How employers can keep workers happy as coronavirus makes healthcare a higher priority

How employers can keep workers happy as coronavirus makes healthcare a higher priority

As with all great crises, the coronavirus has been a teacher. It has caused all of us to re-evaluate our lives, routines and goals. Governments are thinking about emergency-preparedness strategies as never before. Private enterprises are thinking about business continuity as never before. And individuals are thinking about their health as never before. According to a recent study by Aetna International, 81 percent of UAE workers rate their mental health as more important to them now than ever and 88 percent believe this of their physical health.

Consequently, employees are now more heavily scrutinizing their health benefits and are looking at employers to respond with more comprehensive plans. Seventy-two percent of UAE workers expect employers to prioritize mental healthcare more in the age of Covid-10, while 63 percent expect this regarding physical health. Some 76 percent agreed that comprehensive health insurance has never been more important, and two-thirds said their employer should be spending more on health benefits.

There are signs that UAE employers are rising to the challenge. Two thirds of UAE-based human resource professionals have observed the expectation from the workforce that organizations need to take more responsibility for employee health and wellbeing outside of working hours.

New survey reveals the