guidelines, new sanitary practices, and more. It is also being found that most of these new practices will continue to be in use even after the pandemic has finally subsided.
Expansion of Virtual Wellness Services
Many employers have also chosen to expand their virtual wellness services for their employees. Virtual wellness services include instructional health and fitness videos, team building activities, holistic wellness sessions, guided virtual massage, guided meditation, and even life coaching.
Personalized Wellness
Another emerging trend in employee health is a focus on personalization when it comes to wellness. Health coaching, on-demand fitness classes, and subscriptions for self-care are gaining in popularity. Approximately 53% of employers want to invest more in these types of employee benefits in 2021.
Focus on Prevention
A focus on prevention is also an emerging trend to watch for. Instead of offering employees wellness benefits when it is too late, more employers offer preventative solutions instead. For example, they should create a work environment that is less stressful to avoid issues that may arise later due to heightened stress levels.
More Flexibility
Finally, many employers ensure that healthcare options are much more flexible, not only for the employees but also for themselves. A self-funded insurance plan, for example, is flexible for the employer because it means they may no longer be subjected to certain state requirements.
Self-insurance also offers flexibility to meet certain healthcare challenges and allows the business to better manage and maintain healthcare costs. The health benefit plan is designed to address the employees’ specific needs and provide cost savings, a safer workplace, improved cash flow, and better management of time and resources.
For more information on how beneficial self-funded insurance programs can be for both employers and employees, reach out to the professionals at National Insurance Partners today.