With so many businesses going modern, it’s surprising how often they overlook the well-being of their employees. In fact, one survey shows that only 25% of employees in the United States felt like their organization cared for their well-being between 2010 and 2023.
Little do they know that neglecting their employees’ well-being isn’t only detrimental to their health and happiness but can also impact the overall business productivity and success.
Do you feel like you’ve been leaning too much on standard healthcare benefits, and your employee benefits package could benefit from an upgrade? If so, let’s dive in to find out why prioritizing employee well-being when choosing your employee benefits is worth it and how corporate health travel can help you do so.
Understanding corporate healthcare travel
Believe it or not, the concept of corporate healthcare travel has been around for quite some time now. However, it’s not as widely recognized due to businesses often not prioritizing their employees’ health, as well as the lack of resources that smaller companies might face.
So, corporate health travel involves offering your employees access to healthcare services that aren’t locally available. You can do this by enlisting the services of the best healthcare travel agencies or other firms that specialize in the field of medical travel.
However, it’s important to note that implementing corporate healthcare travel benefits doesn’t mean waiting for the worst to happen to send your employee abroad for medical treatment. It means prioritizing their well-being and providing access to healthcare services all year round.
Here’s an idea of what this access could include:
- Medical treatments. Whether it’s for surgery, injuries, or regular checkups, you’re making sure your employees get the right medical treatment, even when not available locally. This means you’ll be covering their travel and accommodation expenses.
- Wellness retreats. Why must healthcare services remind us of serious illnesses or injuries? You can encourage your employees to take a break from everyday life by attending wellness retreats, such as spa treatment or yoga instead.
- Mental health support. If there’s anything we’ve learned during these last few years, it’s that our mental health is invaluable. It’s the biggest contributor to your employees’ well-being. Consider providing access to therapists and psychologists, even outside your region, and both your business and employees are sure to benefit greatly.
Think about it. If you’re able to send your employees to travel for business, then you’re surely able to send them to travel for health. However, this concept does involve different factors you must consider, such as potential regulatory implications and employee privacy.
Corporate healthcare travel vs. standard healthcare benefits
You’re surely wondering why take a step toward corporate healthcare travel when you can always stick to standard healthcare benefits. After all, they both come with the advantage of healthcare insurance, so what’s so different? Well, it’s to ensure that you have your employees’ best interest at heart and are willing to go the extra mile when it comes to their medical needs.
While standard healthcare benefits provide access to essential medical services, corporate healthcare travel offers specialized treatments not available locally to make sure they get the best possible care. Simply put, it’s a gateway to a wide range of healthcare services.
Here’s what you must consider when weighing the options:
- Corporate healthcare travel offers more flexibility for employees to choose between different healthcare providers.
- Corporate healthcare travel offers access to more advanced healthcare services for the most effective healthcare possible.
- Corporate healthcare travel requires more planning than standard healthcare.
- Corporate healthcare travel comes with additional insurance provisions, such as transportation and accommodation costs.
- Corporate healthcare travel showcases your commitment to the well-being of your employees.
However, corporate healthcare travel is a matter of choice, whereas standard healthcare is often mandatory by law. It goes without saying that startups and small businesses will stick to what’s mandatory, as it requires fewer resources and less planning. But if you’re an already established business always looking for opportunities to improve, why not consider healthcare travel?
Why investing in employee well-being is worth it
Okay, we can all agree that investing in employee well-being is worth it from a moral standpoint, but the question is how it benefits your business. Let’s go over a few benefits you can expect.
Increased productivity
There’s no doubt about it – healthy and supported employees are more likely to be motivated and engaged in their work. Having a piece of mind that their health is valued cuts down on their stress, and in return, they’re less likely to get sick and more likely to perform at their best.
Business owners are often faced with the question of why their employees aren’t as productive as when they first started. They often fail to consider the impact of healthcare benefits.
Increased productivity is a natural outcome for employees who feel valued and supported in their workplace. Instead of worrying about their health, they can shift their focus to their work tasks. This not only benefits your employees but also leads to a more successful business.
Reduced absenteeism
In today’s fast-paced world, employees are often faced with burnout due to high work demands and stress. This is one of the reasons why there’s absenteeism in your workplace. It occurs when employees feel overwhelmed and are neglected in the right to manage their well-being. While employing an employee shift clock system can aid in resolving the issue of overworked employees there are a few other steps you can take to reduce absenteeism.
By investing in proper healthcare services and encouraging them to attend wellness retreats, you’re making sure that doesn’t happen. You’re giving them a chance to recharge their batteries and attain a better work-life balance, which greatly reduces absenteeism.
Increased employee retention
Businesses often find it hard to retain employees, as they focus more on attracting them rather than keeping them engaged. Well, offering the benefit of healthcare travel in the employee benefits package can help you do this. Instead of looking for ways to succeed in today’s competitive market, you can try searching for success within your organization.
Here’s what you’ll be guaranteed to achieve:
- More satisfied employees. Employees who feel supported in their healthcare needs are more likely to be satisfied with their work and less likely to seek business opportunities elsewhere. Yes, it’s that simple.
- Reduced employee stress. Satisfied employees are also less likely to experience work-related stress, which greatly increases employee retention.
Regardless of what many might say, it’s possible for there to be work without stress. We just have to learn how to manage it, and access to a wide range of medical treatments, wellness retreats, and mental health support is often the answer businesses are looking for.
Lower healthcare costs
This might sound confusing at first, as additional healthcare benefits are often associated with additional costs. However, this isn’t the case for the long-term effects of prioritizing employee health, which can actually reduce your healthcare expenses. How is this possible?
Well, by encouraging employees to undergo check ups regularly, attend wellness retreats, and take care of their mental health, you’re addressing potential health issues before they escalate. After all, timely medical treatments are less costly.
However, that’s not all. As already mentioned, addressing health concerns in their early stages also increases employee productivity and retention. This means fewer missed work days due to illness, allowing you to cut down on absenteeism and turnover costs.
Improved company reputation
And finally, we have the benefit of an improved company reputation, which, trust me, is a much-needed advantage in today’s competitive market. When you prioritize the well-being of your employees, job seekers are more likely to view your business as favorable.
These days, everyone is looking for extensive healthcare benefits, and offering the benefit of healthcare travel puts you on the map. You’re giving your business a competitive advantage, especially since corporate healthcare travel isn’t as widely adopted.
The power of a healthy workforce
You see, corporate healthcare travel isn’t just morally right but is also a strategic decision you can use to your advantage. By offering it as part of the employee benefits package, you’re showcasing that you care about your employees’ well-being – a chance to attract top talent.
Healthy and supported employees are also more likely to be motivated and productive, leading to a positive work environment and business success.
Since corporate healthcare travel is a matter of choice and isn’t mandatory for the time being, it’s up to you whether to implement it. However, keep in mind that among the many business strategies to enhance business success, health definitely takes the lead.
Author bio
Makedonka Micajkova is a freelance content writer and translator, always bringing creativity and originality to the table. Being multilingual with professional proficiency in English, German, and Spanish, it’s needless to say that languages are her biggest passion in life. She is also a skilled communicator, as a result of having three years of experience as a sales representative. You can find her on Linkedin.
