Source: DBS. To introduce iHealth@DBS, DBS Asia Hub employees were encouraged to participate in a large group workout.

DBS Bank introduced iHealth@DBS, a comprehensive health management platform, to further cultivate a culture of well-being for its employees. The goal of this centralized platform is to promote lasting behavioral changes among staff. This will be achieved through interactive engagement on digital platforms, including mobile devices and wearable technology.

iHealth@DBS is the newest addition to a comprehensive package of wellness benefits offered to DBS employees. These perks include a robust portable medical insurance plan and adaptable health benefits, empowering staff to actively manage their health and well-being.

According to the 2010 National Health Survey, roughly 40% of Singaporeans are overweight, based on their body mass indexes (BMI). Additionally, nearly half of Singaporeans have borderline high or high cholesterol. In response to this trend, DBS aims to further motivate its staff to take control of their health and embrace a lifestyle that prevents illness.

Furthermore, The Tower Watson Staying@Work 2013/2014 Asia Pacific report revealed that companies with well-implemented health and wellness programs experience lower absenteeism rates and a 39% increase in overall employee performance. An internal study conducted by DBS showed that a healthier workforce leads to higher productivity and cost savings. This, in turn, allows the bank to invest more in employee health and provide better, more flexible health benefits.

Cheong Meng Foong, DBS’ Group Head of Rewards, stated, “DBS is committed to employee health for the long haul, as we aim to be the employer of choice. Over the past three years, we’ve taken a comprehensive approach to maintaining our staff’s health. Beyond providing health benefits, it’s crucial to motivate behavioral change by making it easy for employees to incorporate healthy living practices into their daily routines. iHealth@DBS is structured to empower employees to concentrate on health initiatives that best suit their lifestyles.”

All 21,000 employees across the bank’s six primary markets now have personal iHealth accounts. These accounts offer tailored information that addresses their nutritional, social, physical, and financial well-being needs. iHealth@DBS also utilizes data analytics to assist staff in developing plans to achieve specific fitness objectives. When combined with fitness trackers, this helps employees monitor their nutrition, sleep patterns, and physical activity.

To initiate this lifestyle shift, the bank launched its first iStep Challenge. In this challenge, employees are encouraged to create teams and compete to accumulate the highest step count over ten weeks. Nearly 30% of DBS staff have joined this challenge. Aiming to make healthy living enjoyable, the bank is capitalizing on the growing popularity of wearable technology. They have provided FitBugs to participating employees to simplify progress tracking as they work towards a healthier lifestyle.

However, iHealth@DBS is just one of the numerous initiatives the bank has implemented to foster a culture of healthy living among its employees. Since 2011, the bank has offered free yearly health screenings to all employees, aiding in the early detection of diseases. These screenings also allow DBS to identify health trends and develop measures to proactively help employees protect themselves against potential health concerns.

As companies are increasingly encouraged to adopt portable medical solutions, DBS is among the first to introduce the “Shield Companion Plan.” This innovative medical plan complements employees’ existing portable enhanced MediShield Plan, reducing overlapping medical coverage. Through this scheme, the bank contributes a fixed sum to their employees’ MediSave accounts to lower the cost of their portable medical plan premiums.

Additionally, employees have access to an iFlex account. This is a flexible spending account provided annually by the bank, allowing employees to customize benefits according to their personal needs. Staff can use their iFlex funds for a range of health and wellness items, as well as work-life balance expenses for themselves and their families. These may include dependent medical costs, vision care, health screenings, dental expenses, and even travel costs.