Health beyond benefits - WPA event

Chris, to begin, considered the scale of the challenges facing both society and employers from ill-health worklessness. However, he also recognised that, with the government's 'Keep Britain Working Review' into future workplace health provision expected to report this autumn, change may yet be afoot.

While being economically inactive does encompass students and those with caring responsibilities, its two main drivers are sickness and ill health, Chris emphasised. In fact, of the 8.5 million total, some 2.8 million are out of work because of long-term sickness.

More than a third of these (38%) have multiple health conditions, with this figure having risen by 400,000 since the end of the pandemic. Worryingly, this 'Covid lag' also seems to be a particularly British problem.

"Our working population is not in great health either; 4.1 million people currently work with a health condition that limits their ability to work," he added. While, perhaps unsurprisingly, a lot of these are older workers, there are growing concerns about the rising number of younger employees also reporting health issues.

"Health issues in the young population are rising fast. There is a lot of mental health and social anxiety, but we are also seeing a lot of musculoskeletal issues in young people," said Chris, with both absence and presenteeism becoming real headaches for many employers.

The government has recognised that the pressure all this is putting on society, our economy, the health service and our benefits system is unsustainable, he highlighted, hence the Keep Britain Working Review under ex-John Lewis boss, Sir Charlie Mayfield. "What we really need to think about is early, holistic case management; we get to people far too late. If you wait six weeks when somebody is economically inactive or on sickness, probably the chance of that person coming back to work is very low. So, we need to be there earlier," he added.

Chris highlighted the example of Jaguar Land Rover, where employees who go off sick are triaged after just one week to see how they can be best supported back into the workplace. "What we do know is that, when you get this right, you really can make a difference. But this is also a moment for reflection of what the role of insurance is in this sector. And also, what the value-added is in terms of some of the offers that we are putting out there" Chris concluded.

Psychologist Julie Denning then addressed in more detail the challenges, and opportunities, Gen Z are bringing to the workplace in terms of health and wellbeing, especially mental health.

What we're really noticing is the younger generation, they aren't happy. They aren't satisfied. They're struggling. They're finding life hard. They've not got that hope, that optimistic bias. It is across the world, in 82 countries. And it is not about the pandemic; this problem was occurring way before then," she said.

"The other thing to say is that it is most prevalent in young women. We need to understand, get under the bonnet and think about what these people are experiencing," Julie added.

There were a range of factors possibly at play here, she suggested. The fact, first, that this is the 'iGen' generation, or first truly digitally native generation. "This generation has never known life without a smartphone, or tech generally; this generation functions very differently," Julie said.

"It is where they get information from, how they connect with their friends, how they understand and learn about the world; it is part of them, and they are the first generation like that. So, we have to be thinking about that, especially in terms of happiness."

As a generation, Gen Z is results rather than time-focused, she also highlighted. For example, if a job can be done in four hours they may then question why they have to be at a desk for eight. "They think in a different way, in terms of being very individualistic, which is not the same as egocentric," said Julie.

"They believe that everybody is an individual and is able to do, think and be who they want to be. When they are in the workplace, they will expect to be able to talk to the CEO as they would talk to their peers. That sense of hierarchy has shifted. It's not because they're disrespectful, it's that sense of 'well my opinion is just as valuable'.

"They are very comfortable talking about mental health; that doesn't mean there is a greater prevalence because people are talking about it. It is that they are comfortable describing, talking about, and experiencing their emotions," she said.

There can also often be something of a 'safety mindset', so preferring to stay at home when unwell rather than struggling into the office or not drinking as much as previous generations.

There has been much written, too, about this generation's understandable advocacy around climate change and for employers to reflect their values. Over-arching all this, however - and worrying from the health and wellbeing perspective - is that this generation is broadly pessimistic, insecure and doubtful. "There is a lot of sadness there and a lot of worry. So, from an employer perspective and improving productivity, I think employers are going to have to think about working very differently," Julie said.

This in turn, Julie argued in conclusion, is posing real challenges for employers in terms of investment in, and delivery of, health and wellbeing benefits.

"We're seeing lots of wellbeing initiatives out there, but they aren't moving the dial on this generational problem. They are not hitting the mark, which to me is saying they haven't really understood their target group and what they need," she said.