The UK is experiencing an uptick in employee absences, with the latest figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) showing that over 2.5 million people cite long-term sickness as the primary reason for not working. This trend is largely a fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, with significant increases in cases of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues preventing many from returning to work.The economic impact of rising absencesHigh absence rates have significant economic consequences. According to the CIPD, the average UK employee is absent for 7.8 days per year, the highest rate in a decade. For a business with 1,000 employees, this can translate into costs of around £1.75 million annually when considering temporary staff, administrative costs, lost productivity, recruitment, and training. What these figures highlight is just how important it is to have a strong employee benefits programme to help mitigate these costs and support workforce stability.But you may be asking: aren’t employee benefits yet another business cost? Yes, it is another business cost—but all the data shows that strong employee engagement boosts your business's bottom line, and YuLife’s unique, gamified approach to benefits inspires your team to live healthier lives and improve their overall wellbeing, leading to fewer absences and more productivity longer term. As you’ll see below, we like to think of them more as ‘preventative benefits’.The role of preventative benefitsBy investing in workplace benefits that your employees actually value, employers can provide their team with the support they need to remain healthy and productive. Here are 3 core pillars that every employer should consider:Understanding Employee Challenges: Employers need to spend time understanding the unique challenges their employees face. By doing so, they can offer tailored support that enhances employee engagement and gives a sense of purpose.Providing Stability Through Benefits: High-quality benefits, such as Income Protection and Group Health Insurance, provide much-needed stability for employees, helping them feel confident in the face of future challenges.Affordable Support and Preventative Tools: Employers should recognise rising costs and offer affordable support for employees and their families. Preventative tools, such as mental health resources and wellness programmes, such as YuLife’s YuMatter, can help reduce future absences.The value of employee benefitsResearch by Censuswide found that 2 out of 5 UK employees would choose a job with a lower salary if it guaranteed generous employee benefits, including Income Protection, Health Insurance, Death in Service, and hybrid working. Additionally, about a third of employees expressed a desire for mental health support and wellness packages.How YuLife is driving engagement and productivity through gamificationYuLife's innovative approach to employee wellbeing leverages gamification to drive higher engagement and promote healthier lifestyles. Through our gamified employee app, YuLife transforms daily health and wellness activities into fun, engaging challenges that employees can participate in. The result? On average, employees only engage in about 20% of their health and wellbeing benefits, according to HR Magazine. But 72% of employees download the YuLife app, 43% have used it at least once in the last month, and 17.4% log on up to 5 times a day.What’s more, by completing the daily wellness challenges in-app, employees earn YuCoin, our virtual currency that can be redeemed for real-life rewards with leading retailers like Amazon, along with several charities. This unique system not only motivates employees to adopt healthier habits but also fosters a broader sense of community and friendly competition among colleagues.But don’t just take our word for it—read our case studies! Our clients overwhelmingly say the result is a more engaged, healthier workforce that is better equipped to handle the demands of their roles, leading to increased productivity and reduced absenteeism. The gamified nature of our award-winning app ensures that wellness activities are seamlessly integrated into your employees’ daily routines, making health and wellbeing an enjoyable and rewarding part of their work life. We believe this proactive approach aligns perfectly with the need for preventative benefits, addressing potential health issues before they lead to absences and other productivity challenges.By investing in such innovative solutions, employers can not only enhance the wellbeing of their workforce but also achieve significant cost savings and productivity gains, ultimately contributing to a more resilient and successful business.About YuLifeYuLife is working to reimagine the insurance industry by protecting lives, rewarding living and inspiring life. We’re on a mission to transform traditional insurance into a life-enhancing experience each employee will value and use daily. How does it work?Our award-winning app uses behavioural science and game mechanics to reward your people for living well while offering protection in case of crisis. And with our top-rated employee assistance programme, your team gets access to mental, financial and social support, virtual GPs, nutritionists, life coaches and more to help them live their best lives.Because we believe that your employees should benefit from their insurance from day one — and that wellbeing should be accessible every day, for everyone.Request a demo for your team today.