The business case for health at work: Why employers should invest in employee wellbeing

Did you know that having a comprehensive health and wellbeing programme at work can boost productivity by as much as 20%? Yet nearly half of UK workers do not have access to workplace health support, including basics like employee health checks. And even then, ony 3-5% of staff actually use employer assist programme (EAP) schemes.

Companies are constantly looking for ways to increase productivity and reduce costs – we know that one way to do this is to enable healthcare access for staff, and we were pleased to see the Royal Society for Public Health’s report ‘ A Better Way of Doing Business ‘ singing from the same song sheet.

We support corporate clients with a number of items for their employer toolkits, including our popular Verve On Demand mental health, physiotherapy and private GP service where you only pay for the appointments that your staff use, our

Verve Health Assessments

to help spot and address issues before they escalate into bigger problems, and our Verve Occupational Health Services.
The RSPH report highlights the importance of workplace health schemes and their potential to transform both staff health and business performance. It paints a concerning picture of the UK’s largest workforce health problem, with record numbers of people absent from the workforce and 185 million working days lost to ill-health each year. The need for effective workplace health interventions has never been more pressing.
The UK faces higher rates of preventable illness compared to other European countries, with mental health issues, musculoskeletal problems, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic conditions being the most common work-limiting health conditions. These health challenges don’t affect all workers equally – the report picks out that those in lower-paid roles and more demanding jobs often face greater health risks and have less access to support.
Poor employee health comes with a significant price tag for businesses. The report authors note that the direct cost of ill health to UK companies – through both absenteeism and reduced productivity from presenteeism – is estimated at around £100 billion annually. For small businesses, this translates to an average of £3,500 each year in sickness absence-related costs alone.
The impact extends beyond immediate financial losses. When health problems force an employee to leave their role, the cost of replacing and training a new staff member can be as high as one-third of that employee’s annual salary. Overlaying the facts that one in three employees leave their job each year, this turnover is costing businesses around 10% of their wage bill.
At Verve Healthcare, we believe that investing in employee health and wellbeing isn’t just about reducing costs – it’s about creating a more productive, engaged, and resilient workforce.
The RSPH report suggests that a comprehensive health and wellbeing programme at work can boost productivity by as much as 20%.
Supporting employee health can lead to: Increased resilience
Better employee engagement
Reduced sickness absence
Higher performance and productivity
Even relatively small interventions, particularly around mental health, can have a significant impact on workforce productivity.
How Verve Healthcare can help
At Verve Healthcare, we understand the challenges businesses face in choosing effective workplace health programmes. With our 30 years’ of NHS experience, we’re well positioned to help companies create healthier, happier, and more productive workforces.
Our healthcare services include:
Mental health support: Our team of experienced mental health professionals can provide a number of interventions to help your employees maintain good mental health.
Physiotherapy: Our physiotherapists can help manage and treat musculoskeletal issues, which are a leading cause of workplace absence.
Private GP services: Quick access to medical advice can help employees address health concerns before they become serious issues.
Employee health assessments:
Regular health checks can identify potential health risks early, allowing for proactive interventions. These services can be tailored to meet the specific needs of your workforce, ensuring that you’re providing the most effective support possible.
We believe employees should have a right to a healthy workplace. This would involve employers taking active steps to protect and promote employee health, going beyond traditional health and safety measures.
Some key recommendations from the report include:
A mandatory national Health and Work Standard:
This would set a minimum level of health support that all employees should be entitled to. This move, not yet in place, is also something we supported in our response to the then government’s occupational health consultation. We said in our response that there are already key standards available that can help employers work out what to do, and that we should first rely on them rather than develop new criteria. With this in mind, we would recommend employers look at SEQOHS, COHPA and/or ISO 4500 standards which go into risk factors in greater detail. We note that Victoria Starmer, wife of UK Prime Minister Kier, is an occupational health professional in the NHS and hope that this on-the-ground experience will permeate into government thinking.
Full sick pay from day one: This would help ensure that employees can take time off when needed without financial worry. This is part of the government’s Employment Rights Bill (at the time of writing) going through readings and consultations.
Upskilling managers:
The report emphasises inconsistency among managers is one of the biggest barriers faced by employees, particularly those with long-term health conditions. With support from occupational health specialists, HR teams can better embed health improvement across their organisations. We are always surprised by the statistic that 85% of new people managers have never had people management training. At Verve Healthcare we work with a range of HR and employment services to help individuals and teams, through our Verve Proactive Partners service.
Government incentives for workplace health investment
: Particularly for SMEs, to help them reap the long-term rewards of a healthier workforce. We agree, and suggested the government establish a central occupational health fund to which SMEs can apply. The individual member of staff should have reassurance that their health and wellbeing are being considered to a national standard, not to the size of their employer.
Standardised data collection on workforce health:
This would allow for better monitoring and evaluation of health interventions. The Office for National Statistics used to have a Health Index (it stopped in 2021) and the report suggests resurrecting this, aligned with the Health and Work Standard metrics, would be a straightforward task.
What employers can do right now to protect workplace health and mental wellbeing
As an employer, you have a legal duty to protect workers from stress and physical health risks at work. This involves conducting risk assessments and acting on the findings. At Verve Healthcare, we can support you in this process, helping you assess health risks and implement effective interventions.
Our patient-centric approach means we focus on proactive, accessible healthcare that meets the needs of both employers and employees. We believe that workplace wellbeing is not just the right thing to do – it also makes good business sense. We see a positive health outcome and a positive productivity outcome going hand in hand.
Partnering with Verve Healthcare means we can help you: Reduce sickness absence rates and improve staff health
Evidence the relationship between health and productivity
Improve employee engagement and productivity
Demonstrate your commitment to employee wellbeing and core health
Potentially reduce healthcare costs in the long term
Remember, a healthy workforce is a productive workforce. By investing in your employees’ health today, you’re investing in the future success of your business.
Are you ready to take the next step towards a healthier, happier, and more productive workforce? Get in touch with Verve Healthcare today to learn how we can support your workplace health goals. Together, we can create a workplace where healthy lives and productivity go hand in hand.
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