New research from Canada Life reveals1 most micro, small and medium-sized (SME) employers are providing their employees with one or more employee benefit or service to support their employees’ wellbeing.
However, some of the benefit services that get strong positive feedback for reducing workplace absence and supporting worker health and wellbeing in fact have low take-up among SME employers.
A sample of 550 HR decision-makers at SMEs – companies with 1 to 249 employees – were surveyed to understand their attitudes towards insurance-based employee benefits for managing worker wellbeing.
More than eight out of 10 (82%) SMEs said they provide access to one or more of the following insurance-based health and wellbeing employee benefits. The services they provide are:
|
Employee benefit provided to manage sickness absence/health and wellbeing |
% of SMEs who offer access |
% of SMEs who agree it is effective |
|
Virtual mental health counselling and online self-help stress management tools |
28% |
90% |
|
Private medical insurance |
27% |
92% |
|
Annual health checks |
26% |
88% |
|
Employee assistance programmes (for confidential counselling and support services) |
21% |
88% |
|
Group critical illness (GCI) insurance |
20% |
88% |
|
Occupational health service |
16% |
90% |
|
Group income protection (GIP) insurance |
14% |
88% |
|
Phone and video GP appointments |
12% |
92% |
|
Online nutrition and fitness programmes |
10% |
96% |
However, this order of benefits differs when SMEs are asked if they agree the services they offer are effective for supporting employee health.
Almost all SMEs (96%) who provide access to online fitness and nutrition programmes agree they are effective at reducing workplace absence and supporting employee health and wellbeing, followed by phone and video GP appointments (92%) and private medical insurance (92%).
Nine in 10 (90%) SMEs agree virtual mental health counselling or self-help online stress management tools make a difference too, as do occupational health services (90%), while 88% agree group critical illness and group income protection plans are valuable when employees face ill-health.
Group protection offerings such as group life, group critical illness and group income protection provide financial security that could one day be valuable to an employee’s family and help with family wellbeing today. Canada Life’s workplace protection insurance comes with preventative healthcare support services that are rated by employers as effective for managing health – at no extra cost – through its integrated WeCare service, to deliver a positive impact on the whole family’s day-to-day wellbeing2.
Commenting on the research findings, Chris Morgan, Head of Proposition & Product Strategy, Protection, at Canada Life, said:
“Small businesses depend on a healthy workforce - when employees are unwell, the impact on productivity can be significant. It’s encouraging to see some SMEs are investing in health and wellbeing benefits, but it’s vital they regularly assess whether these benefits are effectively supporting their employee’s health and workforce productivity.
“As a group protection provider, we support conversations between employers and their employee benefits advisers about solutions that help people stay in work. We work with them to analyse WeCare’s usage data and consider employee experiences and feedback, to demonstrate how integrated services deliver measurable improvements for both business performance and employee wellbeing.”
-ENDS-
Notes to editors
- Research conducted by Opinium, March 2025. Sample survey 550 HR decision-makers at companies with 1 to 249 employees.
- WeCare is a virtual telehealth service provided by Canada Life and delivered by global telehealth provider Teladoc Health. This non-contractual benefit can be changed or withdrawn at any time.
Enquiries:
Press enquiries should be directed to:
Julie Hughes-Edwards, Canada Life +44 7803 249343, julie.hughes-edwards@canadalife.co.uk
About Canada Life:
Canada Life is part of a group of companies controlled by Great-West Lifeco Inc., a Canadian headquartered, international financial services holding company with interests in life insurance, health insurance, retirement and investment services, asset management and reinsurance businesses. Through its subsidiary companies, Great-West Lifeco operates in Canada, the United States, and Europe. Great-West Lifeco trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GWO and is a member of the Power Corporation group of companies.
Canada Life Limited began operations in the United Kingdom (UK) in 1903 and provides UK individuals and businesses with a range of retirement, investment, insurance and wealth solutions. Canada Life offers individual annuities, pension de-risking solutions, home finance, estate planning and investment options, and workplace protection products.
Canada Life Limited (no.973271) is registered in England and Wales, authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority, and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Stonehaven UK Limited (no.05487702), trading as Canada Life, is registered in England and Wales and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Canada Life International Limited (no.033178C) and CLI Institutional Limited (no.108017C) are Isle of Man registered companies authorised and regulated by the Isle of Man Financial Services Authority. Canada Life International Assurance (Ireland) DAC (no. 440141) and Canada Life International Assurance (Ireland) DAC are authorised and regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.
Canada Life Asset Management is the brand for investment management activities undertaken by Canada Life Asset Management Limited (no.3846821), Canada Life Limited and Canada Life European Real Estate Limited (no.03846823). Canada Life Asset Management Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Please note that while Canada Life Limited and Canada Life Asset Management Limited are regulated as stated above, property management and the provision of commercial mortgages are not regulated activities.