Workplace wellbeing
The health and wellbeing of employees is crucial to the performance of running a
successful business. Workplace wellbeing relates to all aspects of working life,
from the quality and safety of the physical environment, to how employees feel
about their work and their organisation.
Investing in the health and well-being of the workforce has been found to
directly contribute to increased productivity and the minimisation of financial risk
due to less staff absence through illness and a more positive workplace. The aim
of embedding workplace wellbeing schemes in businesses is to ensure that
employees are, safe, healthy, happy and engaged at work.
The importance of workplace wellbeing was recognised by the Government in its
Public Health White Paper 'Choosing Health', published in 2004; the EU Platform
for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health in 2005; in the European
Commission's strategy for tackling the health issues caused by poor nutrition and
obesity, published in 2007; and November 2008 when the government issued a response to
National Director for Health and Work - Dame Carol Black's review of the health
of Britain's working age population, 'Improving health and work: changing
lives'. This review was commissioned by the Department of Health and of Work and
Pensions as part of the cross government programme, the Health Work and Wellbeing
Strategy, which was launched in 2005.
In the UK, the charity Business in the Community (BITC) works directly with
companies to help them embed health and wellbeing at the heart of their businesses
by making reporting on health and wellbeing commonplace at board level.
In 2010, the UK Government included workplace wellbeing under its Responsibility
Deal for Public Health, working with industry and other stakeholders to make a
significant contribution to the government's strategy for public health, as set
out in its White Paper “Healthy Lives, Healthy People”.
More Information
Last reviewed: 11 Jul 2011