November 2023 Newsletter

UK Government report on Occupational Health: Working Better

In line with our passion for championing workplace wellness, we enthusiastically engaged with the UK Government's 'Occupational Health: Working Better' Public Consultation unveiled in July.

Recently, the Department for Work and Pensions set out its response to the consultation, aligning with the Chancellor's Autumn Statement.

Key takeaways from their response encompass:

• Formation of an expert group to spearhead the development of a voluntary minimum framework for occupational health provision. This framework will delineate the essential level of occupational health intervention tailored to diverse business sizes, empowering employers to enhance employee health at work.
• Exploring avenues to assist SMEs in pooling resources to access occupational health services, fostering a supportive ecosystem.
• Clarification that occupational health will not be mandated for employers, ruling out an automatic enrolment scheme.
• No immediate plans to broaden the scope of professionals authorised to issue fit notes.

For an in-depth review, the complete Public Consultation published in July is accessible here, while the Department for Work and Pensions' response can be found here.

Our response resonates with this ethos: "The wellbeing of individuals in the workplace and aiding those transitioning back to work and robust health are fundamental for economic growth. As providers of occupational health services to nearly seven hundred employers, Spire Healthcare welcomes the government's commitment, as announced in the Autumn Statement, to forge a framework supporting top-tier occupational health. This framework will aim to outline the fundamental occupational health assistance employers can offer, thereby bolstering employee wellbeing. Guided by an expert group, we eagerly anticipate contributing to this initiative."

As part of Spire Healthcare, we stand firmly behind any measures which bolster occupational health standards. Together, let us champion a workplace environment where wellbeing thrives, benefitting individuals and businesses alike. Looking forward, we hope that it results in the introduction of tax incentives to encourage more employers to provide occupational health benefits.

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Greif awareness

Falling in the first week of December, National Grief Awareness Week is an annual event that aims to create a safe space for individuals to openly discuss their experiences with grief and loss. It encourages empathy, compassion, and support for those who are grieving, emphasising that grief is a universal and often challenging part of the human experience.

The event intends to provide support to those who are grieving, while raising awareness of the need to better understanding the grieving process. It acknowledges that grief is a natural response to loss and aims to break the stigma surrounding this deeply personal experience.

It is highly likely that you have a friend or work colleague that has lost a close friend or family member within the last few years and may need your support. Don’t be scared if a friend or work

colleague tells you that their mental health is suffering due to grief. Although it can be upsetting to see someone you are close to going through this, by offering friendship, you can make a huge difference.

Many of us find it difficult to talk about our mental health, even when it’s connected with something as natural as loss, but you don’t need to be an expert to do so and it can really help sufferers to recover. Talking can strengthen relationships and take the taboo out of something that affects us all.

Ways that you can look out for colleagues struggling at work:

• Avoid working in isolation: be mindful of the difficult emotions they are facing
• How are you?: Take time to ask your colleagues how they are doing
• Look out for changes: notice if someone is not quite themselves
• Be informed: take up mental health awareness training if offered

Coping with grief in the workplace can be challenging, and it's essential for both employees and employers to create a supportive environment. Here's our practical advice for employees coping with grief:

1. Communicate with your supervisor - Inform your supervisor about your situation as soon as you feel comfortable. Share any expected impacts on your work, such as potential absences or changes in productivity.
2. Know your rights and benefits - Familiarise yourself with company policies regarding bereavement leave, flexible work hours, or employee assistance programs. This information can guide you in making decisions about taking time off or seeking support.
3. Take the time you need - Grieving is a personal process that takes time. Don't rush back to work if you're not ready. Take advantage of any available bereavement leave and, if needed, explore other options like vacation or sick leave.
4. Utilise Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)Many companies offer EAPs that provide confidential counselling and support services. Take advantage of these resources to help you cope with grief and navigate its impact on your work.
5. Create a supportive work environment - Discuss your needs with your supervisor and coworkers to create a supportive work environment. This may include adjustments to your workload, flexible hours, or temporary changes in responsibilities.
6. Consider professional counselling - Grief counselling can provide valuable support during difficult times. If your company offers an EAP or has resources for mental health support, consider reaching out to a counsellor who specialises in grief.
7. Take care of yourself physically - Grieving can be physically exhausting. Pay attention to your health by getting enough sleep, maintaining a balanced diet, and engaging in regular exercise. Taking care of your physical well-being can positively impact your mental and emotional health.
8. Gradual return to work - If possible, consider a gradual return to work rather than jumping back in full-time immediately. This can help you adjust and manage your workload more effectively.

Remember, grief is a personal journey, and everyone copes differently. It's crucial to communicate your needs and seek the support that feels right for you. If your workplace has a Human Resources department, they can be a valuable resource in navigating these challenges.

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Healthy and hygienic winter workplaces

Winter can be a pretty miserable and grey time and it’s also peak flu season. The NHS lists colds, sore throats, asthma, norovirus, painful joints, heart attacks and flu as the core winter illnesses to watch out for. Cold weather itself isn’t directly to blame, but its effects on our lifestyles is. All the time we spend indoors, in close quarters with others, with little or no natural sunlight and reduced immune systems are the main culprits in the spread of illness.

The workplace ticks many of these boxes, especially those with air conditioning, which keeps air circulating and can spread airborne diseases around a building in no time.? It is estimated that the flu virus accounts for 10-12% of sickness days across the EU.

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How clean is your office?

Office hygiene is a key consideration when trying to reduce the spread of illness in employees. Joblist recently published results of their investigation into people’s hygiene in the workplace, with quite horrifying results.

The results get off to a worrying start, a quarter of respondents admitted to wearing sweaty clothes to work and almost the same amount said they don’t always remember to slap on some deodorant before they head out of the door.

When the study turns to behaviours that can spread illness things begin to get less amusing. Almost half of respondents admitted to not washing their hands before eating, although less (18%) said they didn’t wash before eating communal or shared food. Even more concerning, just under a quarter said they don’t cover their mouth when coughing and sneezing.

Between a quarter and half of women and men take their mobile phone to the bathroom and up to 25% didn’t wash their hands once they were finished.

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Sharing isn’t caring

A huge 73% of respondents claimed they had gone into work while sick, mostly with an active cold, but a quarter came in with serious illnesses such as an upset stomach or flu (20%). Once in the office they admitted to engaging in activities that may well hasten the spread of their illness, 63% attended meetings while just over half had desk discussions and 22% shook hands with co-workers.

Combining attendance while sick with poor hygiene habits and a failure to limit social interaction is a recipe for a virus to spread fast around the workplace. This can have a serious impact on productivity and be costly for any business.

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How to stop the spread

The vast majority of illnesses are spread through touch. In the workplace we come into contact with many items that others have also touched. The flu virus can last for up to 3 days on surfaces such as phones, keyboards, door handles, kettles, the list goes on. Luckily, while it is easy to spread illness, the steps needed to prevent it are very simple.

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Cleanliness

Three out of five infections are spread by dirty hands, so wash hands often and well. Experts advise:

• Washing hands in warm water
• Use antibacterial soap
• Scrub for at least 20 seconds
• Rinse carefully
• Dry fully

Hands should be washed at the very least after every bathroom visit, before food preparation and before eating.

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Stay away

If employees are unwell, the advice is that they should stay at home until their symptoms have gone. Encouraging staff to come in when they are unwell can spread illness across an entire company or organisation and the potential loss of many more working days. Reduced sick days may be a false economy, it does not account for presenteeism, employees who are returning to work, but are too unwell to complete their role effectively.

In some cases, offering the opportunity to work from home may be beneficial, especially when an illness is contagious but not debilitating. For example, common advice for Norovirus is to avoid contact for 48 hours after the sufferer was last sick.

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Contact sport

If working from home isn’t an option, and even after the person has recovered, ensuring excellent hygiene where possible is advisable. Ill employees should minimise their contact with others in the workplace. They should try and keep to themselves, ensuring they cover their mouth when they cough or sneeze, preferably with a tissue which can be disposed of immediately. When hand washing isn’t an option, hand sanitizer gel can be used (although it isn’t a substitute for soap and water).

Sick or recently unwell employees should avoid sharing utensils and towels with others in the workplace. So, to make them a hot drink is more than an act of kindness, it is one of self-preservation. But let them wash up their mug!

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Shared Space

If your organisation uses hot desking, consider providing antibacterial wipes or spray so that the new occupant can clean down the work space before use. Keyboards, desks, mice and phones are, unsurprisingly, some of the dirtiest items on a desk. The average keyboard can be host to 7,500 bacteria, while phones are home to around 25,000. Encourage employees to keep their workspace clean, dust free and to avoid eating there.

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Healthy Lifestyle

Aside from good hygiene, a healthy lifestyle is essential to minimising the spread of any illness. A balanced diet, regular exercise, fresh air and low stress levels all contribute to an individual’s ability to fight off whatever comes their way.

Employers can encourage and support all of this good behaviour via setting good examples from the top down, providing information sheets and emails. Advising on best practice and providing reminder posters in bathrooms and communal areas. Applying standard health and wellbeing best practice to the issue will keep the office healthy no matter what the time of the year.