‘UAE businesses need to rethink priorities on healthcare benefits to cater to evolving hybrid workforce’

Research conducted in September 2020 and surveyed more than 1,000 employees in the UAE found that the health concerns of remote workers differed greatly from those of their office-based colleagues at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic continues to force national enterprises to become creative in the workplace.

And as global media reports start to address the emergence of possible vaccines, the study found that two out of three UAE workers favour a return to office, with the rest preferring to work from home when the crisis has come to an end.

The survey showed significant differences between health concerns and the stress faced by both groups. Almost half (44%) of current remote workers cited weight gain as a major concern, followed closely by mental health issues (40%) and stress (35%). In addition, more than one-third (34%) of the home-based staff were concerned about how their sedentary conditions could lead to bone, muscle and joint problems. Some 29% expressed concern about tiredness or lack of sleep.

But it was clear to those working in the office that their main anxiety lies in the contraction of coronavirus. Some 46% raised it as a major concern, compared to only 13%of those working at home. And another 27% of office-based staff said they were troubled by the prospect of flu and other seasonal diseases.

Common stress was the second biggest concern of office-based employees, with a 41% increase. The fact that this is close to the percentage of remote workers who have identified stress as a health issue suggests that concerns about the condition do not depend on where the worker is based. And while mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, have been cited by considerably fewer (23%) office-based respondents than by their remote colleagues, it is clear that employers should be looking for ways to extend or provide mental health support as a standard benefit in the future.

“This has been an extremely challenging year for people everywhere, regardless of geography, industry or job title,” said David Healy, CEO EMEA at Aetna International. “Our study is telling us that whether employees are based at home or in the office, they are understandably worried about their mental health. While COVID-19 has already posed significant challenges, it will leave in its wake ongoing health concerns — mental health is one of these, and we must acknowledge it. Provisions for the proper care of conditions such as depression, anxiety and stress must be our primary focus moving forward.”

The survey also showed that employees’ expectations for their health and well-being have shifted from pre-crisis. More than 80% agree that health issues are more important to them now than they had ever heard of COVID-19 and expect their employers to recognise health care as a matter of urgency.

Some 81% say that their mental health is more important to them than ever before, and 88% believe in their physical health. And 72% expect employers to prioritise mental health care more in the age of COVID, while 63% expect that in terms of physical health. When asked directly whether comprehensive health insurance is more important now than before the pandemic occurred, 76% said “yes”, and 66% said that their employer should spend more on health benefits.

“The time for a one-size-fits-all approach to providing healthcare for employees is much behind us. Health and well-being benefits and insurance plans need to be more holistic and concentrate on safeguarding people’s health and well-being in addition to the treatment of illness. Mental health support, nutrition guidance and access to telehealth services, all will need to be standard for everybody, where they often were not before,” Healy added. “There’s obviously a need for UAE businesses to explore ways they can better accommodate the varied health concerns of employees in the new hybrid and flexible workplace.”