AR
UR
Companies across the UAE are implementing relevant measures to ensure the provision of improved health and wellbeing benefits to employees in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a recent study conducted by Aetna International, companies are providing facilities to improve internal communication among their workforces along with other benefits. The study polled more than 1,000 employees across the UAE.
As per the results of the study, a majority of UAE employees (70 percent) expressed their support to the efforts ensured by their company in taking care of their health and wellbeing. About 46 percent affirmed the importance of health and well-being in their corporate culture.
Responding to queries related to their company’s progress on key health and wellbeing metrics during the 12-month period between September 2020 and August 2021, about 61 percent of UAE employees said their employer made significant efforts to meet the required needs of employees in their insurance plans.
Additional 77 percent said their employer implemented required actions to support employees in maintaining their overall mental health and wellbeing while at work. Employers also ensured access to appropriate mental health resources to their employees when needed. About 81 percent of those polled also noted that their management took the right steps to help them in preventing work-related stress and burnout.
At the same time, 85 percent reported that their companies ensured measures to help employees in dealing with pandemic and lockdown-related anxiety
“It is encouraging to see employers across the UAE fulfil their leadership roles and step up to the plate regarding employee health and wellness, particularly when it comes to mental health and pandemic induced stressors,” said David Healy, CEO EMEA, Aetna International.
He underlined that in previous research, employees had called on their employers to ensure more measures to support them in the post-Covid world. In the last research, 72 percent of UAE workers had expressed expectations from their companies to give more priority to mental healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic while 63 percent expected the same for physical health.
"Two-thirds said their employer should be spending more on health benefits — it appears employers in the UAE have answered these calls," he added.
However, the latest research has also underlined the need for more to be done by employers in terms of enhancing the access to benefits for employees.
About 22 percent said their employer did not share clear information on the accessibility of the benefits or support provided by the companies. When asked what they felt was missing from the support, better communication topped the list, with 43 percent of the respondents expressing the concern.
“Our research shows that employees know great progress has been made by organisations in meeting their health and well-being needs, but they need more clarity and consistency in the information delivered to them and, more importantly, a safe space where honest conversations about health and well-being are encouraged,” Healy added.
SOURCE: Arabian Business