Whose Responsibility is Workplace Health?

Evidence suggests the health of the UK working age population is deteriorating. In addition, access to timely healthcare can be difficult. For example, some statistics suggest as many as one in four people in Wales are on a waiting list for healthcare. All of this means health issues will show up in the workplace. And when they do, whose responsibility is it to identity and manage them safely? 

Legal and Shared Responsibilities

If either an individual employee, their manager or an organisation’s leadership thinks they can exonerate themselves from responsibility around health at work, they are mistaken. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, both employers and employees have duties around maintaining health and safety at work. 

When Health at Work Is Ignored

Yet, it is not uncommon to see stakeholders at all levels neglecting or even ignoring health at work in practice. For example, employees that realise their health is deteriorating and impacting work, yet do not proactively come forward for support. Or managers that recognise an employee may be experiencing health issues but do not address this. Ignoring health at work is unproductive at best and dangerous at worst, sometimes for the individual, their colleagues and the public too. 

Why Responsibility Gets Overlooked

Recently, Insight Workplace Health Director Chris Terry asked ‘Why would anyone devolve responsibility for health to anyone else?’. 

It’s an interesting question. Surely, employees want to be vigilant around their own health at work. And employers would want to be vigilant around workforce health too, given they are invested in employee productivity. Let alone both parties’ legal (and in some sectors additional professional) regulations when it comes to health and safety at work.

However, we often see the opposite in occupational health practice. At both individual and organisational level, people frequently neglect health at work. Reasons could include: 

Fear around employment security 

An individual may wish to seek workplace support around their health but be concerned that in some way a change in their health would result in job loss.

Fear of discrimination 

It may be that an individual does not want to come forward for support with their health if they are concerned about unfair treatment. On the other hand, managers could be averse to raising concerns about a colleague’s health in case this is in some way discriminatory.

Lack of knowledge 

People may incorrectly assume changes they are experiencing or noticing in the work setting are unrelated to health.

Lack of resource 

Individuals and their managers may have the insight that asking for support around health at work would be appropriate in certain circumstances, but do not know how to manage next steps so ultimately do not take action. 

Changing the Narrative on Health at Work

So, some employees and employers neglect or actively ignore their responsibilities around health at work. How do we overcome this? 

The narrative on health and work must change. In the context of rising ill health and difficult to access healthcare, employers and employees have an even greater opportunity to get things right and make a difference for themselves and their communities. Taking health at work seriously, and taking ownership of health at work should be well regarded and the hallmark of an engaged workforce and employer. Organisations where this is the case will have a competitive edge in culture, productivity and the ability to attract and retain talent. 

Taking Responsibility for Health at Work

The question  ‘Why would anyone devolve responsibility for health to anyone else?’ puts it well. Health is so paramount to individual and organisational success that it should be a priority. Taking responsibility for health means using insight to ask for support where necessary, both at an individual and organisational level. This looks like:

1- Codes of conduct - making it clear to anyone joining the workforce that taking responsibility for health at work is part of the job, setting the cultural tone 

2- Manager training - establishing good policies and practices around detecting and supporting colleagues in their team where health issues arise at work

3- Access to professional and confidential support- helping the whole workforce with the resource they need to manage health at work, including navigating topics like the Equality Act 2010 and reasonable adjustments 

In an organisation where this is done well, people come forward early for occupational health support, before a health/ work interface issue escalates. People are willing to engage with occupational health support because they know it serves a protective function for the relationship between work and health. Organisations are responsive to occupational health input, using it to uphold their responsibility to health and safety at work. 

The Bottom Line

Whose responsibility is workplace health? It’s your responsibility. Wherever you are in the organisation.

Take the Next Step

Everyone has a role to play in maintaining health at work, but you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to Insight Workplace Health to learn how we can support your organisation in keeping your people well, safe, and performing at their best.