Wellbeing and work


With health and work being closely linked, the importance of healthy workplaces cannot be understated.


The TUC has published new guidance — Work and well-being — which sets out the importance of healthy workplaces and provides advice on how to handle specific issues, such as stress, smoking, and obesity.


Stress caused by heavy workloads and demanding work patterns continues to be an important issue for workers, with more than 400,000 people in the UK suffering from work-related stress every year.


Obesity, diabetes and increased alcohol and tobacco use can also be linked to an unhealthy working environment.


Prevention is better than cure and can be achieved by changing the workplace through encouraging better working relationships, greater respect for workers, and improved involvement of unions.


Many of the other initiatives that are seen as being part of a well-being programme — such as encouraging cycling or walking to work, supporting gym membership or exercise classes and promoting healthy eating — are important. And union workplace reps can play a key role in encouraging management to provide them.


The guide also seeks to ensure that employers are supporting initiatives by Public Health England, Public Health Wales and Scottish Healthy Working Lives which are aimed at improving the health and well-being of workers.


TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Employers have much to gain by improving conditions at work, as healthy, happy and motivated staff have a positive impact on productivity.”


https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/1115_TUC_WellBeingF%20LO.pdf