Unhealthy employees are 53% more likely to suffer presenteeism and 55% more likely to have poorer productivity overall in the workplace, compared to their healthier counterparts, according to research by Pruhealth.
Its Britain healthiest company report, which surveyed almost 10,000 employees, found that organisations with poor management leadership around health and wellness policies are 25% less likely to have healthy staff.
Dr Katie Tryon (pictured), head of clinical vitality at Pruhealth: “Our research definitively shows that poor employee health costs employers time and money.
“Unhealthy employees are much less productive and engaged, are more likely to take time off sick and are off work for longer.
“Unsurprisingly, the number of days lost due to absenteeism and presenteeism increases the unhealthier employees are.
“Health and wellness initiatives are no longer just tick-box exercises, and organisations are increasingly recognising the tangible financial impact they deliver.
“It, therefore, makes much more sense to invest in keeping staff healthy and well, rather than dealing with the much more costly aftermath when they become sick.”
