Over a third of workers believe their employers have the greatest responsibility for their health

• Nearly half of employees who have had more than a month off work cite work-related health issues
• 7 in 10 employees have never been referred to occupational health
• Over half of respondents believe their working conditions significantly impact overall health, which rises to nearly three-quarters of those aged 25-34
• 79% of employees believe the government should encourage companies to invest in occupational health via tax incentives
• Employee wellbeing programmes return between £2 and £10 for every £1 spent

More than a third of workers believe their employers have the greatest responsibility for their health, according to new research from leading independent healthcare provider Spire Healthcare.

The research reveals that 38% of the UK workforce believes the onus is on employers when it comes to responsibility for their health, which rises sharply to 46% among those aged 35-44.

The insight comes from a new health-at-work survey of 1,000 employees and 200 employers commissioned by Spire Healthcare which reveals that employers are failing to grasp the benefits of providing workplace healthcare services.

The research additionally found that nearly half of employees (46%) who have had to take more than a month off work during the past three years, did so due to incidents or health issues directly related to their working environment. In turn, more than two-thirds of employees said they have never been referred to occupational health services by their employer, despite workplace absences rising.

With the UK unemployment rate climbing to its highest point in two years at 4.4%[1], a near-record 2.8 million[2] too ill to work because of long-term sickness and the average rate of employee absence in the UK rising to 7.8 days per year, up from 5.8 days before the pandemic[3], employers are being urged to make employee health and wellbeing a top priority. The survey found that despite increasing absences, 70% of employees said they have never been referred to occupational health services by their employer.

Moreover, 78% think employers should be responsible for supporting physical wellbeing, while 80% said the same for mental wellbeing support.

Mental health support was the most popular service provided by businesses (82%), with it also being the most popular service requested by employees.  Some six in 10 employees expressed a desire to access mental health training, Employee Assistance Programmes and counselling through their employer.

Lack of understanding costing employers

The physical and mental impact of working environments on health and wellbeing is also clear, with 57% of employees believing that their working conditions significantly impact their overall health – a figure that jumps to 72% for those aged 25-34.

Despite this, less than half (47%) of employers say they mostly understand the full range of occupational health services that can be provided, such as mental health support or absence management. For smaller and mid-sized firms with 101-250 staff, comprehension of occupational health and available services drops to just 14%.

Cost is a further factor, with budgetary constraints cited by organisations as the biggest barrier to improving their working environments. 45% of employers listed lack of money as the key challenge.

Caroline Gardiner, Managing Director of Spire Occupational Health, "For years occupational health has been viewed by too many businesses as an unwieldy cost rather than a vital investment. With people living and working longer than ever before, safeguarding the health of employees needs to be a priority. Last year, 186 million working days were lost due to sickness, and this is estimated to cost around £150 billion a year, with employers shouldering around a fifth of this cost.[4] With workplace absence rates rising sharply, the impact of sickness and ill health within the UK workforce is not just of concern from an employer’s duty of care perspective, but also for productivity and retention, a business’s bottom line and more widely, economic prosperity."

Employers in the dark about financial benefits

Although 94% of employers surveyed believe in the importance of occupational health in maintaining a healthy and productive workforce, only a third (33%) said they were very familiar with the financial benefits of investing in occupational health and employee wellbeing programmes.

The Local Government Association cite figures which show employee wellbeing programmes return between £2 and £10 for every £1 spent, whilst the Confederation of British Industry estimate that an expansion of occupational health provision could save the economy £60bn per year.[5]

The vast majority (77%) of employees agree that employers should invest more in occupational health, while 79% said the government should incentivise companies to do so.

Caroline Gardiner continued: "People are an organisation's most valuable asset and this is why we believe there should be financial incentives and tax breaks to encourage employers to invest fully in occupational health services for their employees. Encouraging greater corporate investment in employee health would be a policy move that would not only pay dividends in improved workplace productivity but also alleviate pressures on the NHS. With the workforce getting older and having to work for longer, there has never been a more crucial time for employers to take a proactive, preventative, and holistic approach to occupational health and employee wellbeing.

Caroline Gardiner concluded: “By prioritising the health and wellbeing of employees, businesses can cultivate a happier, more engaged workforce while reaping the benefits. The time is now for a fundamental shift in how employee health is valued.”

[1] https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peoplenotinwork/unemployment#datasets

[2] Health Foundation analysis of ONS data, Feb 2024

[3] https://cipd.org/uk/knowledge/reports/health-well-being-work/

[4] https://policyexchange.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/None-of-our-Business.pdf

[5] Cited in https://policyexchange.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/None-of-our-Business.pdf