The eye voucher scheme: what's in it for you?

As an employer, you are probably already aware of your legal obligations regarding eye tests for your employees. But did you know that providing an eye care voucher scheme for your workforce can actually support your business goals?

We unpack three reasons why the Eyecare voucher scheme is beneficial not just for your individual employees, but for you as a company.

But first, what is the Eyecare Voucher scheme?

What is the Eyecare Voucher scheme?

The eye voucher scheme is designed to help employees maintain good eye health and vision, which is vital for their overall well-being and productivity at work. The Eyecare Voucher Scheme allows your employees to access vouchers that contribute to the cost of eye tests and glasses. Thousands of opticians around the country can redeem the vouchers. There are different vouchers available depending on your employees’ needs. These include:

• Safety Eyewear vouchers
• Visual Display Unit (VDU) Eyecare vouchers
• Optical Care vouchers
• Premium Club vouchers

Interested? Find out more

What’s the benefit for employers?

1. Financial support

At a time when many families are struggling with rising living costs and seeing huge increases in their regular outgoings, providing health care vouchers can really help them financially. 

The eyesight vouchers can be used to cover the cost of a wide range of eye care services, including eye tests, glasses, and contact lenses. This means that employees can access the eye care services they need without having to pay the full cost out of their own pocket.

Every little helps in these cash-strapped times, and this employee benefit can really help employees’ remaining income go further. 

What is more, as employees see the benefit of the eyecare voucher scheme, they act as a powerful retention tool, helping you retain the best talent for your team. 

2. Prevent health problems

Another benefit of the eye care voucher scheme is that it can help employees to maintain good eye health and vision for longer. Regular eye tests and screenings can detect early signs of eye problems, such as cataracts or glaucoma. This means that employees can receive treatment early, which can help to prevent more serious problems from developing later on. 

This practical demonstration of your commitment to the welfare of your team helps build a positive work environment. It can help build employee loyalty to your company, helping you retain staff long-term. 

In addition, employees who are healthier take less time off sick, so supporting your team’s health can reduce absenteeism too. 

3. Convenient

Many employees need help finding the time to visit an optician, particularly if they have busy schedules or family responsibilities. Eyecare vouchers for employers can be used to book appointments at a time that is convenient for the employee, so they can receive the eye care services they need without having to take time off work. It helps them keep their annual leave for when they really need it, helping them maintain a work-life balance. 

This can help with keeping productivity too; with fewer employees taking off ad hoc hours to attend appointments, you can maintain productivity throughout the week. 

To what extent are you investing in employee wellbeing?

Eyecare vouchers are just one benefit that can support your team’s wellbeing. Human beings are complicated, and an individual’s wellbeing is not just based on how well they are physically. There can be any number of factors affecting your team member’s wellbeing at work, ranging from financial concerns to mental health issues. 

To make sure you are providing a thorough package of support, provide benefits that support all aspects of your team’s wellness. It can feel daunting to build such a package, so we’ve created a great wellbeing toolkit, one that helps you:

• Audit your current programme.
• Give you a step-by-step process for building a comprehensive workplace wellness strategy. 
• Explain why workplace wellness is important for overall organisational success.

We call it our Workplace Wellness Step-by-Step Guide. Download it here and make sure you’re caring for all aspects of your team’s wellbeing.

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