UK ‘will lose 600,000 workers to illness without better health support at work’ | Work and careers
An additional 600,000 people will leave the UK workforce in the next decade due to long-term health conditions, unless ministers introduce a “fundamental shift” in how employers help safeguard staff wellbeing, a report has warned.
More than 3.3 million adults are expected to become economically inactive by 2035, according to analysis by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), costing the UK £36 billion a year.
This expected 26% increase would represent the equivalent of the entire city of Bristol leaving the workforce. It has prompted the RSPH to call for a recalibration of how workplaces are used to support people with conditions such as musculoskeletal disorders, mental health problems and cardiovascular disease.
The numbers come before the next Keeping Britain Working Reviewscheduled for release this month. The independent review, conducted by Sir Charlie Mayfield, is expected to make several recommendations about the role of UK employers and government in tackling health-related inactivity and creating and maintaining healthy and inclusive workplaces.
“The UK’s productivity crisis is one of the biggest challenges facing our economy and long-term health conditions in the workforce are a key factor in this,” according to William Roberts, chief executive at RSPH. “We need a radical shift in the way we see employers’ role in keeping people healthy, backed by a national standard covering all UK employees.”
As a result, the Royal Society for Public Health is calling for a range of measures which they say will make workplaces better equipped to support the health of their employees. These measures include a national health and work standard, which would set out the minimum support to which all UK workers are entitled.
“The deteriorating health of the working-age population is one of the biggest challenges facing the government,” said Sam Attwell, director of policy and research at the Health Foundation.
He added: “The only sustainable way to meet this challenge is to keep people healthier and in work longer. The Keep Britain Working review represents a vital opportunity to change that. It should recommend that the government and employers take early action on workforce health through clearer standards and create a roadmap to expand access to specialist caseworker support that helps people stay healthy and in work for longer.”
Previous analysis by RSPH found that almost half of the UK workforce lacks access to workplace health support, including winter flu vaccinations and cardiovascular disease screenings.
Jamie O’Halloran, senior research fellow at the Health Foundation, said: “If we are to reduce economic inactivity and raise employment, harnessing the role of employers will be essential. Doing so will benefit not only the government, but also employers themselves – through lower staff turnover, lower presenteeism, and increased productivity.
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“We believe this requires raising minimum standards of support for employees in all workplaces, while also helping and encouraging businesses to move forward. Investing in employees – especially in executives – benefits employees and employers alike. It improves workers’ health and well-being while enhancing overall health and business performance.”
A government spokesperson said: “Good work is good for health and good for the economy. Through our 10-year health plan, we are moving from illness to prevention and helping frontline staff such as GPs and physiotherapists provide patients with the personal support they need to get back to work. The upcoming Keep Britain Working review also looks at how employers can support employee health and create more inclusive workplaces.”
“Every person we can help stay in or return to work is not only changing their lives – they are also contributing to our communities, economic growth and building the healthier, more prosperous nation we all want to see.”