Worker Ill-Health: Employer-Government Partnership To Tackle ‘Avoidable Crisis’

More than 60 employers, including retailers and foodservice operators, are joining forces with the government to stem the rising tide of ill-health that is pushing people out of work, holding back growth, and costing UK businesses £85 billion each year.

The joint effort is designed to reshape how health issues and disabilities are managed in the workplace, with the aim of developing a voluntary certified standard by 2029. 

The partnership will drive action to “prevent ill-health, support people to stay in work, and help employers build healthier, more resilient workplaces”, according to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

The announcement comes in response to former John Lewis chair Sir Charlie Mayfield’s ‘Keep Britain Working Review’, which finds that more than 9 million people are ‘economically inactive’ – neither in employment nor looking for a job.

Published on 5 November, the landmark government report sets out the stark reality facing the UK:

• One in five working-age adults are now out of the labour force – 800,000 more than in 2019 due to health reasons.

• The cost of ill-health that prevents work equals 7% of GDP – nearly 70% of all income-tax receipts.

• UK employment among disabled people stands at 53%, below leading OECD nations.

• Employers lose £85 billion a year from sickness, turnover, and lost productivity.

A New Approach To Health At Work

With Britain ‘sliding into an avoidable crisis’, according to Mayfield, the government is partnering with both major and small employers, including leading names such as British Beer and Pub Association, Google UK, John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Nando’s, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and UKHospitality, alongside regional mayors and SMEs. 

Over the next three years these early adopters will develop and refine workplace health approaches based on recommendations from Mayfield’s report in order to build the evidence for what works. 

By developing a new workplace support system, the aim is to reduce sickness absence, improve return-to-work rates, and increase disability employment rates. 

The government then plans to develop these changes into a voluntary certified standard by 2029. 

DWP said the scheme builds on the work the government is carrying out to give businesses the skilled workforce they need by investing £1 billion annually in disability employment support by the end of the decade. 

The drive is aimed at giving people the skills and opportunities to move out of poverty and into good, secure jobs as part of the government’s Plan for Change. 

Employers Uniquely Placed To Offer Support

Emma Taylor, Chief People Officer at Tesco, said the retailer recognises that good work is “vital to our national health” as well as benefiting the economy. 

“At Tesco, wellbeing comes first at all stages of working life,” Taylor commented. “Through our expanded Stronger Starts scheme we’re already setting more young people up for the world of work, and we see the vanguard scheme as a crucial step towards healthy and fulfilling working lives for all.” 

The priorities laid out in the Keep Britain Working Review to develop healthier and more resilient workplaces are “the right ones”, according to Kate Nicholls, Chair of UKHospitality.

“I’m pleased that UKHospitality will act as a sector Vanguard to co-ordinate activity, share best practice and drive change,” explained Nicholls. “This business-first approach is critical in order to utilise hospitality’s unique qualities as an entry point for those coming back into work or starting work for the first-time.”

Download the Keep Britain Working Review here.