Dubai: Leading health and benefits consultancy Mercer Marsh Benefits, a business of Marsh McLennan, today released its 2023 Health on Demand Report, which reveals that employee stress is a critical issue for talent attraction and retention. According to the report, more than three quarters (78%) of UAE employees felt their employer cares about their health and well-being, underscoring the importance of addressing employee stress and burnout in a comprehensive benefits strategy.

The 2023 Health on Demand report surveyed over 17,500 employees in 16 markets across the globe, including over 1,000 employees from the UAE, about their priorities when it comes to health and well-being, highlighting the voice of the employee so employers can better address their needs.

According to the report, 63% of employees in the UAE believe that the quality of health and well-being benefits they receive from their employer instils greater loyalty and makes them less likely to seek employment elsewhere. The report also reveals that 53% of UAE employees are committed to adopting more environmentally friendly lifestyles,  which employers can support by implementing environmentally conscious policies and practices that benefit both the workforce and wider society.

Commenting on the findings, Ayman El Hout, Marsh McLennan CEO for UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Egypt said: “In the UAE, employers are in a unique and critical position to address healthcare gaps by exploring benefits and employee experience strategies that balance human and digital health delivery and respond to the different needs of a diverse workforce.”

The results show that half of all employees in the UAE (50%) report feeling stressed in everyday life, and when asked what factors put them at risk for burnout at work, the top three were work pressures (52%), job security (43%), and poor leadership (40%).

Julio Garcia-Villalon, India, Middle East & Africa (IMEA) Leader, Mercer Marsh Benefits added: “In recent years, employees’ health and well-being have been put under pressure by multiple crises, leading to increased instances of burnout in the workplace and higher occurrences of people-generated risks. Our research shows that employees who believe their employer cares about their health and well-being are much more likely to be thriving – feeling positive about their health, wealth, and careers. The findings also show that there is a positive correlation between higher levels of benefits and employee satisfaction, and that employers can reduce the risk of losing top talent to competitors by providing employees with 10 or more benefits.” 

Tarek Lotfy, India, Middle East & Africa (IMEA) President, Mercer, underscored the need for employers to take a values-based approach to their benefits strategies.

“Employees who feel cared for by their employer are more likely to report organizational leadership that is committed to a healthy culture. Work-related commitments such as embedding well-being in job design and ensuring employees have access to benefits that are relevant to them are a key part of this,” said Mr. Lotfy.

About:

The 2023 Health on Demand Report

2023 Health on Demand Report was fielded in October-November 2022, and surveyed 17,531 employee respondents in 16 global markets about their priorities when it comes to health and well-being. The resulting report captures the voice of the employee to inform discussion around employee health and well-being needs, including the relationship between providing benefits and enabling employees to thrive, benefits that are suitable for the environment in which employees live, and benefits aligned with company purpose to support the wider health of society.

Mercer Marsh Benefits

Marsh Benefits provides clients with one source for managing the costs, people risks, and complexities of employee benefits. The network is a combination of Mercer and Marsh experts working across more than 150 countries to develop local solutions drawn from global expertise.

Mercer

Mercer believes in building brighter futures by redefining the world of work, reshaping retirement and investment outcomes, and unlocking real health and well-being. Mercer’s approximately 25,000 employees are based in 43 countries and the firm operates in 130 countries. Mercer is a business of Marsh McLennan (NYSE: MMC), the world’s leading professional services firm in the areas of risk, strategy and people, with 85,000 colleagues and annual revenue of over $20 billion. Through its market-leading businesses including Marsh, Guy Carpenter and Oliver Wyman, Marsh McLennan helps clients navigate an increasingly dynamic and complex environment. For more information, visit mercer.com. Follow Mercer on LinkedIn.

Marsh

Marsh is the world’s leading insurance broker and risk advisor. With over 45,000 colleagues operating in 130 countries, Marsh serves commercial and individual clients with data-driven risk solutions and advisory services. Marsh is a business of Marsh McLennan (NYSE: MMC), the world’s leading professional services firm in the areas of risk, strategy and people. For more information, follow Marsh on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Contact:
Ana Baptista    
ana.baptista@mercer.com