Posted on Friday 16th December 2022
Businesses in Staffordshire are supporting their employees’ health and wellbeing – reducing absence and boosting productivity – through a county council programme.
The Workplace Health initiative is supporting businesses through free to access health and wellbeing support. Businesses and organisations can benefit from free workplace health checks for their employees as well as online advice.
Businesses can find out more by visiting the Workplace Health Staffordshire website at: www.staffordshire.gov.uk/WorkplaceHealth
It includes advice on healthy lifestyles, active travel to work, air quality in the workplace, mental health, and a sign-up link to the Healthy Workplace Newsletter.
Adhesive and sealant company Bostik, which has a production site in Stafford, signed up to Workplace Health and it’s making a positive difference to its employees.
Marketing director Mat Whitehouse said:
Just by pointing people in the right direction in terms of health and wellbeing can make them stop and think. The inconvenience of having to go to the doctors often means that people put off health checks.
We value our staff very highly and obviously their health is very important to us. Since the scheme began here staff seem to be happier, more buoyant and more active. We want our staff to lead healthy and happy lives and this scheme is a great way to support that.”
Engineering team leader Mel Dodd said:
The team comes in and will do a general health check taking height, weight and blood pressure monitoring. It was very informative, straightforward and well organised. “This is good for any company to do as it shows that they care about your wellbeing.”
In the UK, around 141 million working days are lost every year to sickness absence, according to ONS data. This costs businesses almost £92 billion a year.
Musculoskeletal problems are a leading cause of sickness absence, while 17.5 million absence days in the UK were caused by mental health conditions such as stress anxiety and depression. Attending work while sick also hits business productivity.
Through improved workplace health, employees have increased motivation and morale, quicker recovery from illness and increased job satisfaction. Employers see improved productivity, greater staff retention and associated reduction in new employee training costs, fewer workplace injuries and a more positive corporate image.
Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet support member for public health and integrated care Paul Northcott said:
Everyone deserves to be healthy and happy in the workplace and when they do experience ill health that the right care and support is in place from their employer. Employees also have a crucial role to play in looking out for their colleagues at work and offering their support when they can.
Because those in full-time employment spend most of their time at work, it makes sense for their managers to take advantage of the free-to-access health and wellbeing expert support from Staffordshire County Council. Ultimately it leads to a more satisfied, consistent and productive workforce.
The offer combines the expertise of a range of professional organisations, both online and in person.”
Businesses can find out more by viewing the county council’s Workplace Health video at: https://bit.ly/3EJ12uZ
They can see how the Workplace Health team supported Bostik Stafford at: https://bit.ly/3WkjcJA