On average we spend a third of our lives at work, which is
why Public Health Northamptonshire have launched a new support package for workplaces
and businesses across the county to improve health and wellbeing.
Currently 33% of working age people in England have a long
term health condition, which Public Health England predict will rise to 40% by
2030.
Coupled with this, almost 1 in 6 people of working age have
a diagnosable mental health condition, and 1 in 3 people who have a long term
mental health condition have not discussed it with their employer.
Poor mental or physical health and wellbeing can lead to
time off work and lost days to business.
Health problems for employees can become long term if not treated or
managed effectively, which can have a financial and productivity cost to an
organisation.
Public Health Northamptonshire have launched a new Workplace
Wellbeing package which provides a range of wellbeing programmes to support
employees to make sustainable lifestyle changes.
These packages can be designed to suit different workplaces
and include programmes such as Healthy Lifestyle Programmes, Health MOTs, and
Smoking Cessation, amongst others.
The team also deliver more formal programmes such as the
Mental Health First Aid qualification, which provides workplaces with guidance
and training in how best to support colleagues with mental ill health.
Public Health Northamptonshire have also been working with
the local health and wellbeing forums to produce a set of recognised workplace
standards. The aim of the standards is for workplaces to have a set of best
practice criteria to work towards in relation to health and wellbeing across
areas such as Leadership, Mental Health and Healthy Eating.
Cllr Ian Morris, Cabinet Member for Public Health and
Wellbeing said:
“Good health and wellbeing can lead to reduced absence rates
and staff turnover, increased productivity, and greater job satisfaction.
Increasingly workplaces are seeing the benefits of investing in staff health
and wellbeing, reaping the benefits of a happier healthier workforce.”
Any business interested in the workplace wellbeing programme
can contact the team by emailing workplacehealth@northamptonshire.gov.uk.