Firms in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region are increasingly offering health programmes and other benefits to employees in order to attract and retain key talent, a study by HR consultancy Mercer shows.

The survey found that 81% of APAC employers questioned - of which 87% were multinationals - were concerned about the health of their employees.

One in 10 of those surveyed said they are spending more than 10% of payroll on health benefits packages, and 35% reported spending over 6%, with the majority of respondents expecting to increase this figure over the next three years.

More than half of respondents (52%) stated that such benefits were important in attraction and retention of talent, although productivity and performance was considered the most important motivating factor for offering these.

Christine Owen, Mercer’s APAC health management leader for health and benefits, says: “An increasing number of employers are placing greater importance on the value of an integrated health program with a prime focus on its impact on employee health, retaining key talent, containing costs and improving productivity.”