Workforce health and well-being must be a priority for business

Health and well-being within the workplace should be higher on the corporate agenda, with evidence that few companies are investing in improving employees health, according to new research released today by Business in the Community.

The íSpend Now, Save Nowí survey produced by Business in the Community, vielife and HR Magazine shows that while a healthy workplace is rated in the top five people issues that boardrooms are concerned about, close to 70 per cent of businesses do not effectively promote health and well-being at work.

The study, which surveyed 454 Chief Executives, Finance Directors and HR Directors, was used to find out how employee health and well-being at work was regarded by business. It also details the benefits of pro-actively investing in health at work and suggests practical approaches to improve employeesí health and performance.

The research showed that employers recognised the impact of health in the workplace, its importance and the need for health at work to receive more attention. However, many businesses struggled to deal confidently with the costs, and still tend to focus on treating sickness rather than promoting health.

Despite the fact that sickness absence is not a new issue for companies, costing UK employers 12 billion per year*, one in four of CEOs and FDs questioned do not know what ill-health costs their organisation.

The research also suggests that employers are confused about what constitutes health at work. For example, mental health, which has a significant impact on employeeís performance is ranked the least important people issue facing boardrooms, among all respondents.

Julia Cleverdon, Chief Executive Business in the Community said that implementing healthy workplace practices should be an integral part of being a responsible employer.

Business Action on Health is a new campaign for BITC and we are now working with leading companies to help establish measurement and reporting on health as commonplace in UK boardrooms.

Achieving business benefit and improving public health requires small but significant progressive steps, shifting from cure to prevention.

Copies of the report are available online at