A think tank has warned that if the government wants to stop people with health problems from leaving the workforce, it must adopt ‘ambitious’ reforms.
The government has also been urged to adopt the standard for ‘Health at Work,’ originally proposed by Sunak’s administration.
Ben Harrison, director at Lancaster University’s Work Foundation, responded to The ‘discovery’ phase report in the Keep Britain Working Review that was published this week by saying Its longitudinal analysis showed early intervention and flexibility were key to support workers with health issues to remain in the workplace.
Nearly nine percent of employees who experienced a decline in their health left work in four years, and half did so within the first 12 months. He also argued that workers who did not have flexibility in their jobs were four times as likely to quit after experiencing a decline in health.
The findings of Sir Charlie Mayfield’s Keep Britain Working Discovery Report are a reminder that reforms must be undertaken to stop the exodus of people with health problems from the workforce.
“As Sir Charlie has pointed out, UK employers prefer to let employees with poor health go and replace them rather than try to retain them. Keep Britain Working Review should find solutions for this. The Keep Britain Working Review must find solutions to this problem.
The report correctly highlights the challenges faced by different worker groups including young people. The review should concentrate on ways employers can be encouraged to support workers. For example, through an extended duty of care for employers, subsidising long-term illness absence and supporting additional vocational training.
He said that if this review was to be successful, and support the government’s economic growth goals, it would need to start a national reset of workforce health with the backing of both the government and employers.
Becci Newton of the Institute for Employment Studies’ director of public-policy research said that the report “diagnoses issues well”. The review report “diagnoses the issues well”, according to Becci Newton, director of public policy research at the Institute for Employment Studies.
Newton said that employers’ involvement in this is crucial. “They need support to make employment work for those with health conditions.
“At the system level, it is important to integrate health and employment systems. This includes a greater emphasis on what people are capable of doing rather than what they cannot. We know that primary care is overstretched. Newton stated that a new approach was needed.
Sarah McIntosh, chief executive of Mental Health First Aid England, welcomed the report’s focus on prevention. She said that the review’s focus on workplace flexibility and good management aligns with her belief that prevention is always better than cure.
“We support its call for more evidence about increasing incentives for employers to retain their employees. We believe that a better understanding and knowledge of mental health is essential to achieve this.
“We welcome the emphasis on reducing distance between employers on sick leave and employees. Communication breakdowns can exacerbate absences and make returning to work difficult. This can be bridged by training managers to have compassionate, confident conversations about mental illness.
The Keep Britain Working Review offers an opportunity for lasting change. MHFA England will do its part to ensure that mental health is at the forefront of discussions on employment and economic activity,” McIntosh said.
Steve Bridger said, in line with the review’s recommendation, that it would “share best practices on what we as employers and insurers have found works in helping employees stay healthy and return to work after illness.”
He said: “The vocational rehab model provided by insurance is based on a case-management approach. It brings in both clinical and vocational experts and works with the employee and employer to agree upon workplace adjustments. It also reviews progress regularly and ensures that appropriate support is available to help them remain at work.
“We agree that the government is responsible for encouraging, championing, and supporting effective practices, particularly in terms of prevention.
We believe that the government, in a time of financial hardship, can improve workplace health by requiring large employers to be more transparent about their workplace support. There should be a national standard for ‘Health at Work,’ and a better way to access guidance on best practices.
Bridger stated that “this approach would enhance workplace standards by making them competitive and open-source for larger employers while providing smaller employers a benchmark for which to strive, as well as appropriate support.”
Subscribe to our weekly HR news and guidance
Every Wednesday, receive the Personnel Today Direct newsletter.
