The British Standards Institution (BSI) will help develop a new standard for healthy working as part of the Keep Britain Working Review while the number of employers signed-up has more than doubled.
An independent advisory panel has also been created, comprising employers, trade unions and disability inclusion campaigners, to advise the government and Sir Charlie Mayfield, co-chair of the programme, on how to move forward.
This panel will, in partnership with the British Standards Institution (BSI), develop a new standard for healthy working.
When the initiative, which is designed to reduce lost productivity due to illness or disability, was unveiled in November it had the support of 60 employers.
However, 90 more have since signed up meaning the programme has the backing of 150 organisations employing 1.5 million people, alongside 10 mayoral and strategic authorities.
Areas the programme is looking at include increasing the number of disabled people in the workforce, spotting and managing ill health early and supporting employees who are returning to work following a health-related absence.
British Airways, Transport for London, Aviva, BP, Tesco, Marks & Spencer’s and Centrica are just some of the employers backing the review.
The government says that 2.8 million people are not at work due to long-term sickness, which is one in five adults. This has increased by 800,000 since 2019.
‘What good looks like’
The move to was welcomed by trade body Group Risk Development (Grid). Katharine Moxham, spokesperson for Grid, said she was pleased to see the government working to establish a workplace health standard.
“The collaboration with the BSI to develop a national workplace health standard is a watershed moment, essentially codifying ‘what good looks like’.
“It signals a move away from seeing health as purely an individual or NHS issue, framing it instead as a shared responsibility between the state, employers and employees which is vital for economic resilience.
“Those employers who already have group income protection in place will be ahead of the game in terms of meeting the Workplace Health Standard and keeping their people in work.”
A collective voice
Sir Charlie said the numbers spoke for themselves: “This is a serious problem. But, it’s also fixable.
“The response and engagement from employers, mayors and leaders across the whole of the UK has been extraordinary. We are moving at pace to surface, consider and solve the issues.”
Work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden added: “That 150 organisations have already stepped forward to be part of it, showing just how much appetite there is for an employer-led approach to supporting disabled employees and those experiencing ill-health.
“Business is our partner in building a productive workforce because when businesses retain talent and reduce workplace ill-health, everyone wins.”
Karin Smyth, minister for secondary care, said: “Good health is the foundation of a productive working life, and this programme shows what’s possible when government and employers work together with that shared goal in mind.
“Too many people are leaving work early because of ill-health that could have been prevented or better managed.
“Keep Britain Working is changing that – by embedding healthy working practices across sectors and regions, we can help people stay well, stay in work, and thrive.”