Survey: 82% of companies increased their health spending during the pandemic

09/03/2021

Already 41% of decision-makers in companies in Poland believe that in the future promoting physical activity will be the key to support their employees’ health. According to the managers, the greatest benefit of offering pro-health benefits is the increase in employee satisfaction (56%). The positive impact of this type of benefits on the efficiency of the organisation is also noticeable (40%).

Due to the pandemic, for many companies last year was an extremely difficult test of caring for the wellbeing of their employees, including taking responsibility for their health, physical and mental condition as well as appropriate working conditions. According to the latest report prepared as part of the Health Capital Project, one in four employees in the country believe that benefits supporting physical activity will be crucial for them in the future.

Preventive benefits – a must-have for every employer
Prevention comes to the fore – as many as 44% of employees declare that non-financial benefits supporting health prevention, which also include regular physical activity, will be of greatest importance to them in the future. Benefits supporting employees’ psyche come second (43%). The needs of Polish residents related to their mental condition are also confirmed by the latest Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) data. In 2020, doctors issued a record, over half a million sick leaves due to a severe reaction to stress and adaptation disorders while depressive episodes resulted in over 5 million days of sickness absenteeism among Poles. Furthermore, over 7 million people in Poland recently admitted that the current working conditions negatively affect their mental wellbeing – one in four people indicated too much time pressure or excessive workload. Another 10 million employees pay attention to the ergonomics of the workplace itself, indicating that an incorrect body position adversely affects their physical health.

Physical activity supports psychophysical health and reduces the effects of home offic e
The latest MultiSport Index 2020 survey shows that regular exercise reduces the negative effects of remote work – as many as 42% of exercising employees indicate that they do not feel any negative consequences of the home office. In the case of physically inactive people such a declaration is made only by 29% (-13%).

– Systematically and consciously undertaken physical activity improves not only the condition and endurance of the body but also strengthens physical and mental resistance. Regular trainings also have a real impact on the quality of professional duties – 79% of Poles who exercise indicate that sport improves their wellbeing and efficiency at work . Supporting employees’ health and the return on this investment turn out to be easily measurable in companies. For this reason, during the pandemic more and more management representatives decided to increase corporate spending on investments in employee health – in the Health Capital survey this was declared by 82% of them – says Dr. Adam Waszkowski, Analysis Director at Benefit Systems, Health Capital Project Expert.

CEOs see potential in promoting activity
Already 41% of decision-makers in companies in Poland believe that in the future promoting physical activity will be the key to support their employees’ health, same as building their physical (39%) and mental (42%) resilience. According to people managing companies, it is the increase in employee satisfaction (56%) that is currently the greatest benefit resulting from offering benefits in their organisations. The following places are occupied by image-related benefits (44%) as well as increased efficiency of the entire company (40%) and of individual teams (36%). One in ten decision-makers providing pro-health benefits, including those supporting physical activity, e.g.: sports cards, notice a long-term improvement in the health of employees (9%).