Our latest research reveals that employers believe improved health, wellbeing, productivity and morale are the biggest advantages of offering eye care.

The study asked over 500 HR decision makers what they thought were the advantages to offering workplace eye care. Of those who have responded, 42%, cited improved health and wellbeing, due to the early detection of illnesses through an eye examination. Improved productivity was the advantage cited by 37% of respondents, due to a reduction of ailments such as headaches and tired eyes. Over a third, 35%, believe improved morale is a key advantage of eye care at work.

To have such a high level of employer buy-in to the benefits of eye care is great. There is no magic bullet but if, as a simple but effective benefit, eye care can play even a small part in improving the lives of employees and, therefore, increasing productivity, then that has to be a good thing.  

The research also showed eye care to be cost-effective, with over a third, 34%, saying it is a highly-valued benefit, and 31% appreciating the low-cost.

From this, it would seem that eye care may benefit a business in two strands: as a low-cost but highly valued benefit that can be offered to employees, which is of advantage in itself; and, for the additional health, wellbeing and, therefore, productivity and morale-boosting effects. It is particularly pleasing that employers and HR professionals are now clearly becoming more aware of the much wider health conditions that eye care can help to monitor and the positive impact for employees.

An eye examination can not only test the eyesight and check the health of the eye, it can also play an important role in detecting illnesses and conditions like diabetes, heart disease, tumours and risk of stroke. An eye examination includes viewing the small blood vessels at the back of the eye and these can give early indications of serious conditions that may otherwise only be detected as symptoms present or under more invasive investigation. On a lesser scale, an eye examination can also help with problems like headaches, migraine and dry or tired eyes, which is clearly something that employers believe aids productivity.

For more information on the benefits of eye care in the workplace, visit www.specsavers.co.uk/corporate