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Global Employer Insights Survey: Health and Wellbeing

What’s the biggest challenge to health and wellbeing programme success in APAC?

Employers in the APAC region said effective health and wellbeing (H&W) programme promotion and motivating employees to participate are among their current challenges. Find out what else we learned when Optum surveyed 347 global employers.

For each of your H&W programmes, what percentage of your workforce participates?

After some decreases in 2021, APAC employers report a trend toward increasing employee participation across all programmes.

Graph showing employee participation rates in 4 types of H&W programmes over 3 years.  Graph showing employee participation rates in 4 types of H&W programmes over 3 years.

Participation rates are trending up in APAC, but they still fall short of 2020 levels for many programmes.

Graph showing employee participation rates in 4 types of H&W programmes over 3 years.  Graph showing employee participation rates in 4 types of H&W programmes over 3 years.

What percentage of your employees telecommuted before the COVID-19 pandemic compared to now?

Employers report over half of employees continue to telecommute at least part of the time. Internal meetings and onsite health fairs — normally popular communication channels — may fail to reach most workers.

Graph showing current employee telecommuting rates in 2022 compared to before COVID-19.  Graph showing current employee telecommuting rates in 2022 compared to before COVID-19.
The biggest challenge is raising participation rates among staff.

— Employer in Singapore

How does your company promote its H&W programmes to employees?

APAC employers said the 5 leading ways to promote H&W programmes in their region in 2022 were: email, internal meetings, webinars/training, web banners on company intranet, and onsite health fairs.

Graph showing H&W programmes by region in 2022. Graph showing H&W programmes by region in 2022.

In 2022, employers in the APAC region also used newsletters, posters/flyers, word of mouth, home mailers and wallet cards to promote their H&W programmes.

Graph showing H&W programmes by region in 2022. Graph showing H&W programmes by region in 2022.
My company’s greatest challenge is accumulating people at the right time for programmes as the employees are continuing to work from home.

— Employer in India

How effective is your H&W promotion strategy in reaching employees across environments?

Optum can help. We’re on a mission to create a healthier world. At Optum, we understand that corporate success starts with a healthy workforce. Our integrated health solutions, including our global Employee Assistance Programme, help advance your health and wellbeing strategy to build a culture of health within your organisation.

Learn more at optum.com/globalemployers.

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Health and wellbeing now a top priority, say employers

Optum surveyed 347 global employers and found employee health and wellbeing (H&W) is a top priority — and it’s increasing in importance over time.

Survey methodology

  • 347 international employers located in APAC, EMEA or LATAM regions
  • Global companies with 3,000+ employees
  • Decision-makers in human resources, executive, management or administrative roles
  • Surveys administered online from 7 April to 5 May 2022