Labour adviser Sir Charlie Mayfield has recommended introducing health checks for employees when they start a new job as part of efforts to reduce sickness absence and improve workforce participation.
In an update to his Keep Britain Working review, the former John Lewis chairman proposed a phased rollout of workplace health MOTs, beginning with larger employers or selected regions.
Commenting on the proposals, Florence Brocklesby, founder and managing partner of workplace law firm Bellevue Law, said employers that address health issues proactively are often better placed to help employees remain in work and perform effectively.
However, she said responsibility for improving workplace health should not rest with employers alone, adding that employees also have a role to play and that better health provision is needed to help people remain in or return to work.
Brocklesby says: “Health concerns are a significant issue for individual wellbeing, employer productivity and the wider economy alike, so any plan to address this should be given serious consideration. In our experience, employers who tackle health issues proactively, swiftly and thoughtfully – rather than being passive or afraid of having potentially sensitive conversations – are often better able to support employees to remain in work and perform well.
“However, as Sir Charlie Mayfield’s report proposes, the burden of addressing this cannot fall to employers alone, especially alongside the many other challenges they currently face. Employees also have responsibilities, and in particular, many experiencing mental health challenges benefit from being in purposeful work, even when this can be difficult, rather than being signed off. And health provision is required to enable individuals facing health challenges to remain in, or return to, work.”