WASHINGTON, July 10, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nearly one in three U.S. employees would like their employers to provide more assistance to improve their financial health while more than a quarter would like additional support for mental health, including how to cope with burnout, according to a survey of more than 2,200 employees conducted by the National Business Group on Health. Additionally, employees’ overall well-being is associated with access to health-enabling communities near their workplace.
The survey found nearly a third of employees (32%) cited financial health as the one dimension of well-being they would like their employers to address more than they do today. The top areas employees cited as wanting help to improve their financial health were with health care and prescription drug costs (34%) and housing costs (26%). *
When it comes to mental health, 27% of employees are looking for more support. The survey found that two in five employees want help with “burnout at work” specifically, while roughly a quarter would like help so they can sleep better and become more resilient. *
“The message from employees to their employers on well-being is loud and clear,” said Brian Marcotte, President and CEO of the National Business Group on Health. “Employees are looking to their employer to provide support on all areas of well-being – not just physical health programs focused on losing weight or understanding health risks – but those designed to help employees meet their financial, mental, community and social health goals.”
Employees with access to health-enabling communities report higher levels of well-being compared with employees whose workplace communities that lack in these supports. Six in ten employees (59%) whose workplace community supports well-being reported higher well-being levels, more than double the 28% of respondents who said their workplace community doesn’t support well-being. Other community features associated with high levels of employee well-being compared to well-being levels when communities do not offer them include:
| Healthy Features Near Workplace Community | Excellent/Very Good Overall Well-being | Fair/Poor Overall Well-being | ||
| Access to Convenient Health Care | 57% | 47% | ||
| Sidewalks | 47% | 38% | ||
| Nearby Fitness and Recreation Centers | 36% | 26% | ||
| Restaurants with Healthy Options | 34% | 20% | ||
| Designated Bike Paths and Lanes | 27% | 15% | ||
Employer investment in multiple dimensions of well-being correlates with high levels of employee well-being, according to the survey. Among employers that support 4-5 well-being dimensions, nearly six in ten employees (58%) claimed their overall well-being was excellent or very good, compared to 43% at employers that support only 1-3 dimensions. Additionally, nearly nine in 10 employees at employers that support 4-5 dimensions say their job performance is excellent while more than three quarters (77%) say they have an excellent or very good impression of their employer. More than half of these employees (57%) would recommend their employer to other job candidates.
About the survey
The National Business Group on Health/Optum Workplace Well-Being and the Employee Experience Survey was conducted in late 2018. A total of 2,210 employees, aged 18-64 years old, working for a company with at least 3,000 employees, participated in the survey. All respondents receive group health insurance coverage from their employer.
About the National Business Group on Health®
The National Business Group on Health is the nation's only non-profit organization devoted exclusively to representing large employers' perspective on national health policy issues and helping companies optimize business performance through health improvement, innovation and health care management. The Business Group’s mission is to keep its membership on the leading edge of innovation, thinking and action to address health care cost and the delivery, financing, affordability and consumer experience with the health care system. Business Group members, which include 74 Fortune 100 companies, provide health coverage for more than 50 million U.S. workers, retirees and their families. For more information, visit www.businessgrouphealth.org.
*Among those with no support in the area
Media Contact:
Ed Emerman
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eemerman@eaglepr.com