Workplace health support: Positive not Punitive
I met Dr Mridula Pore, co-founder and chair of Peppy at a work and health round table organised by Business for Health. Peppy is deployed by over 350 businesses globally to support employees with everything from mens health to menopause. We caught up on the power of pivoting organisational narratives on work and health support. Here are the highlights from our chat.
Workplace health is more important than ever
Employers want healthy, engaged and productive employees. And employees want to be healthy…for their life outside of work as well as their workplace performance. In the UK, where record NHS waiting times mean it can be harder to access timely healthcare, employers have an increasing role to play in keeping their workforce healthy and productive. Meanwhile, workplace health initiatives are already well established in the US, driven by market forces and the business bottom line.
Organisational perception of workplace health support isn’t always good
One challenge within the traditional work and health space is perception of employer provided health benefits. It is not uncommon for both employer and employee to perceive accessing health benefits as an indicator that something problematic is bubbling under the surface. This can lead to reluctance to provide support and engage with support where it exists.
Ultimately, this leads to a greater fallout for the individual and the organisation. For example, both managers and affected individuals can steer away from occupational health referral where it is perceived as the gateway to difficult and punitive outcomes. In fact, the opposite is true- quality work and health support delivers great outcomes for all stakeholders.
The right support is an amazing benefit
Third party provision is almost always essential to maintain confidential support and navigate any conflicts when it comes to work and health. Beyond this, there is a lot to learn from the way innovative services such as Peppy are integrated by employers, and in turn, how those services onboard their users. Organisational culture and provider culture are two key facets to optimise.
Health and healthcare benefits are an increasingly powerful pull factor within compensation packages. Forward thinking employers run with this to attract the best talent, as well as reaping the benefits of a healthier and more productive workforce. Similarly, forward thinking providers offer organisations a platform for enhancing health and productivity, rather than a service that is solely reactive.
How do we pivot the narrative?
The key thing is for employers to not put health and wellbeing into the 'Health and Safety Executive' bucket, where 'occupational health' can often reside.
Workforce health needs to be a key part of the employee proposition, engagement and retention strategy.
HR need to track and report the appropriate metrics on sickness, including absences and reasons for leaving the company.
Health and wellbeing must be championed by senior leaders and the board, as a key business issue, especially in ageing societies like the UK, with a declining working age population.
