According to a People Management report, 58% of HR leaders say their wellbeing programmes are underused—even as employee motivation to engage with workplace support is increasing. In other words, the gap between what’s offered and what’s used remains frustratingly wide. And it’s costing organisations in terms of wellbeing outcomes, employee satisfaction, and retention.
Understanding the Scale of the Opportunity
There’s no shortage of evidence pointing to the importance of employee benefits. Nearly six in ten (59%) employers in the UK believe the financial return on investing in staff wellbeing outweighs the cost. Even more—87 %—agree they have a duty to support the physical and mental health of their employees (GOV.UK, 2024).
But this isn’t just about corporate responsibility. Studies have shown that many employees say the benefits package offered by an employer plays a key role in whether they stay with that company. In today’s competitive labour market, strong benefits can be a differentiator but only if employees know about them and can use them easily.
Why Engagement Often Fails
Despite good intentions and significant investment, many benefits go underused or even unnoticed. There are a few common reasons:
- Poor communication: Often, benefits are launched with a single email or HR announcement and then forgotten. If employees don’t hear about a benefit multiple times, in varied formats, they’re unlikely to take action.
- Lack of relevance: If benefits don’t reflect employees’ real-life needs or circumstances, they’ll be seen as irrelevant. Generic offerings that fail to consider factors like age, life stage, family responsibilities, or job role won’t resonate.
- Difficult access: According to People Management, nearly one in five HR leaders say the benefits they offer are too difficult to access. A third say the effort required puts employees off entirely.
- Low awareness: A shocking 42 % of employees aren’t even aware of the benefits available to them (Reed, 2024). If people don’t know what’s on offer, or don’t understand how it applies to them, they’re unlikely to take it up.
- Cultural barriers: Some organisations unintentionally create environments where using certain benefits (such as mental health support or flexible working) feels stigmatised or signals a lack of commitment. That makes even the most generous policies ineffective.
Improving engagement means tackling these challenges head-on with communication, simplicity, and alignment to real needs.
5 Strategies to Boost Engagement
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Prioritise onboarding and communication
Benefits should be front and centre in the employee journey—not a footnote in a handbook. Use tailored messaging during onboarding and revisit regularly through reminders, team meetings, and line manager briefings. Segment your communications by life stage or job role where possible to make the offer feel personal and relevant. -
Choose benefits that align with real needs
The best benefits support everyday challenges like stress, work-life balance, mental wellbeing, and physical health. Gym memberships, for example, consistently rank among the most used and valued health perks. Tools that support recovery, nutrition, and flexibility also help employees stay productive and present. Relevance is key—ask for feedback regularly to check what employees actually want. -
Track usage and tweak accordingly
Benefits shouldn’t just be “set and forget.” HR teams should monitor uptake, engagement, and feedback. If a benefit has low usage, dig into the “why”—is it hard to access? Poorly promoted? Not relevant? Data should drive decisions so that your benefits programme evolves alongside your workforce. -
Make access simple
People expect ease and speed in every aspect of their digital lives—and benefits are no exception. Avoid requiring lengthy forms, multiple systems, or HR approval for everything. Where possible, use a single sign-on or benefit platforms that offer all options in one place. Simplicity leads to usage. -
Promote usage culturally
Benefits must be woven into your culture, not just your policies. Encourage uptake with wellbeing champions, team challenges, and peer-led activities. Celebrate participation and remove stigma from using mental health or recovery support. If senior leaders take part, others will follow. This turns benefits into shared experience—not just individual choice.
Why Fitness Passes Fit the Brief
One area that consistently drives engagement across diverse teams is fitness. A flexible fitness pass like Hussle offers multiple touchpoints that make it especially effective:
- Flexibility: Employees can work out near home, near the office, or while travelling. It fits around modern hybrid working lives.
- Accessibility: There’s no contract, no long-term commitment, and no complexity. Just one pass for thousands of locations.
- Inclusivity: With a range of venues and price points, it works for all levels of seniority, fitness, and confidence.
- Integration: It supports mental wellbeing, stress management, recovery, and even community building when used alongside team incentives or fitness challenges.
Driving Meaningful Engagement Starts Here
A benefit is only valuable if employees use it. Too often, even the most generous benefit packages fall flat due to low visibility, complex access, or misalignment with real needs. Driving engagement starts with understanding your workforce, communicating effectively, and choosing benefits that make life easier and healthier.
For HR professionals who want to make their wellbeing strategy more impactful, the time to act is now. Flexible, accessible benefits like fitness passes are a smart starting point—especially when they slot seamlessly into everyday life.
Want to learn more about how a fitness benefit could fit into your employee wellbeing plan? Get in touch with Hussle today and see how we can help your teams move more, stress less, and feel better at work.
