Trends have always been a sign of the times. The Romans and the rest of the developing world once emulated the trends of the Greeks. Trends have touched all aspects of life throughout the ages be they related to religion, fashion, academia, entertainment, health, or everyday life.
How important are trends in 2020? The term has become ubiquitous and has entered the public sphere as phenomena of constant change; the unexpected ‘trends’ from day to day. Yes, ‘trend’ has become a verb, an increasingly influential concept. How does this reflect in the corporate world and how does it affect the ability to attract, retain, and motivate talent in contemporary times?
A current corporate trend is the offering of onsite health services to employees. It’s been shown to improve the health of employee populations, ameliorate chronic conditions, cut health-related costs, and increase productivity in the workplace. That’s why so many major American companies are jumping onboard. So, just who has joined the bandwagon?
In the US, Wall Street and tech firms are increasingly looking to onsite services as a way to attract and retain talent in a competitive marketplace. From 2016 to 2018 the number of companies with a thousand employees or more offering onsite health services rose from 16% to 25%. In 2017, an employer survey conducted by Mercer and the National Association of Worksite Health Centers found that one-third of US companies with more than 5000 employees were offering onsite health services. These companies are seeking to attract and retain the best young talent and the companies subscribing to this trend aren’t ones to turn the proverbial nose up at.
Facebook in Menlo Park, Silicon Valley provides primary onsite care through Crossover Health. Apple offers onsite health services through AC Wellness Hathaway, while Amazon does the same through J.P. Morgan Chase. The diversified services group USAA offers onsite services ranging from cancer screenings to flu shots to physical therapy. Goldman Sachs in New York has implemented emergency physician services and rotating access to specialists such as dermatologists, psychiatrists, and gynecologists. Leading custom apparel and accessories producer Custom Ink is providing onsite health coverage, ongoing training, and classes in financial wellbeing. Capital One’s benefits include onsite fitness centers and 24-7 access to online health specialists. Computer hardware and software developer Cisco Systems offers an onsite medical center. Lending company Discover provides onsite health clinics, fitness centers, and weight control programs at five of their major centers through the independent contractor Concentra.
The proof is indeed in the pudding. Onsite services are a trend being set by the major players and they’re becoming an expectation of young employment seekers around the globe. Those wishing to attract and retain top talent had better take heed or risk becoming a relic of the past. In the future, historians might express surprise that onsite health could ever be cutting-edge. n the present, learning from the shortcomings of the past might just be a no-brainer.