Ban on smoking in public raises awareness of health and wellbeing in workplace

53% of UK employers pay more attention to employee health thanks to ban

76% of Scottish employers pay more attention to health of employees

Healthy workforce boosts staff motivation, increases productivity and reduces absenteeism

With less than six weeks to go until smoking in public places -including the workplace - is banned in England, just over half of UK employers (53%) say the ban has made them more aware of the importance of the health and wellbeing of their workforce, according to research released today by Manpower, the UKís leading employment services provider.

The independent research of over 1,800 employers throughout the UK reveals that while many say the ban will make them pay more attention to health and wellbeing in the workplace, fewer than half (46%) are providing access to, or encouraging, healthy living in such ways as free/subsidised gym facilities, free fruit, healthy food, diet counselling ñ and 50% of employers have no plans to introduce such initiatives. And despite a public drive to raise awareness of the dangers of smoking, only 20% of employers are providing advice on how to quit smoking.

However, the research reveals that a ban on smoking in public may change attitudes towards health in coming months: where the ban was introduced in Scotland in March 2006, 76% of employers say it has made them pay more attention to health and wellbeing in their workplace.

Jason Greaves, Director of Commercial Staffing at Manpower UK, says: ìHealth and wellbeing is the responsibility of everyone. Many employers across all industry sectors recognise the benefits of a healthy workforce as it has a clear impact on their business - in areas including productivity, motivation, absence management and staff retention.

Overall, 82% of the UK employers surveyed consider a healthy workforce improves staff motivation, 64% say that it increases productivity, and 56% that it reduces absenteeism. However, there are marked differences between the perceived benefits of a healthy workforce by industry sector. Employers in the Finance & Business Services sector (87%) are most likely to consider a healthy workforce to be a more motivated workforce, whereas employers in the Manufacturing sector (73%) are more likely to recognise the increase in productivity associated with a healthy workforce.

The research reveals that employers in non-service based industries are least likely to offer their employees health and wellbeing benefits, and when employers in these sectors do promote healthy living initiatives, it is most likely to be advice on how to stop smoking.

Jason continues: ìHealth benefits can be important tools in a recruitment and retention strategy: many job seekers today expect employers to offer such benefits. By making these available, employers in all industries will be better placed to recruit and retain the right people, then reap the benefits with a more motivated and productive workforce.î