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Take a preventative approach

Explore the shift from treatment to a preventative health support approach.

21 Oct 2022, 7 min read

Use these resources pages to progress your business’ health and wellbeing offer across each of the CBI’s Work Health Index chapters; Work, Live, Move & Thrive. Discover case studies, additional resources and actions you can take.

Employees are increasingly turning to their employers for support on health treatment, and more employers are offering expanded health support as part of their employee value proposition. There is a role that employers can play in providing preventative health support which will ease pressure on downstream healthcare and in turn reduce increasing rates of inactivity and long-term sickness amongst the labour market. The CBI’s Seize the Moment report, for example, identified musculoskeletal issues as one of the top three work-risks to individual health which can be successfully reduced by business-led health interventions.

Businesses across the UK are increasingly offering preventative health provisions such as; health screenings, vaccinations and targeted insurances to protect and mitigate against potential health risks employees may face.

Discover the stories from other firms on their workforce health journey, explore targeted actions to take the next steps, and make use of readily available resources to help shift your business’ approach from reactionary health treatment to forward thinking health prevention.

1. Act early

According to the CIPD preventive healthcare schemes should be at the forefront of employee benefits packages. Healthy workers are more likely to be productive, motivated, and be at a lower risk of long-term sickness.

As there is currently no single standard for evaluating the health and business impacts associated with these actions, businesses will need to consider how to measure and examine any impacts associated with taking preventative actions.

Evidence is strong on quantitative outcomes, with mixed results on a range of business outcomes. Screening activities, preventive interventions and health promotion activities offered by employers have all been shown to have strong positiv

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  • Campaign

    A Work Health Index for a healthier nation

    From larger businesses to SMEs, firms across the country have a role to play in creating a healthier, more productive workforce, through the prioritisation of employee health. Working days lost to ill-health cost the UK economy £300bn a year. Business playing a greater role in supporting workforce health can reduce this by 10-20%, saving £60bn per year. But that’s not all. Prioritising employee health also supports recruitment, job satisfaction and retention - all key to establishing a competitive advantage.