Anita ChurchouseBSc(Hons) OH SCPHN RGN AIOSH QNOccupational Health Consultant

Are you looking after your people?

Are you looking after…

So we are going to look today at: Requirements and good practice for securing the health and wellbeing

of the workforce

Wellbeing has become one of the most over-used phrases in the English language. It helps sell anything from yogurt to holidays, pillows to pills. There is even a national well-being index intended to gauge the quality of life of people in the UK, as well as environmental and sustainability issues and even the country’s economic performance. (TUC)

Wellbeing is colourful and exciting !

Who else might help steer

wellbeing policy?

BUT… I don’t have ALL the answers!

The Wellbeing Button

ASK YOURSELVES…

Why am I here?

What do I want to get out of

this?

What do I want to learn about workplace

wellbeing?

Will I do anything different personally or professionally as a result of this session?

Can I influence wellbeing in my organisation?

Do you know…?

1.3 million people experience work-related stress

144 workers are killed at work in UK each year ( plus 529 on the roads driving for work)

30 million adults spend ¼ of their waking time every week in employment

300,000 people fall out of work in the UK every year onto benefits

30.4 million working days are lost every year due to illness or injury (HSE 2015)

2.1 million have an illness that has been caused of made worse by work

621,000 injuries occurred at work according to the Labour Force Survey

Only 1 in 10 organisations have a wellness strategy

70% businesses have no access to Occupational Health Services

£14.1 billion estimated cost of injuries and ill health from working conditions (2014/15)

What is health?Health is a complete state of “physical, mental and social wellbeing and notmerely the absence of disease”. (WHO)

What is wellbeing?The subjective state of being healthy, happy, contented, comfortable and satisfied with one’s quality of life. It includes physical material, social, emotional (“happiness”), and development and activity dimensions.”( Waddell & Burton / IOSH)

Is there a difference?

Should health and wellbeing be the responsibility of the employer?

Whose responsibility is health and wellbeing?

Aims and objectives (4 in 122 pages)

1. How do we measure and define wellbeing in the workplace? Eudemonic approaches the extent to which a person experiences feelings that are considered to demonstrate good mental health (e.g. the extent to which they feel a sense of purpose).

WELLBEING: The government took 3 years to discover in 2014, what HSE discovered in 2004 ( Management Standards)

2.What employee and job characteristics influence wellbeing in the workplace?

3. What employer practices have the greatest positive impact on wellbeing in the workplace?

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/366637/bis-14-1120-does-worker-wellbeing-affect-workplace-performance-final.pdf

• Autonomy, a measure of control • Participation in decision-making • Variety in work• Clarity over what is expected• Feedback on performance• Opportunity to use / develop skills• Supportive supervision • Positive interpersonal contact• A perception of fairness in workplace• Higher pay• Pleasant environment• Working equipment• Physical security• Job security with career prospects

4. Is there any evidence to link employee wellbeing and business performance?

Evidence showed that:

Workplaces with "very satisfied" employees had higher labour productivity, higher quality of output, and higher overall performance.

Believed to be due to employees …• Being able to think more creatively and being more effective at problem –solving• Having more positive attitudes to work - raising their propensity to be co-operative and collaborative• Having improved general and cardiovascular health and immunity, enabling speedier recovery from illness, and

securing greater levels of energy and effort.

Workplaces with "very dissatisfied" employees had lower financial performance and lower overall performance.

Health & wellness at work is about collaboration

Are you happy with your organisation’s approach to safety?

AYES:

I think my organisation has the right approach

to safety

BNO:

I do NOT think my organisation has the

right approach to safety

CI am UNSURE:

If my organisation has the right approach to

safety

Are you happy with your organisation’s approach to health & wellbeing?

AYES:

I think my organisation has the right approach to health & wellbeing

BNO:

I do NOT think my organisation has the

right approach to health & wellbeing

CI am UNSURE:

If my organisation has the right approach to

health & wellbeing

What is the average number of days lost (by each UK employee) through sickness absence in 2016? (CIPD Absence Management Report)

A3 days

B6 days

C18 days

What was the estimated cost of sickness absence to a company with 100 employees in 2016? (CIPD Absence Management Report)

A£17,500

B£38,400

C£52,200

The cost of sickness absence

What is the average number of days lost through sickness absence per employee per

year in the UK?

6.3 days per employee

CIPD 2016 Absence Management Survey

What was the overall median cost of sickness

absence per employee in UK in 2016 ?

£522 per employee £835 in public sector

A company employing 100 people will lose over

630 days a year.The cost to a company employing 100 people will be £52,200+ pa

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/workplace-wellbeing-tool

There are ways to work out your sickness absence costs on line…

Workplace wellbeing: Multifaceted approachesSTRATEGY

Acas

Workplace Wellbeing Charter

Employee: Happy healthy motivated

Line Manager:Caring, respectful, approachable, supportiveManager

EHealth & Safety:Human Resources:Occupational Health: AND other professionalsRisk assessment, polices and procedures, health promotional strategies, individual and manager support, specialist advice

H&SHROH

Policies Risk Assessment

SupportControl risk

PromoteDirectors / Senior Leadership: CULTUREResources, commitmentLeadership and role modellingTrust and respect and values

An Approach to Health & WellnessDirectorsSenior Leadership

CULTURE

ValuesCommitment

LeadershipResources

Trust and Respect

Based on IOSH model

Legal requirements

Well-being

Organisation needs

Overall health of workforce

Health and wellness at work requires an integrated approach…

Promotion: Well-being

• Workplace wellbeing strategy• Robust health policies & surveys• Encouragement of healthy culture• Training and health opportunities

Protection: Organisational needs• A holistic organisational approach • Health Needs Assessment and demographics• Employer commitment and quality management• Employee engagement• Positive health culture and robust policies

Prevention: Legal requirements

• Quality workplace hazard assessment• Risk reduction strategies and reviews• Training and education of the workforce• Robust policies and safety interventions• Compliance with statutory surveillance

Health Protection: Organisation needs

Organisation needs

Recruitment: Right person right job Appropriate person specification

Pre-work health assessmentInduction and role clarity

Protect vulnerable groups

Physical environment

Demographics / SurveyHealth needs

Learning & DevelopmentTraining of managers

POLICIES:Attendance/ PerformanceSubstance misuse, Bullying Harassment / Behavioural

Equality and Reasonable Adjustments

Measure productivity and assess losses

Diligence in sickness absence reporting

Job Design

• Chemicals: ( Skin / respiratory)• Thermal environment (Hot / Cold)• Biological / BBVs• Animals

Health prevention: Legal requirements

Legal requirements

Hazard and risk Identification

Risk reduction (ALARP)

Incident management

Audit and inspections

• Noise / Vibration• Work at height• Lone working• Confined space

• Young workers• Pregnant• Vulnerable groups

• Psychological risks• Stress

Health promotion: Wellbeing culture and forward thinking

Well-being

Cycle to work schemesChanging & shower facilities / lockers

Encouragement to exerciseTeam events

Global challenge

Fruit at workHealthy canteen food

Healthy vending machineAlternative to cream cake for birthdays

EAP: CounsellingPhysiotherapy /

chiropractic supportTRiM

Future thinkingStanding meetings

Volunteer daysMental Health First Aid

Champions

Training opportunities,Health Campaigns

Macmillan, AA, Smoking Cessation,Retirement Preparation

http://landing.unum.co.uk/unusual-and-useful-staff-retention-strategies-that-wont-break-the-bank

Could workplace wellbeing be the secret to employee happiness?According to 77% of employees, it may well be.

Unum: Employee Benefit provider

http://www.unum.co.uk/workplace-wellbeing#employee-benefits

Future-proofing your business…MINDFULNESS• Taking of breaks / holidays• Nurture mental healthCOLLABORATION• Workshops• DiscussionsFEXIBLE WORKING• Home working / openess• Aging workforce need

mental and physical energyUSE OF TECHNOLOGY• Intuitive / Intelligent

Innovation

GET BRITAIN STANDING: http://www.getbritainstanding.org/

https://be.macmillan.org.uk/be/p-19603-the-essential-work-and-cancer-toolkit.aspx

MACMILLAN

https://wellbeing.bitc.org.uk/all-resources/toolkits?toolkit_key=&&&&page=1

BITC / PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND

INSURANCE CO UNIONs

ACASIOSH

PHYSIOTHERAPISTERGONOMIST

PSYCHOLOGISTEAP / IAPT

http://drivingergonomics.lboro.ac.uk/

DRIVER ERGONOMICS

FREE NHSHealth-check

Occupational HealthSpecialists

Health & Safety Specialists

Employee

Line Manager

Human Resources Specialists

Understanding of working environments

Update on individual risk assessments

BUSINESS

NEEDS

LEGAL

COMPLIANCE

HEALTH &

WELLNESS

There is no 'one size fits all’ health and wellness strategy, but where employers are able to raise wellbeing in their workforce, they are also likely to see improvements in the performance of their workplace.

Stress, depression and anxiety accounted for 40% of the 1.29 million new and long-standing cases of work-related ill health in 2016-17, while musculoskeletal disorders made up 39%.

Working lives are getting longer. By 2030, it is expected that older workers, those aged over 55, will make up more than 30% of the UK’s workforce.

The UK has a rapidly aging workforce and 40% of the 50 – 64 age group have a chronic illness or disability

Future-proofing your business…

Thanks for listening…

Are you happy with your organisation’s approach to wellbeing?

AYES:

I think my organisation has the right approach

to wellbeing

BNO:

I do NOT think my organisation has the

right approach to wellbeing

CI am UNSURE:

If my organisation has the right approach to

wellbeing

INSPIRATIONAL IOSH 2017 SESSIONS ON MENTAL HEALTH, WELLBEING AND MINDFULNESS:

Held at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham on November 20-21, IOSH 2017 will be an unmissable opportunity to prepare for 2018 Wellbeing, in particular mental health - a competitive advantage? Geoff McDonald, Executive Director - Open Minds Health, will present a strong business case for grappling with the issue of mental wellbeing at work

A positive approach to psychosocial risks: creating an engaged workforce: The key question is 'How to create an organisation where people are able and willing to do their best work?'

Workplace wellbeing: bridging safety and health: A true culture of health and safety is dependent on not only a strong safety programme, but also one that focuses on worker wellbeing

The use of mindfulness in health and safety to reduce incidents: Mindfulness is an extremely effective tool in reducing the number of incidents that occur in the transport sector, and research from the railway industry demonstrates how it can make a difference by significantly reducing the level of incidents

HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENThttps://www.k4health.org/sites/default/files/migrated_toolkit_files/Health_Needs_Assessment_A_Practical_Guide.pdf

EAST MIDLANDS PUBLIC HEALTH OBSERVATORYhttps://www.behealthyatwork.org/documents/Workplace_HNA_for_Employers20Feb2012.pdf

USEFUL REFERENCES HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT IN WORKPLACE

WORKPLACE WELLBEING CHARTERhttp://www.wellbeingcharter.org.uk/index.html

HEALTHY WORKPLACE GUIDE (2006)https://www.hseni.gov.uk/sites/hseni.gov.uk/files/publications/%5Bcurrent-domain%3Amachine-name%5D/work-well-workplace-guide-2006.pdf

CIPDhttps://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/culture/well-being

ACAS discussion paper - The future of health and wellbeing in the workplace [267kb]

Anita ChurchouseBSc(Hons) OH SCPHN RGN AIOSH QN

Occupational Health

Thank you for listening