Commission for Healthier Working Lives report highlights the need for more support to keep people with health issues in work, says CIPD

Responding to the final report published by the Commission for Healthier Working Lives, Ben Willmott, head of public policy at the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, said: 

“We welcome the final report published by the Commission for Healthier Working Lives, which the CIPD supported. With around 300,000 people a year dropping out of the workforce with a work-limiting health condition, the report highlights the need for urgent reform to support more people with health issues to remain in work. It calls for a new partnership between government, businesses and individuals to deliver the long-term changes needed. These include earlier intervention via a service providing independent advice to employers, advocacy for workers and referrals to wider support.  

“The report also calls for a review of job design, accessibility and best practice in workforce health and retention. The CIPD’s research shows that line management capability is the main challenge employers experience in supporting health and wellbeing. Creating healthier work has to go hand in hand with building better-managed and more productive workplaces, with a strong focus on building people management competence.  

“If the UK is to raise productivity and boost growth, we need a long-term workforce strategy underpinned by more skilled, healthy and fair work. It is only by a stronger focus on job quality to support people’s health that we will improve labour market participation. We look forward to engaging with the Keep Britain Working review, led by Sir Charlie Mayfield, as an opportunity to develop more joined up policy reform across government departments.”