Globally, healthcare costs are climbing fast. With mental, physical, and financial wellbeing now topping the HR agenda, you can’t afford to wait this one out. Taking proactive steps to manage these costs isn’t just good business – it’s how you protect your people and your bottom line.

The latest Benifex UK Wellbeing Report shows why this matters. Nearly two thirds (63%) of UK employees say their financial wellbeing has worsened due to rising living costs. Over half (54%) say poor wellbeing has directly affected their productivity.

When financial strain compounds existing health pressures, employees are more likely to experience burnout, make poorer health choices, and take more time off sick. This drives higher healthcare claims and greater demand on employer support systems.

That’s why organisations getting ahead are treating wellbeing as an investment, not a cost – integrating prevention, access, and support into a single, connected strategy.

1. Build a wellbeing strategy that’s data-led and embedded into business goals

A wellbeing calendar or a few awareness days can help raise visibility, but they aren’t a strategy. To deliver meaningful results – and real cost savings – your wellbeing approach needs to be data-driven, measurable, and connected to your wider business goals.

A successful strategy brings together reward and benefits, diversity and inclusion, occupational health and safety, and environment, sustainability, and governance (ESG). It requires strong senior stakeholder buy-in and clear metrics to measure impact.

When wellbeing sits at the heart of your culture and decision-making, the return shows up not just in lower healthcare costs, but in higher engagement, fewer absences, and better performance across the board.

2. Make early intervention easy to access

Rising costs for private medical insurance (PMI), healthcare trusts, and healthcare cash plans are being driven by an increased volume of medical claims – with claims on workplace policies up 26%. But many of the issues causing these claims can be addressed earlier, and more cost-effectively, if employees can access preventative support more easily.

When employees have quick access to early intervention services – such as Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP), physiotherapy, and GP services – alongside a proactive occupational health function, healthcare concerns can be addressed sooner. That leads to better health outcomes, faster recovery, and a reduced risk of recurrence or long-term absence.

These services don’t just diagnose and treat – they educate, advise, and reassure employees, helping prevent escalation. This keeps people working and reduces the likelihood of costly, complex care in the future.

Many insurers and benefits providers already include some of these services within existing policies. But part of the challenge is making it easy for employees to find them. Benifex research shows that 59% of HR and reward professionals in global companies say a single, scalable platform for rewards, benefits, recognition, and wellbeing is key to overcoming complexity. Meanwhile, 51% emphasise the importance of integrating HR systems with a benefits platform.

It’s worth auditing what you already have – you may already be paying for services that could make a real difference if they were better promoted. Then, look at your communication strategy to drive awareness.

3. Offer employees tailored benefits to support their health and wellbeing

Employees need access to tailored benefits that mean something to them. Not everyone wants to go to the gym, cycle to work, or join a club. The goal is to provide choice and flexibility so every employee can find support that fits their lifestyle, needs, and priorities.

When benefits are personalised, employees feel seen and supported. Indeed, our research showed 81% of employees want their benefits package to adapt as their personal circumstances change over time. But without the right options or communication, many don’t feel they have that flexibility.

Consider this: 62% of employees find it difficult to see the full value of their rewards and benefits, while 85% want their employer to help them better understand what’s available. Tailoring support isn’t just about offering more choice – it’s about guiding employees to understand their benefits and make the most of them.

4. Communicate clearly and often

Having a great selection of benefits and wellbeing offerings only matters if employees know they exist – and understand how to use them. Clear, consistent communication is just as important as the benefits themselves.

A wellbeing platform can bring that clarity to life. It creates a single home where employees can easily find information, explore personalised content, and access third-party services whenever they need them. When everything sits in one place, wellbeing support feels simpler, more consistent, and easier to act on.

Use data-led, targeted, and regular communications – not one-off email blasts. Whether it’s wellbeing campaigns, in-app nudges, or personalised messages through your platform, the goal is to make wellbeing support feel intuitive and accessible. That way, employees can engage with it when it matters most and take action that improves their health.

5. Upskill leaders with the skills to support employee wellbeing

Managers play a crucial role in shaping an employee’s experience. Research by Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England found that 74% of managers felt concerned about their team’s wellbeing, but 33% felt out of their depth when supporting them.

Training managers to recognise signs of stress, have open conversations, and signpost support isn’t a ‘nice-to-have’ – it’s essential.

The Benifex UK Wellbeing Report highlights that wellbeing is now a strategic priority for employers and employees alike, with 93% of employees saying a commitment to wellbeing is important when evaluating an employer.

That expectation puts pressure on managers to lead with empathy and feel confident supporting the wellbeing agenda day to day. When managers have the right tools, training, and language, they can build trust, tackle issues early, and prevent problems from escalating into sickness or burnout.

This isn’t limited to managers alone. With many major FTSE 100 companies already having mental health first aiders in place, initiatives like wellbeing champions and peer support networks can extend that culture of care across the organisation. These create visible role models and local advocates who help embed wellbeing into everyday working life.

Cutting healthcare costs starts with better wellbeing

Reducing healthcare costs isn’t about doing less for your people – it’s about prevention, early action, and communication that keeps wellbeing front and centre. That’s how you protect your people, strengthen performance, and future-proof your investment.