We are once more in the middle of a whirlwind of ever-changing government advice about Covid. On 19th July, only days from now, workplaces can re-open normally – in theory at least. The rising Covid infection rates in the UK mean that there is a lot of anxiety about the re-opening. Employers have decisions to make about how to best serve their business and customers whilst looking after employee welfare. Continue reading
Tag Archives: healthy attendance
Myth: You need to be 100% fit to return to work
There are two common misconceptions about return to work after illness: 1) that you have to be fully recovered to return and 2) that you cannot return until a medical certificate runs out. Excluding contagious diseases or health and safety reasons barring a return, “you don’t have to be 100% OK to return to work. The earlier you can return to work the better. Work is often part of treatment, and getting back to work is part of the recovery process” (Professor Burton, NHS). Continue reading
Absence management more essential work than ever
Do you struggle to record who on your payroll is isolating, shielding, furloughed or recently reported possible Covid-19 symptoms? Are you tired of keeping your teams updated with ever-changing public health advice? Is your company balancing the tightrope between safeguarding staff whilst staying in business? If so, you are definitely not alone. The good news is that a robust absence management system can help make these tasks easier. Below are a few points to illustrate why absence management is essential work in the era of Coronavirus, especially for those employing essential workers. Continue reading
Healthy workplaces go beyond preventing illness and promote good health
Britain’s Healthiest Workplace has found that employees with flexible hours and the ability to work from home report lower absences and greater job satisfaction, and consider themselves to be in better physical and mental health. Those with inflexible hours, who are office-based and who face long commutes, are less productive and in poorer health. Continue reading
Are you getting enough sleep?
According to a BBC documentary, UK is one of the most sleep deprived nations in the world. Over time the amount of sleep we get on average has been declining. These days many don’t get the recommended 7-8 hours per night. Continue reading
Will Pokémon Go pave way to new health apps?
At the height of the Pokémon Go craze last summer, Dave Schilling wrote in the Guardian that “there are some haters out there who claim Pokémon Go is poised to ruin our already tenuous society… Pokémon Go is the first mass entertainment in years to require a person to leave the house to play it. Continue reading
It’s flu jab season – should you get the shot?
The autumn is upon us and so is the start of the flu season. To combat the illness, every year a flu vaccine is put together to fight the current known strains of flu. In the UK, the flu jab is only offered free of charge to people in known risk groups but individuals can buy a shot in a pharmacy. Many employers also choose to offer the vaccine at work to help their staff stay healthy through the winter. If you’re unsure whether it is safe to have a flu jab or not, read on for more information. Continue reading
HAVS – Hand-arm vibration syndrome
Using certain types of tools creates vibration, which transmits to the operator’s hands and arms. Prolonged exposure to hand-arm vibration can cause serious medical issues and trigger HAVS – hand-arm vibration syndrome. Employers, whose staff uses vibration tools, such as drills, chainsaws, strimmers, sanders and power mowers, must carry out risk assessments and annual health surveillance to monitor and minimise the risks. Continue reading
How to make it work with Wellbeing Champions
Wellbeing champions are employees, who choose or are chosen to focus on improving the wellbeing of their fellow colleagues as part of the company wellbeing initiatives. Continue reading
Employee Wellbeing is worth investing in!
Employee wellbeing is not just a nice company value but it can become an important factor in productivity. As Susan Silcox outlines in her report published by XpertHR, poor wellbeing has many detrimental consequences to the business. Continue reading