Marvin OnumonuPrivate medical insurance topped the list of most wanted employee benefits, new research from Epassi UK found.
25% of employees picked private medical insurance as the single most important benefit, but only four in 10 (43%) employers offered it.
Only 16% of employees believed this benefit was available to them, showing a need for clearer communication from employers.
Other key benefits employees wanted included increased pension contributions (24%) and hybrid working (22%).
Employers were most likely to offer hybrid working (57%), maternity or paternity support (45%), private medical insurance (43%), workplace savings schemes (40%) and company cars (39%).
There was also demand for more health and wellbeing support, with only 23% of employees saying their employer cared about their wellbeing and 19% calling for more health and wellbeing benefits.
86% of HR leaders thought private medical insurance was now a necessity in the workplace.
Six in 10 (56%) employees said that access to health and wellness benefits at work improved their physical and mental health.
Matt Russell, CEO at Epassi UK and Zest, said: “Demand for private healthcare insurance continues to rise and employers need to ensure they’re investing in the right benefits to offer the support their workforce is calling for.
“However, there are other challenges too – many employees remain unaware of the benefits they are eligible for and in too many cases are missing out on perks they could be utilising.
“Employers need to improve communication to clearly explain the benefits on offer as well as boost engagement to ensure that they and their employees are getting value for money.”
Russell added: “Without regular and effective communication, employers cannot fully understand the support their workforce is calling for and employees can’t personalise their reward packages to meet their demands.”
