UK employees want flexible working models

flexible working

Employees across the UK are placing greater importance on flexible working lives and increased health and well-being support from employers, according to new research conducted by health service company Cigna Europe

More than 1,000 Brits took part in the Cigna 360 Well-Being Survey: The State of Work research which reveals that 70 per cent of people who worked in an office pre-pandemic want flexible home working (WFH) options – while over a third (36 per cent) are looking for flexible hours and working location when considering issues important to their overall Whole Health.

However, the research also highlights the pitfalls to hybrid working, with 31 per cent of respondents indicating they are working longer hours when working from home, primarily because they no longer commute and have a lack of routine.

With a continued spotlight on health and well-being, results underline this and highlight the shift in the number of employees looking for enhanced health insurance cover (39 per cent) and a policy that allows virtual health consultations (35 per cent).

Rethinking what normal is

In response to these evolving employee needs, Cigna Europe has launched its Say No to the New Normal campaign, which encourages people to rethink what normal really is in a changed world. As people adapt to the new ways of working and realities of a life where boundaries are unclear, there are new stressors and concerns emerging. However, the stress people are facing is not normal and shouldn’t be accepted as such, prompting Cigna to develop a range of products to help support people, including the world’s first AI tool, Cigna StressWaves Test, that calculates how stressed a person is by the sound of their voice.

Arjan Toor, CEO at Cigna Europe, commented: “It’s clear from our research that there is real demand from employees for more positive, flexible working options and that this corporate culture is becoming a more influential aspect of the workplace. The new data Cigna has captured reinforces the requirement of hybrid working models in a post-Covid world as organisations reimagine the workplace and the future of work.”

Meanwhile, two thirds of SMEs say offering health and wellbeing benefits to their workforce boosts productivity, according to Cigna.