More than half of the UK workforce (51%) now want access to private healthcare via their workplace, as concerns intensify around the availability of NHS healthcare, a survey has suggested.
The data from recruiter Robert Half’s Salary Guide found access to dental insurance tops the list of asks, as access to NHS dentists causes nationwide concerns including a rise in cases of mouth cancer.
The recruiter surveyed 500 employers and 1,000 UK employees in finance, HR, operations and administration, marketing and tech departments, as well as similar cohorts in Europe.
The findings highlighted clear concerns from employees as the NHS continues to struggle, with growing demands for better healthcare benefits, including access to private healthcare. Private dental insurance was the most sought-after benefit, cited by 62% of the UK workers polled.
A further 57% of the UK employees surveyed said they were interested in having access to health and outpatient insurance, while more than a third (35%) said they would like access to mental health resources or employee assistance programmes.
The research also identified some intriguing emerging differences between UK workers and their European counterparts in terms of perceptions of private healthcare, despite the UK’s longstanding affection for free-at-delivery NHS healthcare.
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For example, the almost two-thirds of UK workers who want dental insurance is now higher than the 42% in Germany who indicate a similar desire.
Hospitalisation insurance is also particularly high in demand in the UK, with 59% of workers wanting this in 2024.
This is also now higher than among many within Europe. Just 48% of those polled in France and 46% in Germany indicated they would like access to this benefit.
Steve Sully, regional director at Robert Half, said of the findings: “The NHS issues and subsequent concerns around access to healthcare treatment is clearly playing on the minds of the UK workforce.
“This latest data shows a growing trend in people turning to their employers to provide private dental and healthcare benefits. Firms must be mindful of the perks and benefits that resonate with existing and future workers if they are to attract and retain the staff they need.
“We’ve seen a trend of pay increase demands over the last year due to a combination of the rising costs of living and worker shortages, but this isn’t a sustainable means of sourcing staff. Employers are needing to be more creative about benefits packages to compete for top talent and, as the workforce is clearly showing, private healthcare, alongside mental health support, are a priority.”
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