Cutting sickness absence and presenteeism – making workplaces healthier

Posted on May 15, 2012 by renieshaw

The financial and operational effects of sickness absence are considerable, especially for small organisations. According to the most recent independent review of sickness absence*, sickness absence costs the economy around £15 billion a year. There are direct and indirect costs associated with sickness absence, including:

  • paying salaries or sick pay to absent workers;
  • reduced productivity;
  • compromised customer satisfaction;
  • increased demands on other staff;
  • finding, training and paying for temporary cover.

The flip-side of absenteeism is presenteeism, namely employees coming to work when they are really too ill to work productively. Presenteeism can actually be counterproductive due to lost productivity and, in the case of infectious illnesses, because employees risk infecting others when they come to work ill. For this reason, employers/managers should be trained to spot the symptoms of physical and mental illness and be aware of the support that’s available to reduce the impact of employees’ ill health on the organisation. Otherwise they risk allowing issues to mount up and cause even greater disruption in the future.

So what aspects should organisations consider when working towards making the workplace healthier?

  • Work speed: When someone is ill, the speed at which they work reduces and their accuracy, judgement and reactive skills can be impaired. Are they really being productive? Would they make a better recovery if they were at home? What can you do to support them?
  • Contagiousness: If someone is contagious, they could infect other members of the team and cause a far greater drop in productivity than if they had stayed at home.
  • Spotting the symptoms of stress/depression: The symptoms of stress and depression may not be obvious, but low morale in the workplace can rub off on other people. One person’s stress can soon spread to the team.
  • Word-of-mouth: How someone is supported through a period of sickness can reflect positively or negatively on an organisation’s reputation. What are your employees saying about you and how you deal with employee health?
  • Rewards: The rewards for being a flexible employer will be evident in the commitment and loyalty of your staff. If you go the extra mile for them, they will go the extra mile for you.
  • Reputation: If you are known as a great employer, you will find great people.
  • Employee rights: Are you aware of employee rights when considering how to handle employees who are affected by long-term ill-health?
  • Liability: Are you aware of your liability if someone has an accident at work while you knew they were unwell?
  • Employment law: Are you aware of your rights when considering dismissal due to ill health?

The Health for Work Adviceline offers free, immediate, professional help to organisations who want to support employees who are experiencing ill health at work and safeguard the productivity of their organisation. Information can be sought online or by calling Freephone 0800 0 77 88 44.

*Black, C. and Frost, D. (2011) Health at work – an independent review of sickness absence London: The Stationery Office

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Deaf Awareness Week – how to support deaf employees and those with partial/developing hearing loss

Posted on May 10, 2012 by renieshaw

Photo by aramc via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence

This week (7-13 May) is Deaf Awareness Week. According to figures from Action on Hearing Loss, one in six of the population of the UK suffer from some form of hearing loss of which approximately one third are below retirement age. Hearing loss may be down to a number of factors, including:

  • the ageing process;
  • diseases of the ear;
  • noise-induced hearing loss (a particular risk in noisy working environments);
  • genetics.

People who are not used to interacting with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing often become concerned that they will cause embarrassment if communication doesn’t run smoothly or worry that they may draw too much attention to a person’s hearing impairment. The most important thing to remember is that there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to communicating with people who suffer from full or partial hearing loss because people will communicate differently depending on their communication needs. For example, people with profound deafness may well use mainly sign language, whilst those with partial hearing loss may rely on hearing aids, note-writing, lip-reading, etc.

By far the best way to ensure that team members with hearing impairments are able to contribute in the working environment and form positive relationships with others in the organisation is to ensure that employees are offered deaf awareness training to overcome communication barriers. Some simple techniques involved in positive and fruitful communication with people with hearing loss include:

  • ensuring you have the person’s attention, that you are facing them directly and that they can see your face clearly;
  • identifying the topic that you are going to speak about (perhaps distribute a written agenda for a meeting beforehand) and speaking clearly and at a steady pace;
  • offering visual clues by making good use of body language and facial expressions;
  • re-wording sentences in case of misunderstanding (it may be just one word in the sentence that is causing the comprehension problem).

In addition to vital staff deaf awareness training, specialist equipment is also available for use in the workplace to make it easier for an employee with a hearing impairment to work effectively. Equipment in the workplace could include:

  • a telephone typewriter, which allows a person with a hearing impairment to type a telephone conversation instead of speaking. The National Relay Service relays the conversation to each caller;
  • audio loop – a wire loop that is designed to encircle a particular area (such as a conference room) and provide amplified sounds to a person’s hearing aid;
  • FM and infrared listening systems, which have multiple personal receivers that can be fitted with headphones or ‘neck loops’ for hearing aid wearers (e.g. in meetings or training sessions).

Employers need to be aware of their legislative responsibilities towards people with hearing impairments including making reasonable adjustments to allow them to continue working (more information can be found in our guide on supporting an employee with hearing loss).

Workers are protected from excessive noise levels at work by the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, however, in many cases, it may be the noise levels in the workplace itself that are causing employees to develop hearing problems. In noisy working environments (e.g. manufacturing plants, building sites, car workshops, etc.) and environments in which a person’s hearing is critical (e.g. fire and rescue services, the police force, teaching, musicians, etc.) employers should undertake a noise risk assessment to establish whether a noise health surveillance programme needs to be implemented. Employers should also:

  • provide appropriate hearing protection, where necessary;
  • train employees on hearing protection and procedures;
  • monitor employees’ exposure to noise in the workplace.

For further guidance on protecting employees from noise in the workplace, or supporting employees with hearing loss, call the free Health for Work Adviceline on 0800 0 77 88 44.

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Ten reasons to call the Adviceline

Posted on May 8, 2012 by renieshaw

Interactions with our Adviceline service (i.e. calls to our occupational health nurses, questions asked online, etc.) are at an all-time high. So what particular issues are users of our service facing that make them turn to us? We’ve listed ten of the most common scenarios below:

1. A team member is off on long-term sickness absence

One of your team has been off work for just over a month, which is putting extra pressure on the rest of the team. Sales are down and customer complaints are up. You are unsure what to do next but want to be supportive to the employee whilst protecting your business.

2. You suspect you may be experiencing staff truancy

A member of your workforce is frequently off sick. Whilst the various reasons she gives for her absence sound plausible, you can’t help but wonder whether they are entirely authentic. You are concerned about the effect her frequent absences may be having on the morale of other members of the team.

3. You are unsure about terminating someone’s employment due to chronic illness

An employee has a serious health problem which means he will be off work for the foreseeable future. It has created mounting pressure on your workforce and has begun to affect business efficiency. You are now considering terminating his employment to protect your business.

4. You are worried about a staff injury at work

Your team say they are happy lifting heavy equipment but you know some suffer from backache from time to time. You’d like to know how to make it easier for them to raise their concerns and/or follow a procedure that is already in place.

5. You are unsure whether you can contact an employee’s GP

You’d like to talk to an employee’s GP about a complicated health issue that is now affecting the rest of the team. However, you are not sure whether you are permitted to do this or whether you should consult with the employee first.

6. A staff member has just been diagnosed with a serious health condition

You’ve just been told that an employee has a chronic illness. Naturally, you are concerned about him and want to do what you can to help him and support the rest of team.

7. You want to check on the health of applicants during the recruitment process

You are about to begin a major recruitment drive and, having had issues in the past with absenteeism, you would like to protect your business by checking whether new recruits are fit to do the job.

8. You want to learn about dealing with staff anxiety in this challenging economic climate

As a small business you are vulnerable during the financial downturn. Your employees are feeling increasingly stressed about their family finances and are also concerned about their job security. You want to support your staff and ensure that they stay motivated.

9. You suspect that an employee is actually not well enough to work

A member of the team appears to be unwell but is continuing to come to work. You have heard that presenteeism (i.e. coming to work when ill) can be as much of a problem as sickness absence but you’re not sure how to broach the subject without causing offence.

10. Some major changes are taking place at work and you want to manage staff stress levels

Your small business is about to go through a major restructuring process. Understandably, employees are worried about their jobs and how the changes will affect them. Motivation and productivity are down as a result. You would like to support staff and help keep morale up at this stressful time.

If any of these scenarios strike a chord with you, it would be well worth contacting the Health for Work Adviceline to receive professional, immediate and free advice (0800 0 77 88 44). Advice can also be sought online by searching for information on our online knowledge base, asking a question online, or using our ‘live chat’ function.

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Depression at work

Posted on May 4, 2012 by renieshaw

Photo by Alex E. Proimos via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence

Last week (April 22-28) was Depression Awareness Week, which helped raise the profile of depression through events held across the UK. A person who is depressed will experience a combination of a wide range of possible symptoms continuously over a period of weeks or months, including:

  • low mood and sadness;
  • low self-esteem;
  • feeling irritable, tearful, anxious or worried;
  • finding it difficult making decisions;
  • decreased interest in things that a person would normally find stimulating.

Depression is more widespread than many people may imagine (it is estimated that approximately 10% of the population of the UK will experience depression at some point in their working lives) and the costs of depression and associated sickness absence are a major drain on the UK economy.

Depression in the workplace, if not addressed, can have a widespread negative influence on an organisation. A person suffering from depression is likely to become less productive and take time off work due to sickness. In addition, a sufferer’s low mood can negatively affect morale amongst the person’s colleagues/team members thus lowering productivity even further.

Supporting an employee who appears to be suffering from depression is not an easy task for a manager/employer, but it is a very important one. Talking openly and sensitively with the employee to ascertain the reasons for their unhappiness (i.e. are the employee’s issues work related or personal?) would be the first stage. If it transpires that the person is experiencing problems at work then managers/employers should address the issues identified by the employee (e.g. anxiety over workloads, problematic relationships with colleagues, etc.).

Employers could discuss modifications to the employee’s role/hours, if this is beneficial, and should encourage individuals to talk to their GP to find out what support is available to them. The most important thing from an employer’s perspective is to remain approachable and receptive so that an employee suffering from depression feels supported and confident about opening up about their problems. For more guidance, call the free Health for Work Adviceline on 0800 0 77 88 44.

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Health impacts of shift work

Posted on May 1, 2012 by renieshaw

Photo by Pink Sherbert Photography via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence

A significant amount of research has been done into the health effects of disrupted sleep-wake cycles (experienced by shift workers), which are associated with various health conditions, including:

  • heart disease;
  • bone fractures;
  • cancer;
  • diabetes;
  • obesity.

People who do shift work experience disruption of their internal body clock (or circadian rhythm) by working at night and then sometimes having trouble sleeping during the day (or by trying to maintain some kind of normality in their routines when they aren’t working). This can cause:

  • fatigue and sleeping difficulties;
  • disturbed appetite and digestion;
  • social and domestic problems.

Now new research which set out to test the theory that people who disrupt their body clock increase the risk of metabolic syndrome and diabetes (the results of which were published in Science Translational Medicine in April 2012) has concluded that changes to normal sleep patterns do indeed:

  • cause the body to struggle to control sugar levels;
  • alter the metabolism;
  • increase the risk of obesity and diabetes (some participants in the study did, in fact, develop early symptoms of diabetes within weeks).

Whilst these results come from a limited study (21 participants) under laboratory conditions, the results do corroborate theories that have been held for some time about the effects of shift work on the metabolism.

Employers who employ shift workers have a duty to assess the risks associated with shift work and reduce the negative impact it can have on the health of employees. Various pieces of legislation protect the rights of employees and would be relevant for shift workers including managing the risks of shift work (the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999). The Working Time Regulations 1998 (as amended) and other industry-specific legislation impose specific requirements on employers with regard to the number of hours worked and how these hours are scheduled. For guidance on looking after the health of shift workers, call the free Health for Work Adviceline on 0800 0 77 88 44.

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World Day for Safety and Health at Work (28 April) casts spotlight on occupational safety and health (OSH) in ‘green’ jobs

Posted on April 26, 2012 by renieshaw

The International Labour Organization (ILO) celebrates the World Day for Safety and Health at Work on the 28 April each year to promote the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally. It is an awareness-raising campaign intended to focus international attention on emerging trends in the field of occupational safety and health (OSH) and on work-related injuries, diseases and fatalities worldwide.

This year’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work focuses on the promotion of OSH in an increasingly ‘green’ economy. A ‘green’ economy is based on the creation of environmentally-responsible jobs that benefits workers (through a decent wage) and the environment (by preserving or enhancing the environment, e.g. reducing waste, pollution and carbon emissions). Truly green jobs must integrate OSH into all areas (through risk assessment and management measures), including:

  • design;
  • procurement;
  • operations;
  • maintenance;
  • sourcing;
  • recycling policies;
  • certification systems;
  • OSH quality standards.

Periods of economic insecurity may increase the risk of employers cutting corners with regards to OSH as their attention is drawn increasingly to organisational survival. However, it is vital for organisations not to lose sight of the importance of employee health and wellbeing. After all, what hope is there for organisational success without dedicated input from employees – an organisation’s most important asset? That’s why the Health for Work Adviceline offers free guidance for employers in England about existing employee health issues or protecting the good health of staff. Advice can be sought by phone (0800 0 77 88 44) or online either by searching for information on our online knowledge base, asking a question online, or using our ‘live chat’ function.

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HIV and discrimination in the workplace

Posted on April 19, 2012 by renieshaw

Photo by Trygve.u via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence (Armenian Red Cross Youth)

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) weakens the body’s immune system and can progress to AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), which interferes with the immune system and makes sufferers susceptible to infections. Although HIV cannot be cured, it can be effectively treated (if diagnosed early) so that HIV may not progress to AIDS. This means that the 70,000+ people living with HIV in the UK can continue to be productive members of the workforce.

There is no obligation on employees to tell their employers about their HIV status except in certain professions (e.g. surgery or dentistry where there is a risk of exposure to bodily fluids or blood). In some jobs, workers may actually face the risk of HIV infection through accidental direct exposure to infected blood (e.g. some healthcare workers and laboratory technicians) mainly as a result of an accident with a needle/syringe.

The availability of antiretroviral therapy (ART therapy) means that most people who are HIV positive should not become too ill to work. However, if HIV does become symptomatic (i.e. the person starts suffering from related infections) it may be necessary to disclose HIV status as the person may require time off work due to illness or may require certain adjustments to be made to their job role, hours of work, etc. in order to allow them to continue working.

From an employer’s perspective, the most important thing is to ensure that a person suffering from HIV is not discriminated against in the workplace. People living with HIV are legally protected from discrimination in the workplace and during recruitment under the Equality Act 2010 , which, for example, prohibits the use of pre-employment health questionnaires before the offer of a job has been made.

Discrimination in the workplace can take various forms, including:

  • Direct discrimination (e.g. when an employer treats an HIV-positive employee less favourably than others).
  • Indirect discrimination (e.g. when conditions or rules in the workplace disadvantage HIV-positive employees).
  • Associative discrimination (e.g. when a person suffers discrimination because of their association with a person suffering from HIV).
  • Harassment (e.g. offensive or intimidating behaviour intended to make a person’s existence in the workplace difficult or untenable).
  • Victimisation (e.g. unfair treatment of an HIV-positive employee who has made a complaint about harassment in the workplace).

Employers need to be aware of their responsibilities towards employees with HIV in order to ensure that they are treated fairly and with dignity. Organisations should have the right procedures in place to manage complaints about harassment or mistreatment in the workplace (which can also help avoid costly and complex tribunal cases). Staff should be provided with information on diversity and equality, and awareness of HIV should be raised within the organisation in order to prevent discrimination and stigma.

If an employee suffering from HIV becomes too unwell to continue their job role, employers should try to find alternative work that may be more suitable. However, employers are not legally-bound to create more suitable employment if there is nothing else available in the organisation or if no reasonable adjustments can be made to the role to permit the person to continue. In this case (as with any other illness) the employer is entitled to terminate the employee’s employment.

Information for employers on their responsibility towards employees with HIV can be found on the National AIDS Trust website (a charity dedicated to transforming society’s response to HIV). In addition, information on supporting employees with HIV or other health conditions can be sought from the Health for Work Adviceline on 0800 0 77 88 44.

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Work-related asthma – new guidance for doctors when diagnosing patients

Posted on April 17, 2012 by renieshaw
Breathe

Photo by shawnzrossi via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence

New guidance published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine at the end of last month has called on doctors to explore the potential job-related causes of asthma when diagnosing patients. The guidance also recommends that doctors seek consent from sufferers to communicate with their employer to advise them of the diagnosis and of the need to protect the employee from further exposure.

According to Asthma UK (a UK charity dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of those affected by asthma) 5.4 million people in the UK are currently receiving treatment for asthma: 1.1 million children (1 in 11) and 4.3 million adults (1 in 12). Approximately one in six people of working age who develop asthma have work-related asthma, where work has either caused or aggravated their condition.

The guidance, produced by the Royal College of Physicians and funded by NHS Plus, advises hospital doctors to question patients with respiratory problems about their jobs, the materials they work with and whether their symptoms improve when they are away from work. They also need to be aware of those jobs that carry particular risks (e.g. laboratory work, work in the chemical industry, etc.). Doctors are also being urged to not rely solely on the patient’s history but to conduct tests (e.g. peak flow measurements at/away from work and skin-prick tests for allergy to substances that could potentially be causing the illness).

Substances used in a wide range of industries have been shown to cause occupational asthma, including those used in:

  • baking;
  • motor repairs;
  • woodworking;
  • chemical processing;
  • farming;
  • cleaning;
  • textile, plastics and rubber manufacturing;
  • healthcare and dental care.

In order to manage a case of occupational asthma effectively, the condition must be diagnosed quickly and the employee should be protected from further exposure to the cause of the asthma, particularly as a person’s symptoms might be brought on by exposure to extremely low concentrations of a respiratory sensitiseronce they have been sensitised to it (see our guide to respiratory sensitisers on our knowledge base). In order to achieve this, doctors should carry out a full assessment of a patient’s symptoms and history in order to allow for a full diagnosis.

According to Professor John Harrison, Director of NHS Plus:

“About 70% of the UK workforce does not have access to occupational health care. This makes it vital that hospital doctors and respiratory specialists are assessing asthma patients for potential work-related causes and advising appropriate treatment and preventative measures. By following this guidance they will offer their patients the best chance of recovery. The guidelines will benefit all doctors and healthcare professionals caring for people of working age, a long standing goal of NHS Plus.”

Employers who suspect that an employee’s respiratory problems may be occupational asthma, or who are concerned about any other employee health issues, can call the free Health for Work Adviceline on 0800 0 77 88 44.

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Evaluation of pilot stage of occupational health (OH) Adviceline services – Part 2: Adviceline services get rave reviews!

Posted on April 11, 2012 by renieshaw

The data used to evaluate the performance of the Adviceline services (see Part 1 of this blog (posted on 28 March) for more detail on the service) was collected in a number of ways through:

  • a telephone survey of employers who had used the service;
  • 50 in-depth qualitative telephone interviews with employers who used the Adviceline services;
  • regular contact between the evaluation team and Adviceline services’ staff.

Most employers who took part in interviews were very satisfied with the way in which their calls were handled. Getting through to advisers worked smoothly and call-backs were promptly received. The level of professionalism and approach of the advisers was also viewed positively.

Some headline figures:

  • 92% of users found the service useful (66% of these found the service very useful).
  • 93% of users would recommend the service.

—————

Elements of the service that users liked most were that it offers:

  • someone to talk to;
  • free support;
  • help from advisers who understand callers’ issues;
  • impartial/neutral advice;
  • tailored advice;
  • help finding the right information (signposting);
  • help finding specialists (signposting).
—————

Employers were attracted to the service for a number of reasons, notably that:

  • it was free;
  • it appeared to be a ‘one-stop shop’;
  • it offered immediate, impartial and trusted advice and access to support.

—————

The service was perceived by many to be:

  • an important and legitimate source of confirmation about actions they had already taken or were considering taking in response to an employee health problem (i.e. reassurance that they were taking the right approach);
  • a good source of information about where to go for further support (i.e. signposting).

—————

The main reasons for calling the Adviceline services:

  • Information about gaining access to occupational health (OH) services (e.g. for an OH assessment).
  • Guidance about an individual’s sickness absence.
  • Advice about an employee’s physical health.
  • Advice on an employee’s mental health condition.
  • Guidance on sickness absence relating to more than one employee.
—————

The most common action taken by service users after using the service:

  • Consulting a third party (including face-to-face or local OH services) for further support or advice.
  • Contacting the employee who was off sick.
  • Changing the employee’s role or working conditions.
  • Putting together a return to work plan.
  • Conducting a risk assessment.
—————

Service users by sector:

Calls were received from most industries although the highest number of calls in England came from ‘health and social care’ (i.e. nursing homes and other care organisations, dentists, GP practices and some charitable organisations) perhaps because of a relatively high level of sickness absence in this sector*.

Industry (England) % of calls
Health and social care 20%
Manufacturing 11%
Construction 9%
Information 9%
Arts, entertainment and other services 7%

—————

Service users by size of organisation:

The majority of service users were from SMEs with 10-49 employees. Organisations with fewer than ten employees (micro employers) were under-represented in the sample of users compared to their number in the Great Britain population of SMEs, which may reflect the lower incidence of sickness absence in small as opposed to medium-sized firms, and the difficulties in reaching this group.

No. of employees % of calls
0-9 25%
10-49 47%
50-249 28%

—————

It is clear that the Adviceline services are valued by organisations so we are very glad to have been given the go-ahead to continue with the services for the foreseeable future. Following the pilot stage and the feedback we received from service users we have extended the service we offer to include greater provision of information online for those who prefer the opportunity to find information on staff health issues without necessarily having to speak to an adviser in the first instance. Advice can now be sought in three ways:

  • Telephone advice on Freephone 0800 0 77 88 44.
  • Self-service information through access to an extensive, intelligent, on-line knowledge base on our website.
  • On-line communication with a contact centre by submitting a question to the support team, or ‘chatting’ directly with a member of the team (a form of instant messaging).

To find out more about the service we offer, visit our website and online knowledge base (constantly updated with guides on employee health topics). Or, if you’re after immediate answers to staff health queries, call us on 0800 0 77 88 44 to speak to an OH professional.

*Black, C. and Frost, D. (2011) An independent review of sickness absence.

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Changes to reporting injuries under RIDDOR (as of 6 April 2012)

Posted on April 4, 2012 by renieshaw

Photo by gwire via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence

RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995) puts duties on employers, the self-employed and people in control of work premises to report:

  • serious workplace accidents;
  • occupational diseases;
  • specified dangerous occurrences (near misses).

Currently, timescales set out for the reporting of accidents and occupational diseases are as follows:

  • Death or major injuries must be reported immediately either online or by calling the Incident Contact Centre on 0845 300 9923.
  • Injuries that cause a person to be incapacitated (i.e. absent from work or unable to do work that they would normally be expected to do) for over three days must be notified within ten days of the incident using the appropriate online form (that can be found on the HSE website).
  • Cases of disease should be reported as soon as a doctor notifies you that your employee suffers from a reportable work-related disease using the online form ‘Report of a case of disease’.

As from 6 April 2012, however, RIDDOR’s requirement for reporting injuries causing incapacitation for over three days will change:

  • Injuries that cause a person to be incapacitated (i.e. absent from work or unable to do work that they would reasonably be expected to do as part of their normal work) for over seven (no longer three) days must be notified within fifteen (no longer ten) days of the incident using the appropriate online form.

Employers and those with responsibilities under RIDDOR must still keep a record of all injuries causing incapacitation of over three days (i.e. in an accident book) and it is recommended that organisations record all incidents and near misses in order to help them identify and address areas for improvement in their safety performance.

Luckily, RIDDOR-reportable incidents are relatively infrequent but organisations need to know what to do in case any injuries or notifiable diseases do occur. Guidance on reducing injuries and ill health in the workplace can be sought from the Health for Work Adviceline, as well as advice on complying with legislative requirements. Call for free on 0800 0 77 88 44 to speak to an occupational health professional.

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