Recent office for National Statistics figures highlighted that around 131 million working days were lost last year to sickness absence and the approximate cost of absenteeism to British businesses is £32billion each year. With an ageing population, rising retirement age and the increase in chronic diseases linked to lifestyle, it is becoming more critical than ever to ensure a healthy long-term workforce.
From our work with over 25,000 organisations across the UK, from SMEs to large multinationals, we know that the working environment can play a vital role in shaping the health of employees and as a result, companies have a huge opportunity to influence the health of their workforce.
Organisations are starting to recognise the link between a healthy workforce and a healthy bottom line, as those that encourage health and wellness within the workplace see lower sickness absence, lower presenteeism and greater productivity.
However, more research is needed to understand the health of the nation; how chronic diseases caused by lifestyle choices, for example smoking and poor nutrition, impact both employees and their companies. We also need to better understand how employers approach wellness in the workplace, and deduce how various corporate initiatives are faring in delivering real and measurable improvements in the health and wellbeing of their people.
PruHealth is aiming to do exactly this with the launch of Britain's Healthiest Company. It is the first initiative of its kind in the UK to find out just how healthy Britain's workers are, and to provide tailored recommendations to help participating companies improve employee health. In addition, Britain's Healthiest Company will provide a benchmark to track key health issues over time, and also evaluate which initiatives are having a positive impact on employees' health and where the biggest risks lie.
The information collated will give vital insight and understanding into how healthy today's workforce is and which organisations are holding the gold medals when it comes to safeguarding their employees' health and motivating them to lead a healthier way of life.
It's easy to get involved. Companies with at least 100 employees can register online at www.britainshealthiestcompany.co.uk. At the end of the process, organisations will receive a Corporate Health Report, including benchmarking data and customised recommendations for employee health improvement.
Employees will also each receive a tailored Personal Health Report, which includes personalised goals. Finally if your organisation is ranked as one of Britain's Healthiest Companies, you will appear in the Britain's Healthiest Companies Index and feature in a dedicated supplement in the Sunday Telegraph. The estimated cost of absenteeism in 2012 is already £25.5 billion and rising. The clock is ticking, it's time to act.