Now I’m always a little sceptical of what our friends at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence have to say. After all, these were the guys who suggested that plumbers should add another string to their bow and become “first responders” to support traditional health and care staff with identifying people at risk.
However, on this occasion, I do actually think there’s something in what they’re saying. Work-related illnesses cost society in the region of £13bn a year and estimates for England, Scotland and Wales suggest about 27m working days were lost to illnesses. NICE’s guidelines are designed to address these statistics and are aimed at employers, managers and employees. The body suggest bosses must take responsibility to ensure staff are appreciated for the work they do. The suggestion that staff should set their own shifts and working hours may have made the headlines, but of all the things that can be done, this is one that will have to vary from company to company. But the general ethos behind these guidelines is solid and should be adopted by employers. It’s worth saying that, in my experience, I think most business owners do acknowledge the importance of a healthy workforce to the productivity of the company. While not every workplace will feature slides, video games and bean bags like some tech startup in San Francisco, they’re also not Victorian sweat shops. Read more from Charlie Mullins:- Talent of college students and teaching staff often ignored by businesses
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