A think-tank says that there needs to be “a national reset” on workplace health in 2025. Government and employers must work together to address the ‘greatest challenge of employment for a generation’, and to stop the flow of workers quitting their jobs due to ill health.
A poll of over 1,000 senior business leaders found that two thirds (64%) believed poor employee health had a negative impact on the economic performance of their organisation.
A similar percentage of respondents (66%) believe that the inadequate provision of healthcare by recent governments is at least partly responsible for this decline in the health status among people working age.
64% of employers surveyed also believe that workers are responsible for their unhealthy lifestyles.
Over half (51%) of respondents agreed that employers play a part in the decline of health by not supporting their employees’ health and well-being.
The UK is the only G7 nation with a lower workforce than it was before the Covid-19 epidemic.
The foundation analyzed data from the Office for National Statistics and found that nearly 2.8 million people were economically inactive due to long-term illness – an increase by 676,000 between December 2019 and February 2020.
The foundation released a longitudinal study in December that tracked the employment paths of over 9,000 UK workers. Nearly one in ten (9%) of those who experienced a decline in their health left the workforce by the end four-year period.
The analysis showed that nearly half of these employees left their jobs within the first year. Access to flexibility in the workplace is crucial for people with health issues who want to stay at work. The analysis showed that employees who did not have any flexibility within their roles were four-times more likely to quit work when their health declined.
Researchers found that having multiple health problems makes it more likely for workers to leave their jobs.
Workers with one disability or health condition are 1.5 times more likely to quit work after a negative transition in health than workers without any disability or health condition.
This likelihood increases by 2.4 times if you have two health or disability conditions, and to 5.6 for three or more.
Ben Harrison, director at Lancaster University’s Work Foundation, stated: “The Government has called the rising rates of long-term illness the ‘greatest challenge to employment for a generation.’ To address it, employers and government will need to work together in order to reset the UK’s approach to workforce wellness and to ensure that anyone who is able to work can find a secure and sustainable job.
“Reducing NHS wait lists and improving access to healthcare is critical, but it’s only part of the picture. It is a fact that it becomes more difficult to get someone back to work after they have been out of work because of illness. Employers themselves need to invest more in creating secure, flexible, and healthy workplaces that are inclusive. This can help retain those who become ill.
The foundation has made several recommendations to the government, including:
- Assert that the Employment Rights Bill ensures secure and flexible work from the first day of employment.
- The Health and Safety at Work etc Act, 1974 should be revised to reflect the current challenges facing modern workers and improve enforcement of mental health risk assessment and prevention measures.
- Lead a transformation strategy of occupational health services focusing on improving and extending coverage for all employees, with large employers providing mandatory provisions and funding support for SMEs.
- Strengthening and increasing Statutory Sick Pay to encourage retention and allow a gradual return to work. Also, explore the possibility of subsidising long-term absences.
Harrison said that “our research found a ‘knowledge to action gap’ in the UK when it comes to addressing workplace ill-health.”
“Employers – particularly SMEs – are aware of these challenges, but they do not always possess the necessary resources or capacities to help workers stay in the workforce. We would like the government to work proactively with employers as we approach the spending reviews and commit to creating a UK-wide one-stop network of workforce health hubs that offer funded SME services integrated with public-health initiatives.
