Do remote workers and office-based staff need different health insurance options?

If your business offers hybrid or remote working, you're not alone. Statistics show that 28% of working adults in the UK have adopted hybrid working. The number of hybrid and remote workers has dropped since the pandemic, but remains higher than previous levels, with 13% of employees being fully remote by the end of 2022.

If your business has remote workers or offers flexible working hours or location as part of your employee benefits package, you likely began by assessing whether a hybrid or remote workforce could meet existing business needs.

You're likely already familiar with the health risks associated with office-based work. However, considering the health benefits and risks remote workers face helps you when crafting remote employee benefits. Let's look at how remote work can benefit employees.

Increased physical activity

ONS research suggests that remote workers saved around 56 minutes per day due to the lack of a daily commute, using an average of 15 minutes to participate in sport and other physical exercise. Regular physical activity has numerous health benefits, including more energy, improved mood and a lower risk of numerous serious illnesses such as diabetes and cancer.

More sleep

The ONS' research suggested that remote workers spent some of the time they saved on commuting to get more rest. Good quality sleep has positive benefits for physical and mental health. It can also improve concentration and focus, meaning a well-rested employee will likely benefit your business.

Better work-life balance

As we've mentioned, remote workers can use their home working days to get more rest or engage in physical activity. However, it can also help them create a better work-life balance. Working parents are more likely to request hybrid working than workers without children. Remote workers with children can often achieve a better work-life balance by working flexibly around the school run or during holidays.

Of course, remote workers can also improve their work-life balance by adjusting their working hours to suit their interests outside work or physical and mental health needs.

A remote workforce can experience health benefits, but there are potential pitfalls. It's wise to consider the health challenges remote workers may experience to create suitable health and safety policies and create health insurance benefits.

Mental health challenges

Remote employees can face social isolation, especially if they work at home full-time. In a Nuffield Health survey, 80% of remote employees felt that home working damaged their mental health. The lack of informal interaction with their colleagues is a particular issue. Informal virtual coffee breaks can help by giving remote employees time to chat. If an employee needs mental health support, these conversations can also allow managers to spot the signs.

Extended working hours

Remote employees can feel pressure to prove their productivity and may therefore work longer hours or respond to messages outside regular office hours. The boundaries between home and work can blur, with work impinging on relaxation time and increasing stress levels.

Long hours at a screen can also cause eye strain.

Less movement

While a daily commute can be stressful, it offers opportunities for movement if staff walk, cycle or use public transport. While more time at home can give remote employees time to exercise, it can also have the opposite effect.

Remote employees may be at higher risk of a sedentary lifestyle, as some report increased food or alcohol consumption during remote work.

Unsuitable workstations

Office-based work lets managers and specialist staff assess each employee's workstation and tailor it to their requirements if necessary. By contrast, while remote workers may have a dedicated home office, they may lack the skills to assess their workstation and request suitable health and safety equipment, such as an ergonomic chair. Consider helping remote employees maintain safe working practices by providing training and education on workstation assessment.

Irregular mealtimes

In an office, the company culture and work schedule typically influence when employees take breaks. There may also be contract terms setting out when employees can take lunch. However, at home, an employee can set their working hours and stop to eat whenever they like, as long as they complete their tasks and are present for online meetings. Irregular hours can result in irregular mealtimes or a series of snacks in place of a balanced meal. Encouraging remote workers to eat regularly and aim for a balanced diet is great for their health and productivity.

Eating nutritious food regularly is great for employees' overall health, mood and concentration. Research also suggests that the timing of our meals can promote quality sleep and help to prevent obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.

Office-based work can support healthy lifestyles in various ways, and many employees thrive while working in the same location full-time. The important thing is to tailor your approach to suit each employee's needs. Here are some of the health benefits office-based work can provide.

Social interaction

We're social animals, so social interaction is essential to our well-being and can provide valuable mental health support. It can be easier for managers and staff to identify the signs of poor mental health and offer peer-to-peer or external support.

There are also business benefits as time together supports collaborative team-working on key projects.

Access to health and safety advice

All employees should be able to access health and safety guidance wherever they work, but this can be easier for office-based staff. For example, suppose they're experiencing back pain or eye strain in the office. In that case, trained occupational health or health and safety staff can easily visit their workstation for an assessment and recommend appropriate adjustments. This is much less straightforward for remote employees.

A defined routine

A regular daily routine can support healthy habits, helping employees link regular exercise or healthy eating to their usual activities. It can also promote good mental health and reduce overwhelm, as employees have a clear structure to their day. Remote workers can also create routines, but may need support to do so.

Office-based work has its advantages, but let's consider some of the downsides.

Increased stress

Workplace stress can arise for various reasons. Staff may find themselves working longer hours due to heavy workloads or their office culture, particularly if managers frequently work late. Alternatively, employees may commit to leaving work on time to maintain a good work-life balance, but experience stress through failing to take regular breaks to complete their work on time.

Other stress factors can include interruptions or distractions due to noisy colleagues.

A poorly designed office environment

The office environment can cause stress if employees struggle to find quiet spaces to concentrate. Employers should tailor individual workstations to employees' needs, for example, with ergonomic chairs or standing desks, to create a comfortable and efficient workspace. It's also important to consider air quality and light sources to prevent eye strain or respiratory health conditions.

Limited access to healthy food

City centre offices can provide access to a range of lunchtime food options, some healthier than others. However, this isn't always the case. If your team heads out to buy lunch each day and can only find high-fat or sugary takeaways, this can negatively impact their health.

Providing employees with healthy snacks can help them maintain their energy levels throughout the day without overdoing sugary or fatty snacks. If you have an office canteen, you can also offer healthy meals. It's also a good idea to provide safe, clean food storage and a break room to encourage employees to bring in healthy food and take regular breaks.

Office-based and remote employees can face different practical challenges, but there's considerable overlap between the health issues that can arise from each working environment.

Sedentary work

Office-based and remote employees often spend most of their day sitting down, particularly when they have a lot of work to complete. Sedentary work can cause musculoskeletal issues and obesity, leading to health issues such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

While the health risks are similar, it's wise to take a different approach for each group of employees. Office-based workers can benefit from a culture that encourages and normalises regular breaks and movement during the day, while education can empower remote employees to avoid long periods of sitting.

Stress and mental health challenges

Long working hours and heavy workloads can cause workplace stress and burnout, or exacerbate existing mental health conditions in any employee. It can be challenging for managers to identify the symptoms of poor mental health in remote employees. Still, training can help them provide robust mental health support tailored to an employee's needs.

Office-based staff can work overtime, but there's usually a cut-off point when the building closes. This isn't the case for remote employees who can end up working late into the evening and struggling to switch off and sleep well due to blurred boundaries between work and personal time. Remote employees are also at increased risk of social isolation.

Eye strain

We've already mentioned some of the health risks associated with long hours and poor quality workstations, so here's another. Employees using display screen equipment can experience eye strain due to prolonged use or glare from poorly positioned screens.

Creating a productive remote work environment can involve using technology to establish robust communication channels, which can put remote employees at greater risk of eye strain. For example, a meeting can serve as a screen break in a traditional office setting, but not when the meeting takes place over Zoom or Teams.

Healthy eating

Healthy eating can be a challenge for office-based and remote employees for different reasons. Office-based workers may struggle to find healthy options in local shops and restaurants, or be reluctant to stay in the office during their lunch hour due to limited break room facilities. Remote employees may face temptation when their fridge is just a few feet away, leading to irregular, unhealthy snacking.

Education on healthy eating habits can benefit all employees, while food storage and break rooms can help office-based staff get away from their desks.

Employee health insurance providers offer group health insurance policies that provide health benefits to all staff. Group health insurance includes core coverage, and you can provide a more comprehensive health insurance plan by adding optional extras. When you include health insurance in your employee benefits, your team can access private medical treatment and various other services, including 24/7 virtual GP appointments and health helplines.

As we've seen, there are many similarities in the health issues affecting office-based and remote employees, but each group will benefit from different practical support. It's a good idea to invest in a comprehensive group health insurance policy so that employees can access the proper support for their needs. We also recommend taking a holistic approach to your employee benefits, providing health insurance as part of a range of benefits.

Let's consider how health insurance can help with different health issues.

Treatment for musculoskeletal conditions

Musculoskeletal conditions can affect anyone who spends their day sitting at a desk. Core health insurance coverage typically includes 8-10 physiotherapy sessions per year and in-patient treatment, with some providers offering limited out-patient treatment in their core policies. You can also extend your coverage to include more out-patient treatment. Some providers also have specialised musculoskeletal treatment options offering access to physiotherapy and specialist advice without a GP referral.

Mental health support

Your chosen mental health coverage can give your employees access to various forms of treatment and self-help resources. You can choose from a variety of health insurance coverage options, enabling your employees to select the treatment that best meets their needs.

Here are a few options that you can expect to see with a group health insurance policy.

Counselling and CBT

All health insurance providers include counselling and CBT treatment sessions as part of their core coverage. Employees can usually access 8-10 sessions per year, which is likely adequate for short-term challenges but may not be sufficient for long-term mental health conditions.

Extended coverage

Extended mental health coverage provides more counselling sessions and a broader range of treatment options. These include out-patient treatment with a consultant psychiatrist, psychologist and various specialist mental health professionals, and in-patient treatment in a hospital if needed.

Employee Assistance Programs

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) provide counselling and CBT sessions along similar lines to the core coverage provided with your group health insurance policy. Most EAPs also offer telephone helplines for legal and financial guidance, providing additional support for employees facing stressful situations. EAPs are typically available as an optional extra with health insurance or as a standalone service.

Optical care

Employers must provide employees using display screen equipment with eye tests and glasses if needed for work. Optical care is available as an optional extra on health insurance and can be a cost-effective way to fund eye tests, glasses and contact lenses for any employees that need them. Screen use is a risk factor for eye strain, but reading, writing and driving can all result in dry or tired eyes, particularly in low light. Adding optical care to your policy can encourage all staff to book a test and look after their eye health.

Self-help resources

You can create a library of self-help resources for employees, including health and well-being articles from reliable sources such as the NHS. However, most health insurance companies have an online library of articles and resources that you can share with staff, whether you have an office-based or remote workforce, and supplement with other information if necessary. These resources can be helpful when preparing health education and training sessions.

Your health insurance provider's member discount scheme can also offer an easy way to promote healthy living and include employee discounts in your employee benefits package. Schemes often include discounted well-being services like gym memberships, fitness tracking technology and mental health apps.

Support with workplace wellness programmes and initiatives

Employee health insurance often includes health assessments, which can provide you with anonymised data to assess health issues affecting your workforce. Using this information, you can design workplace health initiatives for remote employees, office-based staff, or both. Depending on your chosen policy, you can also access support to help you develop initiatives and tailor them to your team.

Health insurance can help you provide employees with a range of treatments, guidance and resources to support their health, whether they work remotely or in the office. At Globacare, we help our clients identify the best health insurance policies for their needs. Contact us for tailored advice.