First Bus invests in workforce wellbeing with Simplyhealth
Gareth Hind of First Bus
Passenger transport giant First Bus has introduced a fully funded healthcare benefit for their employees through cash plan provider Simplyhealth.
Adopting a preventative approach to healthcare is becoming an increasingly important component of workplace wellbeing strategies, Simplyhealth observes: across the transport sector, ongoing workforce challenges, rising sickness absence and evolving employee expectations are prompting employers to look for new ways to support the health of their people while building more resilient organisations.
The company cites Health and Safety Executive (HSE) statistics suggesting that an estimated 67,000 workers in the transportation and storage sector were suffering from work-related ill health, contributing to approximately 2.3 million working days lost each year.
In transport, where workforce health has a direct impact on operational performance, many employers are shifting their focus from treatment to prevention, says Simplyhealth. They have seen a growth in businesses recognising that employee health is a priority, with preventative healthcare being used to support workforce resilience and remove barriers to accessing everyday healthcare before issues escalate. First Bus is one organisation that has embraced this approach.
As one of the UK’s largest bus operators, employing around 18,000 colleagues across the UK and Ireland, First Bus recognised these challenges several years ago and wanted to explore how it could better support colleagues’ everyday healthcare needs.
According to Gareth Hind, director of colleague experience and internal communications at First Bus, the decision was driven by a desire to improve access to preventative healthcare during a period when many employees were facing increasing financial pressures.
“We recognised that it was a time where people were having to make really difficult decisions between heating or eating, and healthcare didn’t get a look in,” he said.
“As we spoke to our colleagues, wellbeing was coming up repeatedly. Were we doing enough to support our people and were they able to access the services they needed to be at their very best?”
The aim was not simply to tick a box and offer another employee benefit, but to support a broader people-focused culture with something of value. The fully funded healthcare benefit through Simplyhealth gives all employees fair and inclusive access to everyday healthcare support, including cashback towards healthcare costs, online GP services and preventative wellbeing services.
Hind explained: “Five years ago, people were often treated as just a driver number. Our People Transformation journey has been about becoming a truly people-centric business. Wellbeing has been a fundamental part of that.”
Commenting on the partnership, Katrina Harris, account manager at Simplyhealth, added: “First Bus has shown a genuine commitment to putting its people first. By providing healthcare support to all colleagues, regardless of role or location, the business is helping employees take a preventative approach to their own health and the wellbeing of their families. We share a belief that preventative healthcare should be accessible to everyone, and that shared commitment has created a partnership focused on supporting colleagues to be at their best.”
The transport sector continues to experience a high prevalence of musculoskeletal conditions, particularly among drivers and engineers undertaking physically and mentally demanding roles.
Hind continued: “Our biggest challenge is that 47 per cent of all work-related ill health cases in the sector are caused by MSK issues. You have colleagues spending hours driving buses every day and while we do everything possible from a vehicle and workplace perspective, services such as physiotherapy support play a really important complementary role.”
First Bus believes that supporting employee health contributes directly to workforce resilience and operational performance.
Hind explained: “You can’t run buses without drivers. When people are at their best and engaged, they provide better customer experiences and deliver stronger business outcomes.”
Colleague feedback has also highlighted the value of having access to healthcare that they might otherwise delay or avoid due to cost.
Driver Peter White
First Bus driver, Peter White, used the benefit to help cover the cost of both dental treatment and eye care.
“Knowing I could claim money back towards the treatment made a real difference,” he said.
“I even got my eyes tested, paid for in full through my Simplyhealth Plan, and discovered I needed reading glasses.”
For Gareth Hind, employee wellbeing is becoming increasingly important for transport operators as workforce expectations continue to evolve.
“Health and wellbeing cannot become a nice-to-have that sits on the side. Healthier and happier people deliver better business outcomes. The business case is actually very straightforward.”
Looking ahead, First Bus believes employers have an important role to play in developing preventative wellbeing strategies that support both employees and organisational performance.
“This isn’t the answer to every challenge a business faces, but it is an important part of a mature wellbeing strategy. When organisations invest in their people, it pays back through stronger engagement, attendance and performance.”
Simplyhealth believes First Bus’s experience reflects a wider shift taking place across UK workplaces. As employers focus on improving workforce resilience, attendance and engagement, preventative healthcare is increasingly being viewed as a strategic investment rather than simply an employee benefit. For transport operators, where the health of frontline employees directly affects service delivery, helping colleagues access support earlier could play an important role in building healthier and more resilient organisations.
