Should you be offering physical and mental health support to contingent workers?

I’m back with the next instalment in my short series of blogs on transforming contingent worker strategy. This time, I take a closer look at wellness.

Providing support that extends beyond the job became increasingly vital during the pandemic and, now, as the cost of living crisis hits hard, it continues to be a focal point for employees. But this support must go beyond the perm population; contingent worker numbers are growing and a holistic approach to their wellbeing should be a crucial part of your workforce strategy.

Should you be offering physical and mental health support to contingent workers?

Yes, and here’s why.

Mental and physical health matters at work

27% of the organisations we surveyed in our 2022 Global Workforce Report said that the number of employees who had taken time off or left their job for mental health reasons had increased in the last year. While 66% of the most successful organisations – Vanguards – had improved physical and mental health support to improve talent acquisition. Workers expect more from employers than ever before, and those that go further, faster on wellness are standing out for all the right reasons.

Wellness should be a key metric

Contingent workers who feel supported and cared for are more likely to stick around for longer and to return for future projects, which could be vital for high-growth businesses. This means that as well as measuring productivity and retention rates, wellness is a metric that every organisation should be thinking about. Leaders can use exit interviews and worker surveys to measure wellness levels and better understand what it is that keeps workers up at night.

Don’t pay lip service to physical and mental health

It’s easy to put a banner up on a web page. Or to send out social media posts on mental health awareness week. It’s much harder to implement real and supportive change. It starts with measuring current issues or concerns – these might be physical, mental, or even financial – and taking practical steps to address them. This could mean connecting workers to experts or online resources or providing access to on-site facilities like gyms. I talked in an earlier blog about treating contingent workers like consumers, and responding to their needs thoughtfully can put your business at the top of their list for future projects and assignments.

Looking for flexible workforce experts who see people as well as processes? Get in touch to have a chat about our trailblazing KellyOCG Go MSP.