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A new report from workplace benefits platform, Heka, uncovers the hard-hitting truths about the state of workplace wellbeing – or lack thereof. While employees are battling mounting financial pressures, mental health struggles, and spiralling burnout, tick-box workplace benefits no longer suffice.
According to Heka’s 2026 report, to support individual employees’ wellbeing – with all their nuances – employers’ proactivity must transcend mere trend-chasing. Fourteen million sick days are taken each year due to poor mental health, costing the UK economy £300 billion per year; static benefits models are failing, and adaptive, health-led, data-informed models have never been more critical.
The increasing discourse around employee burnout is no coincidence, says Heka. When employees are not supported mentally and physically, with flexible benefits that truly benefit, their performance suffers.
Productivity loss costs thousands
When employees are not supported, their productivity can take a nosedive. Productivity impairment, due to a lack of awareness of where employees can access financial wellbeing benefits, Virtual GP benefits and Mental Health Support incurs a combined annual loss of £3,200 per employee.
Mental health support is an investment in the health and wellbeing of employees, and engagement and productivity follow suit. Thirty-three per cent of employees use mental health benefits every year when they know where to find them; providing mental health support dramatically reduces the impact of sickness, burnout, presenteeism, and ultimately, cost – it really is a no-brainer for employers.
Demographics are not gospel
Demographics data paints a clear picture of where focus lies for workplace benefit needs, but they cannot be relied on as a solid basis for what employees actually need to thrive. Heka’s data reveals that there are huge similarities in usage across all demographics – demonstrating the need for benefits that are diversely available.
Benefits should be inclusive, not based on assumptions or stereotypes about what we think different demographics of employees should require. Demographics work merely as an indication of what we should prioritise, but represent very little about how people engage with their benefits.
What employees actually need:
There’s a stark difference between what employees actually need, and what employers are offering.
According to Heka’s 2026 report, over 72 per cent of employers believe their benefits meet employee needs, but only 12 per cent of employees say they’re ‘very satisfied’ with their benefits package. Employees need preventative wellbeing tools that keep them healthier, thus more engaged and productive.
Menopause, menstruation, parental leave, and reproductive benefits have emerged as a new frontier of workplace support, but the current landscape suggests employers still have a long way to go.
Seventy-one per cent of UK employees now view reproductive benefits as retention-critical, and while 63 per cent of managers believe fertility policies are crucial, only 19 per cent of businesses have them in place.
Menopause support has long been ignored in the workplace, driving women out of the workplace, or forcing them to suffer in silence. Nonetheless, only 26 per cent of UK employers have a dedicated menopause policy, and of those, only 9.5 per cent have menopause training.
Neuroinclusion is not a ‘nice to have’, it’s a priority. People are increasingly seeking diagnoses for neurological disorders under the neurodivergent umbrella, including a 600 per cent increase of adults seeking an ADHD and autism diagnosis. Neurodiversity is finally being taken seriously – moving from buzzword to boardroom strategy.
Masking ADHD and autism symptoms in the workplace can lead to disengagement, burnout, and meltdowns. It’s crucial that employee benefits are inclusive of all employees, not neurotypical employees alone. Neurodiversity is not a trend, it’s the reality. Workplaces must provide informed, flexible neurodiversity support to ensure neurodivergent employees can thrive.
Physical health benefits are not a one-size-fits-all. One employee’s physical health could rely on movement, where they would utilise a gym pass as part of their benefit plan, whereas for another it could be assistance with access to GLP-1 jabs like Mounjaro. Whether it’s movement or medicine, employee’s needs are individual.
Financial wellbeing and mental wellbeing are inextricably linked. According to Heka’s report, 21 per cent of employees say their money worries are impacting their job performance. Financial wellbeing transcends ‘money worries’, and it’s less about handing out pay rises, and more about offering the right tools, resources, and support systems to help people proactively take control of their financial situation.
Employers can minimise anxiety by offering financial education, flexible pay options, wellbeing to manage financial stresses, and benefits that ease everyday spending. Financial support benefits don’t look the same to every employee, offering flexible, personalised benefits is the way forward to build resilient teams that thrive.
Alex Hind, CEO of Heka, commented: “Workplace wellbeing is not a ‘nice to have’, it’s a necessity. When benefits are offered without strategy and flexibility to meet the individual needs of each employee, they become performative. Employee disengagement from benefits is often a symptom, not the root problem. Employees need to know exactly what’s available to them, so they can utilise support and, ultimately, thrive.”
The way we work has changed – yet, many organisations are still relying on rigid, one-size-fits-all tools to manage desks and meeting rooms, according to a new study from workplace management solutions provider, Matrix Booking.
Spreadsheets, calendars, and generic booking software may have worked once, but they’re struggling to keep pace with today’s flexible, hybrid workforce. The result? Wasted time, frustrated employees, and expensive underutilised space.
Matrix Booking’s new study, ‘One-size-fits-all booking systems don’t work for today’s workforce’, explores why current systems are falling short – and how organisations can reimagine workspace management to boost efficiency, employee experience, and cost savings.
To download your FREE copy click here.
