Member Article

Bosses 'don't care' about workers' health

Employers have been accused of not doing enough to improve the health and well-being of their workers. According to the study of 900 firms, 31% of bosses wrongly think healthy working just means that their staff eat the right food during the day.

The Investors in People survey also found that 17% of employers said it would be too expensive for them to improve their workers’ well-being. Another 24% of bosses said they did not know what action they should take. Investors in People said its study showed that some employers were paying lip service to the health of their staff.

Simon Jones, Acting Chief Executive, said: “At first glance, you might think employers understand the importance of a healthy workplace, with 41% saying it means investing in the future of the business. However, look more closely and it appears that many bosses are missing the point. Despite recognition of the benefits that a healthy workplace can deliver, some employers simply don’t seem to understand that it is about more than just gym membership and fresh fruit.

“Our research shows that employees actually want better support and development structures to create a healthier environment – and managers should take heed. The bottom line is that an unhealthy, unhappy workforce will also be uncommitted and unproductive. If employers don’t address this, they will see a negative impact both on individuals and the performance of the business.”

Investors in People is a government-backed organisation that works with companies to improve their performance by investing in staff training and development.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .