The role of employers in supporting employees’ health and wellbeing was brought sharply to the fore this week with the announcement of a new government occupational health taskforce and the publication of guidance around supporting menopause in the workplace.
Headed up by Dame Carol Black, the government’s newly appointed occupational health tsar, the taskforce is part of the government’s drive to tackle in-work sickness and help to grow the economy. It will produce a voluntary occupational health framework for employers, which will set out minimum levels of occupational health required to stop sickness-related job losses and help organisations better support employees who return to work after a period of ill-health.
The taskforce will also take steps to increase access to, and take up of, occupational health. These will include: increasing the information available to employers on occupational health and its benefits in retaining staff, empowering employers to play an active role in improving employees’ health, removing barriers by focusing on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with restricted finances and ensuring the framework is applicable across sectors, and complementing existing workplace health and disability initiatives.
Separately, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has issued new guidance on menopause in the workplace, aiming to clarify employers’ legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010. The guidance also provides practical tips for employers on making reasonable adjustments to support employees and foster positive conversations about menopause with their workforce.
While many employers already offer access to occupational health support and/or support for individuals impacted by menopause, there is still a long way to go before these become standard practice. According to government research, for example, just 45% of British employees have access to some form of occupational health support, despite an estimated 1.8 million workers reporting work-related ill-health in 2022-2023.
Meanwhile, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s (CIPD) Menopause in the workplace research, published in October 2023, found 67% of the women aged 40-60 in employment, who were surveyed, said menopause symptoms had a mostly negative effect on them at work. In addition, 53% of respondents were able to think of a time when they were unable to attend work due to their symptoms. Yet, just 24% of respondents said their employer had a stated menopause policy or other support measures in place.
So, where do we go from here? While the government’s taskforce and EHRC’s guidance have certainly attracted attention, it will be interesting to see how much positive action occurs as a result. As long as such measures are voluntary, will these be taken up in the volume required to truly make a difference?
Although a number of employers already offer exemplary support in these areas, there are many more that do not. This begs the question: should government take stronger measures to make workplace support for employees’ health and wellbeing mandatory?
Debbie Lovewell-TuckEditorTweet: @DebbieLovewell
