Helping businesses in Wales to improve the health, safety and wellbeing of their workforce

Pauline MouldWorkplace Health Practitioner

Public Health Wales

Health Focus – what is health?

• “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”

• WHO definition of health formulated in 1948

Work /Lifestyle Risk factors

The Cost to Construction Sector – Quiz?

How many work related illnesses occur in the construction industry each year in the UK?

69,000

The Cost to Construction Sector – Quiz?

• How many working days were lost due to sickness absence from work related ill health?

1.2 million days

The Cost to Construction Sector

• Health not just safety – HSE now recognise this

• Most common reasons for absence – Musculoskeletal Disorders, Back pain, Stress

• Presenteeism can cost twice that of absenteeism in lost production and is particularly associated with mental health problems

What Is Stress?

• Stress is not an illness – it is a state. However, if stress becomes too excessive and prolonged, mental and physical illness may develop

• "The adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them at work."

Stress in the Construction Sector

• 36% described their workplace as a ‘high’ or ‘very high’ stress environment.

• 20%were unsure how they would support an employee suffering from work-related stress

So what are the construction industry going to do?

Construction Industry Response

• “The next step forward is to treat health like it is safety.That means planning in health at the preconstruction stage, making sure we have got the right expertise to support us, and nominating a senior representative at board level to improve health and well being within the workforce.”

• Heather Bryant, Health and Safety Director Balfour Beatty

Benefits of Workplace Health

More positive and motivated workforce – value & commitment

Increased productivity and competitiveness Beneficial in the bid process – helps to demonstrate how

staff are supported and developed Reduction in costs (sick pay and recruitment) Staff retention – skills, knowledge, positive culture Become an employer of choice Improved overall health of an ageing workforce Increase engagement

Sources:Bending et al, 2008, Black, 2008, CIPD Annual Survey Report, 2014, Burton, 2010, Rayton et al, 2012

What is available for Construction Companies in Wales?

Small Workplace Health Award

3 levels Up to 50 employees

Corporate Health Standard

4 levels More than 50

employees

Workplace Health AwardsWelsh Government national quality mark

for employers supporting and promoting the health & wellbeing of their workforce

Externally assessed & valid for three yearsNational PR exposure and recognition

The Awards:What can we do for you?

Talking you through the award process

Guidance on good practice

Sharing good practice

SignpostingLinks with other

organisations

Providing resourcesTrainingHelp on how to run

a healthy lifestyle event

Networking

Healthy Working Wales Events Employers engagement seminar and awards ceremony events Regionally based best practice workshops

Testimonials•The benefits for our business have been very good - a greater culture of team spirit and learning to work together at a different level than we have been used to. The programme brings together staff skills and interests and shows that we care about them•Our involvement with Healthy Working Wales has given us lots of ideas and confidence. We now have a very low turnover of staff and initiatives like this make our organisation a better place to work. It is good for morale and we have set our sights on achieving the Gold standard

Cure people’s ills and make them healthy for a day. Teach them to stay well and keep them healthy for a lifetime.”

Chinese Proverb

Thank you for listening – any questions?

Pauline MouldWorkplace Health PractitionerT: 07580901806E:pauline.mould@wales.nhs.uk