As employees face mounting financial pressure, rising mental health challenges and record levels of burnout, traditional, one-size-fits-all health and wellbeing benefits are no longer enough. According to workplace benefits platform Heka’s 2026 report, employers must move beyond trend-chasing and adopt proactive, personalised, health-led and data-informed approaches that genuinely support individual needs.
Poor mental health alone accounts for 14 million sick days a year, costing the UK economy an estimated £300 billion annually. Heka points out that companies offering flexible, personalised support for mental health, financial wellbeing, and physical health see higher productivity and lower burnout.
Productivity, performance and prevention
The growing focus on burnout is no coincidence. When employees are not supported mentally and physically, performance inevitably suffers. Heka’s data shows that productivity impairment linked to a lack of awareness or access to wellbeing benefits — including financial wellbeing tools, Virtual GP services and mental health support — costs employers an average of £3,200 per employee per year.
When employees understand what support is available to them, engagement rises sharply. One third of employees use mental health benefits each year when they know where to find them, significantly reducing sickness absence, presenteeism and burnout.
As Alex Hind, CEO of Heka, explains:
“Workplace wellbeing is not a ‘nice to have’ — it’s a necessity. When benefits lack strategy or flexibility, they become performative. Disengagement from benefits is often a symptom, not the root problem. Employees need clarity, relevance and choice if they’re going to thrive.”
Why demographics aren’t enough
While demographic data can help guide benefit priorities, Heka’s findings show it is a poor predictor of what employees actually use or value. Usage patterns are strikingly similar across age groups, genders and life stages — reinforcing the need for inclusive, flexible benefits rather than assumptions based on stereotypes.
Heka believes that whilst demographics may indicate where to start, they say very little about how individuals engage with their wellbeing support in practice.
The gap between perception and reality
There is a stark disconnect between employer confidence and employee experience. While 72% of employers believe their benefits meet employee needs, only 12% of employees say they are very satisfied with their package.
Employees consistently say they want preventative wellbeing tools — support that helps them stay healthy, engaged and productive, rather than reacting once problems escalate.
Key wellbeing priorities shaping 2026
Family friendly policies
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.
71% of UK employees now view reproductive benefits as retention-critical, and while 63% of managers believe fertility policies are crucial, only 19% 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% of UK employers have a dedicated menopause policy, and of those, only 9.5% have menopause training.
Support for neurodiversity
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% 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.
A holistic approach to weight management
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. Access to GLP-1s has become increasingly difficult since the price hikes on 1st September 2025, and according to Medicspot, 62% of people say they’d feel more supported by their employers if weight management was available as a benefit, or if their company part-funded the treatment. In fact, 53% of people say they’re more productive at work after just a few weeks on GLP-1s.
Financial wellbeing IS wellbeing
Financial wellbeing and mental wellbeing are inextricably linked. According to Heka’s report, 21% 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.
Looking ahead
Heka’s 2026 report makes one thing clear: workplace wellbeing strategies must evolve. Employers that prioritise personalised, preventative and inclusive benefits will be far better positioned to build resilient, high-performing teams in the years ahead.
You can download Heka’s report here: https://www.hekahappy.com/
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