Benefits worth their weight in gold amid recession : survey

The 12th edition of the sanofi-aventis Healthcare Survey of 2,090 health benefit plan members reveals that reducing the delivery of health benefits is likely to increase costs elsewhere in the organization as employees’ experience increased levels of stress and health issues.

Stressed
The survey suggests that while almost half (47%) of Canadian employees report their health as excellent or very good over the past year, the economic climate is clearly taking a toll on their stress levels, which has a significant impact on their productivity.

Almost one-third (31%) agree stress in their home or personal life made them physically ill in the past year while 38% report the same regarding workplace stress. More than one in four (28%) say they did not get much work done when experiencing stress, with one quarter having called in sick for a couple of days when feeling stressed.

Employers should take note that plan members who strongly agree their workplace stress has made them physically ill in the last year and have a workplace wellness program are more likely to use such programs (56% versus 35% overall).

The tough employment landscape has significantly increased the amount of attention paid to personal finances, with workers in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia bearing the brunt of layoffs.

“Today’s economic climate is a great opportunity for employers to assist in mitigating stress among its employees,” says Jacques L’Espérance, president of J. L’Espérance Actuariat Conseil. “Given the impact of stress on productivity and health, employers need to specifically and comprehensively address this issue from all angles, including wellness programming, help with counselling, fair workloads, support and communication.”

Value
In the midst of a brutal recession, a majority (52%) of respondents still prefer their health benefit plan over $15,000 cash. When asked which part of the health benefit plan they found most valuable, 64% say day-to-day health coverage for themselves and their families.

Employees also recognize the role they play in keeping healthcare costs down, according the survey. Nearly six in 10 (57%) of respondents strongly or somewhat agree they have an obligation to help their employer control the plan cost.

“People are at the heart of an organization’s success—a weak economy doesn’t change this,” says Chris Bonnett, president of Toronto-based H3 Consulting / businesshealth. “Even if some companies must cut staff to survive, they must also look after those who remain. Employees need peace of mind, and the survey demonstrates health benefit plan provides an important level of security.”

Access a concern
There is concern amongst plan members regarding access to healthcare and treatment, including physician visits, diagnostics, medication and urgent care. Respondents who say they are in poor or very poor health are more likely to find access lacking (31% say it is poor or very poor versus 23% overall), relative to those in good health (27%), very good health (19%) or excellent health (16%). In Quebec, only 18% of respondents rated access to healthcare services as excellent or very good, with 35% in that province rating access as poor or very poor.

A majority of respondents (57%) indicate they have had difficulty accessing prescription medications due to at least one of a number of different scenarios presented, including 8% of respondents who did not buy a prescribed drug because it was not covered by their health benefit plan. For families whose household incomes are below $30,000, 18% did not buy a prescribed drug because it wasn’t covered.

“Employers have an opportunity to protect their interest by helping address gaps in access to care and treatment, and supporting employees with a faster and safe return to work and productivity,” says Bonnett.

ROI
There are tangible returns from a well-run healthcare program, notes the survey. Companies that offer health promotion programs are significantly more likely to have their health benefit plans rated as excellent or very good (65% vs. 54%), have employees who are more satisfied with their jobs (82% vs. 77%) and have employees who feel an obligation to help control benefit costs (66% vs. 57%).

However, engagement can be an issue, as only 35% of respondents with access to workplace wellness programs say they use the programs, either definitely (11%) or kind of (24%). Plan members said they would be more likely to change their health behaviour if their employer subsidized a gym membership (62%), provide small incentives (61%), offered healthy food choices (56%) or more flexible hours (55%), time at lunch or breaks for fitness activity (51%).

“The take away here is that employers need to realize that just offering the wellness program is only a small part of the equation,” says Bonnett. “They must be very strategic about ensuring program elements are relevant to and of interest to employees, and offering incentives to employees to engage in these healthier behaviours is critical—especially during challenging economic times.”

To view the survey in its entirety, visit the sanofi-aventis website.

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