The case for
whole-of-workforce
health benefits

With long NHS waits, elevated sickness absence rates, and mental health pressures to contend with, most organisations are experiencing lost productivity through absence and presenteeism, higher agency costs, and recruitment and retention strain. So what’s the solution?

This report explores the benefits of a “whole-of-workforce” healthcare model, which prioritises rapid access to clinical triage, virtual GP services, diagnostics, physio, and short-term mental healthcare. It includes our recommended strategic approach for adoption and a curated selection of health benefit providers to consider as part of your offer.

Here are the key areas covered in the report.

 

---

The landscape – we explore the current landscape, including why timely access to healthcare matters, the stark reality of sickness absence costs to your organisation, and key recommendations from the Keep Britain Working report.

---

The benefits – we explain why whole-of-workforce health benefits are great for your organisation as well as your people, including lower absence costs, increased productivity, and spending that’s predictable, scalable, and sustainable.

---

The strategy – we cover how to create an effective whole-of-workforce health benefits strategy, from providing access for everyone and integrating with your existing provisions to creating a single point of access and focusing on fast diagnosis and accelerated care.

---

The providers – we walk you through a curated selection of low-cost and scalable health benefit providers designed to support your whole-of-workforce strategy, including how they help, what’s included (and what isn’t), and the cost.

---

Don’t underestimate the importance of timely access to healthcare. It’s no longer a nice-to-have but a critical workforce issue that can’t be ignored. For organisations that act now – embedding timely healthcare access into their benefits strategy – there are big advantages to set you apart from the competition. From positive impacts on retention and reputation to enhanced resilience, higher ROI, and reductions in both absence-related costs and insurance costs.

Our approach brings together financial protection through early intervention, proactive absence management, absence insurance, and embedded return-to-work support.

With over 40 years’ experience, we bring clarity, independence, and insight to every stage of your benefits journey, helping you broaden access in line with your strategic priorities over the short and medium term. It’s all about making sure your benefits deliver real impact and value for money to as many employees as possible.