By focusing on employee health, 100,000 workers could be prevented from quitting their jobs

A report has suggested that a more proactive approach towards employee health would prevent 100,000 people from losing their jobs over the next five-year period.

The Commission for Healthier Working Lives has released a report that calls for a more proactive, preventative approach for people who are ill before they have to be forced out of work.

Separately, the TUC published an analysis that showed the number of days missed due to work-related illness has risen by a third in the last three years – from 34 million days.

The commission, which is overseen by Health Foundation, and consists of employers, worker representative and policy experts, has argued that this proactive approach to economic growth is crucial in order to reduce the benefits bill, build a healthier UK and increase economic development.

The commission has stated that with more than 8 million people reporting work-limiting conditions, the health of the workforce is deteriorating, especially among young people. This poses a growing risk to employers, government finances, and the wellbeing of people.

The current system for supporting people with poor health is fragmented and inconsistent. It is also too focused on those who have retired from work rather than helping them stay in employment.

In the report Action for Healthier Working Lives, the authors argue that a new partnership between the government, business and individuals will be needed to achieve the long-term change needed.

The research shows that employers are concerned about the health of their employees. More than half (51%) say they expect health issues to become more prevalent over the next five-year period.

Poor workforce health has the most negative impact on businesses. Employers attribute this to increased workload for team members (54%), decreased productivity for affected employees (40%), as well as stress and burnout among managers (39%).

The initial modelling done by the commission suggests that its recommendations for a proactive approach to employee’s health could keep 100,000 people more in the workplace over the next five year. The report makes recommendations for:

• Examine job design, accessibility, and best practices in workforce health, retention and health, with an emphasis on priority sectors, such as education, health, social care and transport, and tailor-made support for small and medium businesses.
• Launch a service led by caseworkers to offer independent advice to employers and workers, as well as advocacy and referrals to other support services. This will ensure that people are not thrown out of work.
• Examine statutory sick leave to make sure it supports people in returning to work and helps businesses manage any additional costs.
• Introduce a vocational rehab benefit that will support people up to a maximum of 12 months in order to assist them with their transition back to employment.
• Introduce a bold, new offer to encourage people back to work. This will guarantee that they won’t lose their benefits if they return to work for at least the next 18 months.

TUC’s analysis of official stats, on the other hand, concluded that work-related illness now costs the UK economy over PS415m. The number of sick days – such as stress, depression and anxiousness – has increased by more than a third in the last three years.

Between 2023 and 2024, the latest year for which data is available, 34 million working hours were lost due to illness at work – up from 22 million in 2010 Work-related illness is estimated to be responsible for a PS21.6bn reduction in economic output between 2022 and 2023, the latest year with figures available.

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak stated: “Improving quality of work is good for both workers and the economy.” We lose billions every year because of work-related illness.

Sacha Romanovitch (chairperson of the Commission for Healthier Working Lives) said in the report: “‘Intervening Early can help people with Health Conditions to Stay Healthy and in Work. The government and employers must work together to eliminate the barriers that cause people with health issues to quit their jobs. This will help individuals, businesses, and our economy thrive.

We know that good jobs can give people a sense purpose, a social connection and financial security. This can lead to a binary, unhelpful way of thinking.

“We know many people with medical conditions want to be employed, but they require the right support at the right moment. We need to help people remain in employment by providing a good job design and case worker-led assistance, as well as a welfare system which rewards work, no matter how many hours are worked. The current system is failing people and it must change,” Romanovitch said.

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