Health Strategies That Work Across Generations: Insights from Allianz’s 2024 Global Study
In today’s workplace, managing employee health and wellbeing isn’t just about offering a one-size-fits-all solution. Generational differences – ranging from health literacy and technology preferences to mental health concerns and expectations around ageing – require more nuanced and data-driven approaches.
Allianz Care’s Generational Health Insights 2024 report sheds valuable light on how people of different ages think about health, what support they need, and where employers can have the greatest impact.
Preventive Care: The Most Overlooked Priority
The report reveals that across all generations, many people misunderstand what preventive care actually means. Too often, it’s confused with hygiene or short-term health fixes. The result? Underuse of essential tools like cancer screenings, diabetes testing, and lifestyle intervention programs.
Employer takeaway: Build better preventive care literacy into your health insurance orientation, internal comms, and wellness programs. Promote existing benefits like annual health check-ups, vaccinations, and early-detection screenings already embedded in your plan.
Healthy Ageing: It’s About Quality, Not Just Longevity
As global life expectancy increases, so does concern about the quality of life in later years. Employees want to age well, but worry about chronic conditions, limited access to care, and their ability to stay active and engaged.
Employer takeaway: Think long-term. Chronic condition coaching, lifestyle improvement programs, and targeted benefits for mid-to-late-career employees can support healthy ageing and increase productivity.
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Mental Health: Gen Z Leads the Charge, But Everyone’s Affected
Mental health is a key concern – particularly for Gen Z, nearly half of whom report frequent anxiety, with over 20% reporting regular depression. But all generations have their own mental health challenges, from burnout and isolation to work-life imbalance.
Young adults (18 to 25 years) exhibit the highest prevalence of mental illness at 33.7%, followed by adults aged 26 to 49 years at
28.1%, and those 50 and older at 15%.
Employer takeaway: Invest in flexible, multi-format mental health solutions – EAPs, virtual therapy, wellness coaching, and stigma-free internal comms. Consider generational preferences: older employees may prefer phone-based or in-person support, while younger staff may engage better with app-based or chat services.
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Digital Health: Enhance Access, Don’t Replace Humans
A 6,500% increase in mental health app prescriptions speaks volumes: digital health is here to stay. But Allianz’s report makes one thing clear – employees still value the human side of healthcare.
Employer takeaway: Digital health tools can improve access and convenience, but make sure they complement – not replace – the personal experience. Help your staff navigate what’s available through their health insurance plan and offer clear guidance on when to use what.
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What This Means for Employers
Your workforce is more generationally diverse than ever. That means expectations around health care and well-being are diverging too.
By tailoring benefits communication, improving preventive health awareness, and offering flexible access to care – both digital and in-person – employers can meet the needs of all generations.
At One World Cover, we help clients get more out of the benefits they’re already paying for. That means aligning health strategy with workforce needs, simplifying access, and using data to cut waste – not value.
To learn more please get in touch: [email protected] or click here to contact us.
