Occupational health assessments are a vital tool for businesses in helping them to manage and understand the health of their employees and how that impacts on them at work.
Many employers use occupational health assessments to help them manage instances when an employee is off work for an extended period of time or is returning for a sustained period of absence but they can also be used in other situations. For example the employee way be in work but struggling with their physical or mental health, the employee could be having repeated short periods of absence, or the employee’s role may have particular elements which pose a health and safety risk that the employer wants to control and they therefore use an occupational health provider to carry out assessments as part a health surveillance programme.
Occupational health provider Co-Health describe the overall benefit of an occupational health assessment as follows, “This assessment helps to identify any potential risks and hazards that could affect the physical and mental health of employees while on the job. It also aims to promote a safe and healthy work environment, as well as prevent work-related illnesses and injuries. Through this type of assessment, employers can gain insight into the specific health needs of their employees and implement appropriate measures to address any identified health issues”.
Let’s take a look in more detail though at some of the benefits for employers of using occupational health assessments.
Legal Compliance
Prioritising the health of your employees is not only morally the right thing to do but it ensures that your business is proactively taking steps to fulfil its legal obligations. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 places a duty of care on employers to look after the health, safety and wellbeing of their staff and therefore by using occupational health assessments to identify potential hazards and implement necessary adjustments and controls, businesses can avoid legal penalties and create a safer work environment. Using occupational health assessments is also seen as good practice is cases of medical capability and is something that employment tribunals will look for if they are assessing cases related to ill health.
Reducing Absenteeism and Presenteeism
Health-related absences can significantly disrupt the operation of any business. By identifying and mitigating workplace health risks, occupational health assessments help reduce the number and frequency of employee absences. Additionally, they address presenteeism, you might have an employee who is in work but who is not fully functional due to health issues. An occupational health assessment can help to determine what the issues are and if you can support the employee to overcome these issues and be well at work then you can reduce presenteeism.
Boosting Employee Engagement and Retention
Employees who feel their wellbeing is valued are more likely to remain loyal to their employer. Implementing occupational health assessments demonstrates a commitment to employee health, which creates a positive workplace culture and improvise retention rates.
Enhancing Productivity and Performance
A healthy workforce is by its very nature a more productive workforce. By addressing health concerns and adapting work environments and practices accordingly, occupational health assessments enable employees to perform at their best, directly benefiting the performance of the business.
Workplace Adjustments
Every employee is unique, and so are their health needs. Occupational health assessments provide insights that allow companies to consider reasonable adjustments for employees with specific health conditions. Making such adjustments can be the difference between enabling an employee to return to work or not so they are a key element of the occupational health process.
Supporting Mental Health
Mental health is as crucial as physical health in the workplace. Occupational health assessments can identify stressors and mental health challenges within the work environment. Understanding these stress triggers then enables employers to implement supportive measures. This support can lead to a more resilient and motivated workforce.
Financial Benefits
Occupational health assessments are a professional service and therefore have a not insignificant cost attached to them, but investing in occupational health assessments ultimately leads to a business saving money. By preventing work-related illnesses and reducing absenteeism, businesses can lower costs associated with sick pay and lost productivity.
Facilitating Return to Work Processes
For employees returning after a prolonged period of absence, occupational health assessments can help to facilitate a smooth transition back into the workplace. The reports provided after the assessments are usually discussed at welfare meetings with the employee. During those meetings return to work plans are created and those plans take account of the advice given to best look after the employee’s health needs. This promotes sustained recovery and reduces the likelihood of further absence.
Overall, using occupational health assessments as part of your strategy for supporting employee wellbeing is really a no brainer. Your business no doubt uses qualified and knowledgeable professionals to support crucial functions such as IT and Finance and using trained medical professionals for advice and guidance in relation to the wellbeing of your team is no different.
Do you have any questions about today’s blog, need help in becoming legally compliant with contracts/policies or can we support you in taking away any people pains to give you peace of mind?
If you answered yes to any of the above, just give us a call at CUBE HR on 01282 678321, or book in a FREE 30 Minute HR Health Check here FREE HR Health Check and we’ll happily give your business a full HR overview with our personal recommendations absolutely FREE!
Why not also check out last weeks blog Dealing With Long Term Absence
We also have a YouTube channel with loads of handy videos outlining various HR related scenarios.
