Should employers commit to doing ‘no harm’ to staff health and wellbeing?
Should employers commit to doing ‘no harm’ to staff health and wellbeing?
A new study by the Institute for Public Policy Research think tank has claimed that the cost of sickness among employees has risen by £30 billion since 2018. The whole landscape of health and wellbeing and the role of business has changed, it says.
Presenteeism has been singled out as the core problem. While sick leave is now at an average level of 6.7 days a year, up from 3.7 days in 2018, around 44 days of productivity a year are lost due to people working through sickness (up from 35 days in 2018).
A ‘do no harm’ duty
In its report, the IPPR has called for a ‘pro-business’ plan that means a new, more pro-active role for businesses in promoting employee health and workplace wellbeing.
This includes new tax incentives for companies that commit to significant improvements in the health of their workforce, including the security, flexibility and pay of their staff (focused mainly on SMEs); a new ‘do no harm’ duty for employers, paying more attention to health outcomes rather than just safety inputs; and new compulsory reporting on worker health to help private investors differentiate between “health-orientated and health-harming businesses”.
Understanding what’s happening
EAPA UK chair, Karl Bennett said: “How aware are most businesses of the reasons their staff are absent or not performing? I don’t just mean the line manager, or colleagues, I mean every level of the business. How joined up is the organisational infrastructure? Is HR training their managers to hold constructive, productive return to work, leavers and 1:1 sessions with their team?
“Whether there is formal regulation in place or not, employers need to pay more attention to the wellbeing landscape within their organisation. Which groups are under most pressure and why? How can they best be supported so that they feel part of something? EAP partners are well-placed to provide both insights and support.
“It’s a fact that if an employee doesn’t feel like they are part of something, they will disengage, which could ultimately result in lethargy and presenteeism.”