'Never more important' | Gen Z and millennials lead the way in wanting health benefits at work

Younger workers are leading the charge in asking for health cover from their employers, according to new research.

Health plan provider Simplyhealth has released data which shows that nearly eight in ten (78%) workers aged 18-34 say it is important to them that their employer provides health cover, with seven in ten (71%) claiming they’d worry about switching employers in case the other did not offer this benefit. Two-thirds (66%) of young workers say if they had health cover they would take less time off work because they could see a doctor sooner. The new research also found that three in ten (30%) businesses say job candidates now expect health cover. 

With 2.8 million people in the UK now away from work because of long-term sickness, ensuring that workplaces offer comprehensive health benefits is becoming critical, both for preventing people from becoming so sick they cannot work, and attracting - and retaining - staff.

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The new data found three in ten (30%) employers think communicating health cover benefits helped them attract new employees and retain their current workforce (29%).