Why workplaces need to invest in employee health

We spend a great deal our adult lives in and around the workplace, making them the perfect place to improve people’s health. But right now, they are often doing the opposite.

An increasing number of people are having to stop work because of sickness, with our recent analysis showing that over 3.3 million people will be economically inactive due to long-term health conditions over the next decade.

On top of this, ten million people currently don’t have access to basic workplace health support, and 13 million people work for employers where managers aren’t given training in health and wellbeing promotion.

None of this is good for business. We’re losing 185 days to ill health every year, costing the economy over £100 billion.

To fix this, we need employers to step up and recognise the impact workplaces can have on their employees’ health – and the economy.

What can employers do to improve workplace health?

HR professionals and wider leadership teams have a pivotal role to play in ensuring that our collective ambitions for healthier workplaces become a reality. There are a range of initiatives that they could take up to make an impact.

Interventions like the Making Every Contact Count (MECC) approach can make an impact through starting millions of everyday conversations about health and wellbeing.

Violence Prevention and Reduction training could give frontline staff in at-risk environments the support they need to prevent violence before it even happens, which is better for everyone.

Offering vaccines through employers could drastically reduce the number of people that are struck down by seasonal illnesses like the flu. Health checks at work can identify employees at higher risk of developing heart diseases.

When workplaces are healthy places, everyone reaps the benefits. It helps keep employees happy and healthy, takes pressure off the NHS, and improves productivity.

The Health and Work Network

We want to work with employers of every size to make workplace health a reality, by putting robust support in place.

That’s why we’ve launched the Health and Work Network, bringing together employers to demonstrate their commitment to workplace wellbeing, share best practice and help inform what future standards look like.

Representing employers with more than 10,000 staff across the country, the Network is unique in its focus on improving workplace wellbeing schemes. Whether it is demonstrating your commitment to potential recruits, finessing an established offer, or getting started in this space, the Network can help you realise the benefits of employee wellbeing.