New research from Ciphr, the HR, payroll and benefits software provider behind Avantus, suggests that the factors most closely linked to people’s happiness are not only what happens in the workplace, but whether they feel financially secure, well rested, healthy and able to make time for themselves.
For employers, and particularly for HR and benefits professionals reviewing how support is communicated and accessed, the findings are a useful reminder that workplace wellbeing is shaped by more than workload alone.
Ciphr’s survey found that relaxing (55%), financial security (54%) and having ‘me time’ (54%) rank among the biggest drivers of happiness. It also highlights a clear link between happiness and employee experience, with employees who feel happy 20 days or more a month far more likely to report good work-life balance, connection with colleagues and fulfilling work than those who feel happy less often.
Taken together, the findings point to a simple but important truth: wellbeing support works best when it reflects the pressures employees are dealing with in real life, not just what happens during the working day.
How FlexGenius can help employers respond
For employers, and the HR and benefits teams shaping their wellbeing strategy, FlexGenius offers a way to move beyond one-size-fits-all support by bringing together a wider mix of benefits that can help employees feel healthier, more supported and better able to cope.
- Earlier support for stress, sleep and resilience
One of the clearest opportunities is earlier intervention. Not every employee who is struggling needs formal therapy, but many do need support before stress, poor sleep or low resilience start to affect their work and wellbeing more seriously.
Through the FlexGenius platform, employers can offer access to benefit providers such as Mindstep, a digital mental fitness and early-intervention support tool designed to help employees build resilience through regular check-ins and practical support around stress, recovery and sleep. They can also offer Health Assured, a wellbeing and EAP provider that gives employees access to 24/7 support, online CBT and guidance across issues such as anxiety, depression, money worries, sleep and menopause. Used together, these kinds of services can help employers build support around prevention as well as intervention.
- Preventative health support and earlier reassurance
- Financial wellbeing still matters
- Support at key life stages
- Support for employees with caring responsibilities
Health worries can be another major drain on wellbeing, especially when employees are worried about symptoms, unsure where to turn, or putting off checks because of time, cost or inconvenience. That uncertainty alone can create a steady background level of stress.
This is where preventative health benefits can really add value. On the FlexGenius platform, employers can offer providers such as Bluecrest, which delivers health assessments in clinics, on site and through home test kits supported by virtual health coaching. Paycare Additions, a health cash plan provider available through FlexGenius, can also help employees access everyday healthcare support more easily. Together, these kinds of benefits can help employees take earlier action, gain reassurance sooner and feel more in control of their health.
In Ciphr’s research, 54% of respondents said money and financial security are among the things that make them feel happy, underlining how closely financial wellbeing and overall wellbeing are connected. Financial pressure rarely stays in one part of life. It can affect concentration, mood, sleep and confidence, and it often shows up at work before anyone says anything.
While not every benefit in this space is about direct financial advice, employers can still support financial wellbeing through a broader mix of practical help. That might include health cash plans that reduce some everyday health costs, access to support through an EAP provider such as Health Assured, or benefits that help employees feel more supported and less overwhelmed in other areas of life. In other words, wellbeing benefits can sometimes ease financial pressure indirectly as well as directly.
Some of the biggest wellbeing challenges come during major life transitions. Returning to work after having a baby is a good example. Employees may be dealing with sleep disruption, childcare logistics, changed routines and a loss of confidence about coming back into their role.
Through FlexGenius, employers can offer My Maternity Coach, a specialist maternity coaching provider focused on helping women return to work feeling confident, engaged and supported. That kind of support can be valuable not just from a wellbeing perspective, but from a retention perspective too.
Fertility, menopause and hormone-related concerns are another area employers are increasingly thinking about. Employees may be experiencing symptoms such as fatigue, low mood, poor sleep, brain fog or wider uncertainty about their health, while still trying to manage work as normal. Here, providers such as YorkTest, available through FlexGenius, can give employees access to a range of home health tests, including hormone, fertility and menopause-related insights, helping them gain earlier understanding of what may be affecting how they feel.
Caring responsibilities can be one of the least visible but most significant pressures employees carry. Looking after an elderly or disabled relative can create a huge mental load, particularly when people are trying to navigate care options, funding decisions and emotional strain alongside work.
This is another area where more targeted support can make a genuine difference. Through FlexGenius, employers can offer SeniorCare by Lottie, a dedicated eldercare benefit provider that helps employees understand, find and fund care for a loved one with support from experienced care experts. For employees juggling work and caring responsibilities, having access to that kind of practical guidance can take away some of the stress and uncertainty.
Why joined-up access matters
Offering the right support is only part of the picture. Employees also need to be able to find it, understand it and use it at the right time.
That is where FlexGenius has an important role to play. By bringing together different benefit providers in one place, the platform helps employers offer a more joined-up wellbeing experience, one that reflects the realities employees are dealing with every day, from stress and sleep issues to health concerns, maternity, fertility and caring responsibilities.
A more practical approach to wellbeing support
The Ciphr happiness findings are a useful reminder that wellbeing is shaped by everyday factors, not one single intervention. For organisations, that means workplace wellbeing support should not begin and end with one benefit or one awareness campaign.
The strongest strategies are likely to be those that combine a positive day-to-day employee experience with practical, accessible benefits that help employees navigate real life. That is where a modern, flexible platform like FlexGenius can make a real difference: not by replacing good culture or good management, but by making relevant support easier to access when people need it most.
To explore how FlexGenius can help you bring together workplace wellbeing support in one easy-to-access platform, contact the team or book a demo today.
