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Health horizons

Supporting the health of your multigenerational workforce

The population is ageing and UK workforces now span multiple generations. Recent evidence shows over 8 million people aged 16 to 64 have a long‑term health condition that limits the type or amount of work they can do.1 Health challenges also vary by age: 16% of people aged 16 to 34 report work‑limiting conditions, compared with 27% of those aged 50 to 64.2 The majority of those who had chronic conditions were aged 50 to 64, whereas mental health conditions were highest in those aged 16 to 24. 3

Adapting to a multigenerational workforce

With life expectancies and retirement ages increasing, this is inevitably leading to a workforce that is multigenerational.4 And each generation will have had very different experiences that may even shape how they view and engage with matters relating to health.

Baby boomers (1946 - 1964)

This generation benefited from greater access to healthcare and most notably the creation of the NHS. They may value physician advice more than later generations, and may turn to the internet for health information.5

Gen X (1965 - 1979)

This generation were the first to have computers but will remember what it is was like before the computers and the internet. They are open to digital tools but may prefer to talk to a doctor.5

Gen Y or Millennials (1980 - 1995)

This generation grew up with computers, mobile phones and social media becoming a part of normal life and work. Having adapted to the digital age may make them comfortable using health related technology.5

Gen Z (1995 - 2009)

This generation will have spent their early adulthood in the COVID 19 pandemic. Digital technology and social media will have been a major part of their life, and they may even seek health information from social media. This generation may also value mental health more, having experienced less mental health stigma than earlier generations.5

This emphasises the importance of personalised health, to help organisations respond effectively to diverse health needs. Personalised health can ensure the health of employees across all age groups are accounted for.

What is personalised health?

In today’s world, we now have the tools to understand our own health more than ever before. From genetic testing to wearable devices, we can now access insights that guide decisions unique to our needs. This is all a part of personalised health that is set to transform healthcare.

Personalised health is still developing, but the idea is to ensure healthcare becomes more precise, proactive and relevant to each person. Personalised health often refers to using information about your genes, lifestyle, health data and environment to tailor prevention, diagnosis and care to you as an individual.6

As we know, a multigenerational workforce may present different health needs and expectations, so it only makes sense to harness what personalised health offers for your business. Healthcare has often been the same for everyone, following a one-size-fits- all approach. But we’re all different. For instance, health issues for older workers might include musculoskeletal conditions, arthritis, diabetes, prostate issues and menopausal symptoms.4 But this won’t be the same for younger workers who will have different health needs, in particular poor mental health.8 Personalising health can give people advice and treatment options that truly reflect their needs.

There are many health apps now available that provide a convenient way for individuals to manage or improve aspects of their health.7,9 Use of step counters have been shown to increase physical activity and reduce risk of several chronic diseases when people achieve higher daily step counts.

Digital wearables are also becoming more prominent. These include watches, rings and patches capable of taking real time physiological or biochemical measurements such as sleep, physical activity and heart rate.9, 11 This type of data could help people take more of an active role in their health and management of chronic conditions such as diabetes.11 Wearables and apps are even able to measure stress levels, which could help identify when employees have elevated stress. Whether it’s work related or for other reasons, by being alerted to it appropriate action can be taken and support given.

Personalised health is the way forward for healthcare providers to support people before problems develop. Insights from genomics, assessments and digital health data can highlight early risks, helping individuals manage their health proactively rather than waiting for symptoms to appear.

What are the benefits of personalised healthcare to businesses?

With a multigenerational workforce with different needs, a personalised approach to health may be needed to ensure all of your team’s health needs are looked after. As an employer you by law have a duty to protect the health of your employees. Your employees may also be keen to make positive lifestyle choices. And you can support them to achieve their health goals. Implementing personalised health could have many potential benefits in your organisation.

Reducing work absence

Healthcare that focuses on prevention could be a means to avoid health issues that would require time off work. In 2024 there were 148 million working days lost to sickness, compared to 119 million days in 2020.16 The most common reasons for absence include minor illnesses such as coughs, colds and flu.16 Mental health conditions and musculoskeletal conditions were also common reasons. Regular health check-ups and health monitoring can spot any problems early so that they can be treated quicker.

Improving staff engagement and performance

By prioritising the health of your employees and working to prevent health issues, this can positively impact their engagement and improve productivity. It can also make your business more attractive to prospective employees, as 56% of UK workers say they’re more likely to accept a job with an employer who actively supports long-term health. 17

Supporting retention

Only 3% of employees with a health condition return to work after 12 months.1 A personalised approach that involves early action can help employees return to work sooner, supporting higher retention of employees with valuable skills and knowledge. 1

Health Horizons

Our recent Health Horizons event brought experts together to discuss why we are entering a new era of personalised healthcare - one that identifies individual health risks and delivers targeted solutions, helping people avoid unnecessary treatment and recover more quickly.  

Watch the Health Horizons: The power of personalised healthcare.

 

  1. Action for healthier working lives. The Health Foundation. health.org.uk, published March 2025. https://www.health.org.uk/reports-and-analysis/reports/action-for-healthier-working-lives
  2. What we know about the UK’s working-age health challenge. The Health Foundation. health.org.uk, published November 2023. https://www.health.org.uk/reports-andanalysis/analysis/what-we-know-about-the-uk-s-working-age-health-challenge
  3. Health conditions among working-age people. The Health Foundation. health.org.uk, published September 2024. https://www.health.org.uk/evidence-hub/work/healthconditions-among-working-age-people
  4. How are ageing demographics impacting the wider public health workforce? Royal Society for Public Health. rsph.org.uk, October 2024. https://www.rsph.org.uk/insights/how-are-ageing-demographics-impacting-the-widerpublic-health-workforce/
  5. Cecconi C, Adams R, Cardone A, et al. Generational differences in healthcare: the role of technology in the path forward. Front Public Health. 2025 Feb 26;13:1546317. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1546317. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11897013/
  6. Personalised prevention in England. The Health Foundation. health.org.uk, published September 2024. https://www.health.org.uk/reports-andanalysis/briefings/personalised-prevention-in-england
  7. Kang HS, Exworthy M. Wearing the Future-Wearables to Empower Users to Take Greater Responsibility for Their Health and Care: Scoping Review. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2022 Jul 13;10(7):e35684. doi: 10.2196/35684. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9330198/
  8. Two in five younger workers fear deteriorating health could force them out of work, research finds. People Management. peoplemanagement.co.uk, published June 2025. https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/article/1922552/two-five-younger-workers-feardeteriorating-health-force-work-research-finds
  9. Babu M, Lautman Z, Lin X, et al. Wearable Devices: Implications for Precision Medicine and the Future of Health Care. Annu Rev Med. 2024 Jan 29;75:401-415. doi: 10.1146/annurev-med-052422-020437. https://www.annualreviews.org/docserver/fulltext/med/75/1/annurev-med-052422020437.pdf?expires=1770994574&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=88AD12CBBFA4 B6C00C9743703A44249B
  10. Master H, Annis J, Huang S, et al. Association of step counts over time with the risk of chronic disease in the All of Us Research Program. Nat Med. 2022 Nov;28(11):2301- 2308. doi: 10.1038/s41591-022-02012-w. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36216933/
  11. Jafleh EA, Alnaqbi FA, Almaeeni HA, et al.The Role of Wearable Devices in Chronic Disease Monitoring and Patient Care: A Comprehensive Review. Cureus. 2024 Sep 8;16(9):e68921. doi: 10.7759/cureus.68921. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39381470/
  12. Cancer genomics. Genomics England. genomicsengland.co.uk, accessed February 2026. https://www.genomicsengland.co.uk/genomic-medicine/understandinggenomics/cancer-genomics
  13. Slunecka JL, van der Zee MD, Beck JJ, et al. Implementation and implications for polygenic risk scores in healthcare. Hum Genomics. 2021 Jul 20;15(1):46. doi: 10.1186/s40246-021-00339-y. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34284826/
  14. Rollinson V, Turner R, Pirmohamed M. Pharmacogenomics for Primary Care: An Overview. Genes (Basel). 2020 Nov 12;11(11):1337. doi: 10.3390/genes11111337. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33198260/
  15. Personalised prescribing: using pharmacogenomics to improve patient outcomes. Report of a working party. Royal College of Physicians and British Pharmacological Society London. bps.ac.uk, published March 2022. https://www.bps.ac.uk/getmedia/b43a3dca-1bbf-4bff-9379- 20bef9349a8c/Personalised-prescribing-full-report.pdf.aspx
  16. Sickness Absence in the UK Labour Market: 2023 and 2024. Office for National Statistics. ons.gov.uk, published June 2025. https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentande mployeetypes/datasets/sicknessabsenceinthelabourmarket
  17. Majority of employees attracted to companies who proactively support their health. Employer News. employernews.co.uk published February 2025. https://employernews.co.uk/news/majority-of-employees-attracted-to-companieswho-proactively-support-their-health/
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