Flexible working shown to boost morale and wellbeing
In a comprehensive two-year study conducted by Timewise and the Institute for Employment Studies, with funding from Impact on Urban Health, the effects of increased flexibility on frontline and site-based roles were meticulously analysed. This research project, named Flex For All, aimed to explore how providing more input and control over working patterns could influence […]
Poor work-life balance affects the mental health of 9 out of 10 women
A study conducted by Bloom UK has revealed that over 90% of women have encountered mental health challenges due to inadequate work-life balance. The survey, which targeted 704 women in the marketing and communications sector, explored their perceptions of work-life balance and its impact on their personal well-being. According to the findings, more than two-fifths […]
Record number of work days lost to long-term sickness
Long-term sickness levels continue to be a significant challenge for employers with recent statistics revealing concerning trends. In the period from October to December 2023, the number of economically inactive individuals aged 16-64 due to long-term sickness surged to a staggering 2.8 million. This data underscores the pressing need for proactive measures to address this […]
Managing stress in the workplace
We conducted our annual SME Business Survey at the end of 2023 and asked what the most important aspects of Health and Safety over the next 12 months would be. Mental health came out top, with 68% of SME business leaders stating that mental health would be their biggest health and safety challenge in 2024, […]
‘Time to Talk Day’ and help to prevent work related ill health
The beginning of February marked Time to Talk Day. Effect change across workplaces in Britain by joining the effort to raise awareness about stress prevention and support for mental well-being during key moments throughout the year. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE)’s Working Minds campaign gives employers access to a calendar highlighting awareness days, weeks, […]
New mental health and wellbeing plan
In April, the government opened a consultation seeking views on what could be done to improve everyone’s mental health and wellbeing. Acas set out its response to the call for evidence, which dealt with the question “do you have ideas for how employers can support and protect the mental health of their employees”. Some of […]
Absences due to ill-health (long term)
There is no legal definition of ‘long-term’ absence so it is up to the employer to decide at what point such absences need to be formally reviewed. Often a trigger procedure that alerts you once an employee has been absent for an unbroken period is put in place, typically set at four, six or 13 […]
True Cost of Presenteeism Revealed
Sickness absence and illness costs a month of productivity per employee, research has revealed. This is at an estimated cost of £57 billion a year to UK businesses. Workplace health initiative Britain’s Healthiest Company (BHC) surveyed more than 32,500 employees for the research. The aim of the study was to examine the true impact of […]
