Healthy employees mean a healthy business

INSURANCI ANE RISK MANAGIMINT: Staff wellness Kenny Moir

suffered from depression. He said he would go for weeks without leaving his home and was reliant on antidepressants and sleeping tablets.

The Mental Health at Work Report 2016 showed that 77% of employees have experienced symptoms of poor mental health at some point in their lives. And 54% of managers feel that online information and guidance would be useful in supporting the wellbeing of their employees.

In 2010, 2.5 million working days were lost due to accidents and workrelated ill health in Scotland, costing Scottish organisations like yours a total of £187 million, according the NHS Healthy Working Lives service.

A challenge for employers is not knowing whether their employees are suffering from such an illness, or indeed if they are facing other issues such as financial worries, marital problems, alcohol or drug misuse.

‘Fit for Work Scotland’ is a superb free service delivered by NHS Scotland. It can help support employees back to work after four or more weeks of sickness absence.

Employers can use the online referral system to refer their employees. There is a 48-hour turnaround and both employer and employee benefit from a manageable return to work process.

Another service offered by NHS Scotland is ‘Healthy Working Lives’. This service provides free and confidential advice to employers and an excellent awards programme, with one simple aim: “to create a healthier workforce”.

Participating in the Awards Programme will enhance your reputation as a responsible and wellmanaged organisation. It will reduce absence rates and support employees returning to work. In addition, it will create a healthier more motivated workforce and it will raise your profile in your local community, with your customers and suppliers.

As an employer that promotes and nurtures healthier habits amongst your workforce, you will benefit from greater employee engagement and ultimately increased productivity and profits.

I would encourage you to have a look at the many free services available to your organisation. Whilst you may never know what is happening behind the closed doors of your employees’ homes, you can offer help via confidential phone lines and websites.

By speaking to an Employee Benefits Consultant, you could benefit from a free review of your arrangements and ensure that your benefits package fits with your company strategy, culture and budget.

They can support you in reviewing the current provision, implementing new strategies and ensuring you can access relevant support services.

For more useful information, visit www.fitforworkscotland.scot or www. healthyworkinglives.com