What Are the New Health at Work Standards, And How Will They Impact UK Workplace Culture?

The UK government is currently consulting on ways to increase uptake of Occupational Health provision, with the aim of keeping workers healthy, and reducing the numbers out of work due to long-term sickness.???????????

The consultation is open until 30th September 2023 and proposes to introduce a National Health at Work Standard for all employers, with the aim of providing a ‘baseline for quality OH provision’, which will include guidance, options to pursue accreditation and additional government support services.

It will also explore the potential benefits of tax incentives for employers who invest in OH services, and the possibility of reforming statutory sick pay to make it more flexible and supportive for today’s diverse workforce.

A widespread problem requiring a national solution

According to The Office for National Statistics, long term sickness is an increasingly frequent reason for economic inactivity, making up 28% (2.5million) of all those out of the labour market in the second half of last year. The ONS believes this could be related to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ageing population, as well as the current socio-economic environment and other common factors which could be negatively impacting widespread physical and mental health.

The consultation welcomes views from employers, employees, healthcare professionals, regulators, and other stakeholders. If implemented in the right way, the standards could have a potentially positive impact on workplace culture, as well as a much-needed boost for attraction and retention of employees across the UK.

After the Flexible Working Act gained royal ascent this July, the new Wellbeing at Work Standards are an additional step towards transforming UK workplace culture and practice, which has been experiencing a paradigm shift since the start of the global pandemic.

In addition to improving the wellbeing of employees across the country, the standards have a number of other potential benefits, including: ?

●???????Improved employee health and productivity - Providing quality OH services will help employers to prevent and manage work-related health issues, reduce absenteeism and presenteeism, and support employees to return to work after sickness .

●???????Enhanced employee engagement and satisfaction - Investing in employee wellbeing shows employers are serious about their commitment to supporting their staff, as well fostering a positive workplace culture, and increasing the likelihood of employee loyalty and motivation.

●???????Strengthened employer brand and reputation - By adopting a national standard for health at work, employers can differentiate themselves from competitors, attract and retain talent, and meet or exceed the expectations of customers and stakeholders.

But how effective will the new standards be at implementing authentic change across a multiplicity of work environments, some of which have been notably resistant towards transformative work practice?

As ever, these benefits will heavily depend on how well the new standards are implemented and communicated by employers, and how they align with other aspects of their wellbeing strategy.

A positive company culture based on an environment of trust, modelled behaviour and genuine intention, should be the foundation of any wellbeing at work strategy, if authentic and meaningful transformation and behaviour change is to be successfully implemented and embedded.

Alma Sheren is Marketing, Communications & Content Lead for Greenacre Recruitment, Board Member of CIH London Region, and a Researcher and Writer on Workplace Transformation, Change Management and Leadership Development.