HR Outlook 2025: towards an optimum welfare policy for your business

Welfare

On average, employers rate their workplace welfare policy at 7.3 out of 10. Employees on the other hand sometimes take a very different view, with 6 out of 10 workers believing their employer is not always particularly concerned about their mental health. Nonetheless, a lot of businesses do put in place a variety of actions specifically aimed at improving welfare in the workplace.

The numbers do not lie: currently, our country has more than half a million long-term sick people staying at home. Which means a lot of productivity is wasted every year. To get this right as a business, it is best to put in place a proper welfare policy. What are the opportunities and action points for you as an employer? Here are the two main opportunities.

Opportunity 1: tailored reintegration after (long-term) absence from work

Our Mirror survey shows that as many as 80.2% of employees find being offered a path to return to work very useful. This can be gradual (progressive work resumption), with employees gradually resuming work in sync with the pace of their recovery, rather than waiting until someone has fully recovered. This is a low-threshold option for small and large(er) businesses alike. Adjusting duties and/or working hours in consideration of the employee is found to be the best way to ensure smooth reintegration. The sheer fact of going out to work is often part of people’s recovery process.

Opportunity 2: happier at work for longer through sustainable careers

If we are all meant to stay in work for longer, businesses will need to invest in sustainable career paths that focus on health and continuous development, personal fulfilment and growth. Moreover, it makes sense to reflect on the changes coming at the organisation early on and to consider ways to prepare your employees for these changes.

Scrutinise your employees’ ABC

According to figures from our absence barometer, workers spent an average of 20 working days away from work due to illness in 2023. So reducing absenteeism is crucial. However, there is no general recipe to tackle this that works for all businesses. Employers struggling with higher absenteeism would do well to look into whether their employees:

• Have sufficient autonomy;
• Feel involved and engaged;
• Feel competent to do their their job.

It is also important to conduct this analysis not only at individual worker level, but also at various levels within the organisation such as teams, leaders and the wider organisation. This approach sees you generate deeper insights into how these factors contribute to worker performance and overall satisfaction and productivity at every level within the organisation.

Opportunity 3: concrete actions to further welfare at work

• Put in place meaningful arrangements, e.g. around follow-up during the holidays, availability and accessibility, etc.
• Implement flexible working conditions on working hours and holiday arrangements;
• Set up a clear sickness and reintegration policy;
• Create an open feedback culture.