Why is Occupational Health so important?
Understanding why occupational health is important to the success of your clients business. Workforce state of health can make or break a successful business. Productivity is seriously damaged by ill health and sickness absences, so it’s increasingly becoming a serious concern for companies to safeguard the well-being of their employees.
The following factors have a far reaching impact on businesses:
Absence Management
Workplace injury and illness have far-reaching consequences for employees and employers alike. For example excessive stress levels and absence can weigh not only on the affected workers themselves, but on colleagues too. Strategic steps taken to reduce employee absence minimise risks to work productivity and maximise the performance of a business.
With this is mind, Occupational Health Services are becoming an increasingly beneficial solution for companies.
Legislation
Legislation relating to the workplace, such as laws regarding Health & Safety, Discrimination and Human Rights have increased in recent years, placing more pressure on companies to address the Occupational Health needs of their employees. This, combined with economic restructuring, downsizing and the recognised costs of both absence and poor productivity, serves to focus employers on the importance of safeguarding well-being in the workplace.
Cost Risks
The potential cost to a business from loss of employee productivity can be an unforeseen and sudden liability:
Direct costs:
- Lost work time
- Damage to equipment and/or people
- Legal action due to non-compliance with current legislation.
Associated medical costs:
- Compensation costs
- Costs of medical treatment to the NHS or Private Health sector.
Direct costs:
- Hiring of additional staff to replace sick or injured staff
- Retraining staff to take on the vacant role
- Repairing/replacing equipment that is damaged or unfit for purpose
- Effects of on staff morale
- Lost productivity
- Shutdown time during any investigation
- Rescheduling
- Staff resources diverted to complete necessary regulation paperwork.
To learn more about how Occupational Health services can suit your clients business contact your consultant.