[SPONSORED CONTENT]
The World Health Organization estimates that around 1.7 billion people are affected by musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions worldwide.
Some health issues can be acute, starting suddenly and lasting for a short time, or they can be persistent, lasting for a long time and not going away as quickly as you would expect.
In the UK, Versus Arthritis estimated that MSK conditions result in the loss of approximately 15.2 million working days a year.
Despite this, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) believes only one in five of those affected consult their GP about these issues.
Meanwhile mental health conditions are the reason for 13% of days taken as sickness absence according to Office for National Statistics data, with the HSE finding around one in six people experience a common mental health problem in any given week.
By supporting the MSK health of your team, you can help to look after both their physical and mental wellbeing.
Two-way street
The relationship between mental health and musculoskeletal health can be described as a two-way street.
Chronic pain can adversely affect an individual’s emotional state, reducing energy and potentially causing anxiety or depression.
On the other hand, feeling stressed or having mental health troubles can show up as physical aches and pains.
Therefore, addressing mental health is crucial in managing your team’s MSK wellbeing.
It is important for businesses to recognise that despite these challenges affecting each employee differently, there are still ways they can help.
By regularly engaging with your team, you can assess their wellbeing and offer any assistance they may need for their MSK health.
Try to inquire about any job-related factors that may affect their health to address and reduce potential risks.
This approach will help to keep your team active at work, or in facilitating their recovery and return to work following an MSK absence.
Many issues can improve significantly with appropriate care and support, so by encouraging your team to communicate any issues, you can implement early intervention support strategies.
Employee feedback
Additionally, consider seeking your employees’ feedback on any MSK related changes in the workplace, and involve them in finding solutions.
Some changes you can make in the workplace might benefit lots of your employees, while others may be more specific to the needs of one individual.
A great way of doing this is to try to encourage simple ways to help your team to stay healthy while they’re in the workplace.
You could send emails with ideas for eating well. Maybe each person could choose a new vegetable or bean to try cooking with and then tell the others how it went, the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) suggests.
Group or solo exercise is also a fantastic way for your team to maintain a healthy weight. It also reduces stress, makes sleep better, improves mental health, and strengthens muscles and bones. It can also ease symptoms for those already managing an MSK disorder.
Keep things fun and make sure no one is left out of your health plans. As a leader, creating a good space for this is key to making a difference. This will also support a strong focus on health and happiness at work, the BNF adds.
Mental health and MSK conditions are the two leading causes of sickness absence from work.
If you champion support for these conditions, you’ll be helping to keep your organisation healthier and happier.
You can find even more helpful insight by visiting Bupa’s workplace wellbeing hub.