AUTUMN 2023 NEWSLETTER

In this edition we feature:

In this edition we feature Company Dental Plans, Health Assessments, and say a fond farewell to Ann Barker, Sales & Partnerships Director as she attempts retirement (again!)

The Value Of Health Assessments

When employees are absent from work due to long term illness it can be disruptive for a business as well as distressing for the employee themselves, and it can affect both employer and employee financially. Although other health and well-being benefits may support employees in getting back to good health quickly, what if the illness could possibly have been prevented in the first place? This is how health assessments could help.

A health assessment is essentially a preventative health check that uses medical and non-invasive tests to give an employee an overview of their current health and well-being. The assessments are carried out at (a location to suit the employee) by trained nurses and health advisers who are also able to discuss any specific health concerns an employee may have. If potential health issues are identified, it places the employee in the strong position of being able to take positive action while they can. For a business it helps to reduce absence and boost productivity. It also shows you care about employee well-being and can therefore help you to attract and retain employees. There are many levels of assessment available but here are some of the tests that are included:

• Height and weight assessment

• Body mass Index (BMI)

• Mobility and flexibility review

• Lung age (particularly if employee is a smoker or recent non-smoker)

• Check for diabetes

• Blood pressure test

• Cholesterol profile

• Mental health discussion

A Fond Farewell To Ann Barker

They say things happen for a reason and I really believe that is true. After a long career in financial services and a couple of failed attempts at retirement behind me, the day before another attempt I 'accidentally ' met a stranger on LinkedIn. That stranger was Simon Kelly - Managing Director of Excellect, and the rest as they say is s history. I still felt I had some work left in me (even after 40+ years) but I’d become disillusioned with corporate life. And although I'd been helping small businesses for over 20 years, I had never actually worked in one. So after an informal chat over coffee (where Simon will say I interviewed him, rather than the other way round!) I joined Excellect in January 2019 as the 7th member of the team. I quickly discovered that high levels of service and integrity were at the heart of the business. Values which truly aligned with my own. How refreshing to find a business that lived and breathed those values!

I'd gathered up many different skills over the years, and building relationships with our partners and helping small businesses every day was perfect for me. Our rapid growth saw an office move (a special day I will always remember), and an expansion of the team which now stands at 16. I had only ever intended to work for a couple of years more, but a new found passion for work meant that 5 years has flown by. And here I am at 65 (how did that happen?) facing another attempt to "hang up my boots". I'm very proud of what I've achieved in those 5 years and I'm certain that there is going to be an Excellect shaped hole in my heart.

Thank you to everyone I've worked with – partners, clients, and my lovely colleagues. I know that I'm going to miss you so much. Finally, to Simon and Helen who have created a very special place to work, I know you will continue to go from strength to strength! And for those who can remember The Two Ronnies, in the words of another Barker – “It’s Goodnight From Me”.

How Company Dental Plans Can Make Employees Smile

When it comes to employee wellbeing there’s a definite link between oral health, happiness, and self-esteem as affects the way we eat, speak, smile, and feel. Yet many employees have difficulty in accessing cost effective dental treatment for themselves and their families due to the lack of NHS dentists. Some people have even taken the drastic steps of resorting to self-dentistry e.g. extracting their own teeth!!

The British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy report a startling statistic that 45% of adults in the UK are affected by gum disease. This not only increases the risk of serious conditions such as heart disease and strokes, but gum disease is also known to have a negative impact on other medical conditions such as diabetes. Importantly, regular dental check-ups can spot problems like gum disease and oral cancer early, which increases the chance of successful treatment.

A Company Dental Plan covers the cost of dental check-ups and treatment which can either be through the NHS or privately. It allows an employer to support and encourage their employees to proactively look after their everyday dental healthcare. Overall, this may help to stave off longer term absences due to illness which can be disruptive to a business.

An Employee’s Story

We all have one set of teeth and avoiding extraction if possible is important. But here is a very common story. A young employee was suffering from persistent toothache and visited the dentist. The problem was identified, and the two options were an extraction of his tooth or saving it with root canal work which was going to cost £800 as it had to be carried out by a private dentist. The root canal work was not a viable option for him due to the cost, and therefore the employee had no choice but to proceed with tooth extraction. Had a Company Dental Plan been in place the decision is likely to have been a different one as he could have claimed back some of the cost.

And he would also have retained a full set of teeth!

THE EXCELLECT BENEFITS WHEEL

“Everyone Benefits – through personality, professionalism and passion. Employees are at the heart of every successful business

– you are at the heart of ours.”