London — More than 60 employers are teaming up with British government officials on an initiative to improve the health of the country’s workers and keep employees on the job, the UK Department for Work and Pensions recently announced.
A Nov. 5 press release states that the effort was launched in response to the Keep Britian Working Review, issued by Sir Charlie Mayfield, chair of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.
According to the review:
- 1 out of 5 working-age adults in the UK are out of the labor force – 800,000 more than in 2019 – because of health reasons.
- Poor health that prevents work equals 7% of the country’s gross domestic product – nearly 70% of all income-tax receipts.
- UK employment among people with disabilities stands at 53%, below average for leading nations from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
- Employers lose more than $112.1 million a year from sickness, turnover and lost productivity.
The employers, which include British Airways, Google and grocery chain Sainsbury’s, are “committing to embracing the report’s healthy working lifecycle – which aims to reduce sickness absence, improve return-to-work rates and increase disability employment rates.” The Department for Work and Pensions says the government will work toward developing a voluntary certified standard by 2029.
An annual investment of more than $1.3 billion is slated to support disability employment by the end of the decade.
“Britain is sliding into an avoidable crisis,” Mayfield said. “Ill-health has become one of the biggest brakes on growth and opportunity. But this is not inevitable. Employers are uniquely placed to make a difference, preventing health issues where possible, supporting people when they arise and helping them return to work. If we keep Britain working, everyone wins – people, employers and the state.”
