aviva health of the workplace report - may 2009

8/3/2019 Aviva Health of the Workplace Report - May 2009

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Health of theWorkplace 3May 2009


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Introduction

The economic landscape has changed significantly since our last Health

of the workplace report in 2008. In Health of the Workplace 2, we

reported an increasing appetite for workplace wellbeing. The mood was

positive and there was a real sense that the time was right to embed this

enthusiasm and move forwards by putting workable solutions into place.

What a difference a year makes.

While Dame Carol Black and Lord McKenzie have continued their efforts

to tackle the estimated 100bn annual cost of sickness absence and

worklessness associated with working age ill-health, little has changed,

with the most notable developments coming towards the end of the year:

I October 2008 welfare reforms came into effect that put the focus firmly on

capability rather than disability in a drive to encourage as many of the

current incapacity claimants back to work as soon as possible.

I November 2008 the government accepted the recommendations

made by Dame Carol Black in her report; Working for a healthier

tomorrow to introduce the new concept of Fit Notes.

Moving the focus away from incapacity to focus on capacity isdefinitely a step in the right direction. But, how Fit Notes will work in

practice, and the actual impact they will have on sickness absence rates

when they are introduced next year is still open for debate particularly

amongst the GP population.

The UK has now entered a period of recession and the Governments

focus has shifted away from the health of the nation to the health of the

economy. Our experience shows that the health of the economy and the

health of society are intrinsically linked. We understand that sociological

and economic changes can significantly influence an individualsmotivations, beliefs and behaviours.

And, biosocial factors including an individuals ability to cope with

adversity can also impact an employees resilience in difficult times.

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Our Health of the Workplace 3 research confirms that GPs are already

concerned that employees are under unprecedented levels of pressure at

the prospect of increased workloads and reduced job security a view

which is shared by business leaders. But, with employers under increased

pressure to protect their bottom line and no fiscal incentive to invest in

occupational health and disincentives in some cases, many are facing a

contradiction between the need for investment in employee health and

wellbeing and the financial priorities for the businesses.

Even when the economy was growing, the nations healthcare

professionals were predicting that a time bomb is ticking for the UKs

health. When you overlay the effect the current economic climate could

have on the nations stress levels (and health in general), the strain on the

NHS, industry and therefore the UK economy could be immense.

It was for this reason that the 2009 Health of the Workplace Report is

focused on how the current economic climate is affecting employees

wellbeing, as well as investigating what methods employers and

employees are using to help them cope with the situation.

We hope that you find the report findings and our recommendationsinsightful and informative.

Gil Baldwin

Managing Director, Aviva UK Health


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This new report once again surveys employers, employees and GPs on

workplace health issues. We highlight the impact that todays social and

economic environment is having on the health and wellbeing of the UKs

workforce both now and in the future.

Key themes include:

I workplace stress levels (incidence, cause, support and coping methods)

I changing workplace dynamics

I productivity levels and absence levels

I employee benefit provision.

Highlights from this years report include:

I Stress Nation Nearly nine in ten employers (86%) admit that

they need their employees to work harder than they ever have

before, while 80% of business leaders and 91% of GPs think that

stress-related illness will be the biggest occupational health issue

of 2009.

I Limited support Nearly six out of ten workers think that the

current climate at work is making both them and their colleagues

feel stressed and under pressure yet only 25% of companies offer

counselling services.

I The days of sickies and long lunches are over as workers

struggle through regardless of how well they feel The Sick

Note culture is a thing of the past and presenteeism is increasing with

more that one in two workers struggling into work when they are ill.

Just 4% claimed they were likely to call in sick more often in the

current climate. And, 57% of GPs agreed that employees are not

taking sick days when they are unwell.

Health of the Workplace 3

executive summary

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I A dangerous game to play Not only are employees going into

work when they are ill, they are also working longer hours with 37%

failing to take their lunch break. Nearly half of workers are struggling

to sleep due to work related-stress, whilst a third are suffering from

neck and backache. When you consider that over half of GPs say their

patients are using alcohol and drugs to deal with increasing workplace

stress the situation could pose a serious health and safety risk.

I Balancing investment in workplace wellness with cost savings

Over six in ten business leaders think that investment in employees

health and wellbeing is a luxury that few businesses will be able to

afford this year. However, nearly nine in ten employers believe that

the current economic climate makes it even more important to

protect the health and wellbeing of its staff. A view supported

by employees.

I Employers are looking at wider cost saving initiatives before

investing in their employee benefits Few employers have cut

spending on PMI (12%), Group Income Protection (8%), Group Life

(7%) and counselling services (9%). Instead they are focussing onrecruitment and promotion freezes (40%) to save money.

I But, there are few signs of new investment There appears

to be a real contradiction between what employers would like to

provide, and what they feel able to. Despite being aware of the

importance of protecting employees health, just 1% of businesses

plan to introduce new health benefits this year.

I Size does matter The size of a business hugely affects its views on

workplace health and the impact of the economic environment. Wefound that while larger companies (businesses with 250+ employees)

believe that rising stress levels will increase employee absence, very

few businesses with less than 250 staff (14%) think that sick days

will increase. Similarly, whilst larger companies believe that

productivity will fall, SMEs feel it may even rise.

I Incentivising services Employers continued to cite a lack of

incentive as a main reason for them not introducing workplace health

and wellbeing initiatives. This year, the most favoured approach was

tax incentives, compared to subsidised occupational health in 2008.This further confirms the validity of the recommendations NERA

made in the report they produced on our behalf.


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Stress Nation

The current economic climate means that employers are expecting more

from their employees and openly admit that workloads are increasing.

Nearly half of employers (44%) admit that their staff are having to work

harder than ever before to ensure

the business remains afloat. At the

same time, there is little reward for

employees with 40% of

employers introducing pay and

promotion freezes.

Nearly 60% of workers think that

the current climate is making both

them and their colleagues feel

stressed and under pressure. They

are increasingly worried about job

security and are finding their working life increasingly stressful and more

demanding than ever before.

80% of employers thinkthat stress-related illness willbe the biggest occupationalhealth issue of 2009 andover 60% of employersthink that the stress of thecurrent economic climate ismaking employee sicknesslevels rise.

Source: Health of the Workplace 3 research.

9 out of 10 GPs believe stress-related illness will increasedue to the recession.


GPs view Health of the Workplace 3 research.

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%100%

Insomnia/sleepingproblems

Anxietyattacks/

panic attacks

Depression Loss ofsex drive

Increase indigestiveproblems

eg, IBS

As a result of the current economicclimate, which of the

following have you/do you expect to see an increase in?

87% 77% 89% 50% 47%

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Source: figures based on Avivas Income Protection claims. December 2008.

Anxiety

Schizophrenia

Other

Bipolar affectivedisorder

Stress

Reactive depression

Top 5 reasons for mental health claims.

49%

18%

17%

4%

3%9%

I 442,000 individuals believed they were experiencingwork-related stress at a level that was making them ill.

I 237,000 people who worked in the 07-08 period firstbecame aware of work-related stress, depression or

anxiety. This is an annual incidence rate of 780 cases per100,000 workers.

I Self reported work-related stress, depression or anxietyaccounted for approx 13.5m lost working days in Britainin 2007/08.

Source: Health & Safety Executive Labour Force Survey 2007/08.


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Absence

The 2008 Health of the Workplace research found employers rating rising

sickness and absence levels as the

chief concern for all sizes of business.

Interestingly, in 2009, whilst increasing

absence levels remain a high priority

for larger companies, only 13% of

SMEs (businesses with less than 250

employees) feel that sickness absenceis their main concern instead they

cited lack of government incentives as the most important issue when thinking

about occupational health.

When probed deeper, it became apparent sickness absence levels were less of

an issue for SMEs because they felt that presenteeism will increase in the current

climate as employees continue to work despite being unwell. Whether this is

driven by paternalism (employers encouraging staff to pull together), or a fear

of losing their job, is not obvious.

Occupational health concerns and issues

Over a third of employers

think that stress-related

illness is the most important

issue when thinking about

occupational health.


Presenteeism may cost the UK economy as much as 15.1bn

per year, with an additional 2.4bn required for recruitment and

re-training of staff who leave their jobs due to mental illness.

Source: Social Market Foundation: Shifting Responsibilities, Sharing Costs (2008)

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Increasing sicknessabsence

Lack of NHS support

Lack of Governmentsupport and incentives

Lack of employer

support for workplace

health initiatives

Ageing workforce

47%

23%

13%

6% 11%

Which one of the following is the most important issue when

thinking about occupational health?

Morale and productivity

Only 17% of employers think

employees will reduce their productivity

to help them deal with stress. In fact

nearly a third of employers think that

productivity levels will increase because

employees are worried about job

security and expect staff to pull

together in support of the business.

Size does matter

Larger employers (with more than 250 staff) are nearly three times more

likely than SMEs (businesses with 250 employees or less) to think that

absence and sickness levels will increase this year (38% compared to14%).

They are also over twice as likely to think that relationships will be strained

between colleagues. In fact, over a third of SMEs with less than 50

employees believe that staff will become closer as they pull together insupport of the business.

Sick Note culture is a thing

of the past with more that

one in two workers

struggling into work when

they are ill. Just 4%

claimed they were likely to

call in sick more often in

the current climate.




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Health, performance and productivity

Our Health of the Workplace 2 research showed that 65% of employers

believed that healthy employees are more productive then unhealthy

employees a figure which has fallen to 53% this year.

Whatever the reason for this reduction, an employer would be

short-sighted to dismiss the impact looking after the health of their

employees could have on their business particularly as 90% of employees

believe that productivity is directly related to their level of health.

Adopting a pro-active approach to health and wellbeing offers many

benefits for all stakeholders. Recent research by NICE shows that physical

activity programmes at work can reduce absenteeism by up to 20 per cent,

while well-designed workplace wellness programmes can increase

employee job satisfaction and reduce staff turnover by between 10 and 25

per cent.*

This years Health of the Workplace research further substantiates that

workplace wellness programmes can have a positive impact on productivity

levels, with 64% of employees saying that they owed it to their company

to work harder if their employer invested in their health and wellbeing.

*NICE public health guidance 13. Workplace Business Case.

Improvement in employee health is a powerful way

to enhance performance and results, improve

retention of key staff and contribute to corporate

social responsibility.

Dr Doug Wright,

Head of Clinical Governance, Aviva UK Health


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Balancing investment in workplace

wellness with cost savings

Over 60% of employers think that the current economic situation means

that workplace health and wellbeing will be lower down the agenda this

year. In addition, nearly 70% of employers say that investment inemployees health and wellbeing is a luxury that few businesses will be

able to afford. This figure increases as the size of the company falls with

over half (57%) of companies with 250 or more employees agreeing,

compared to nearly three quarters (71%) of companies with less than 250

staff. This means that theres a real disconnect between the Governments

ambitions to encourage employers to rehabilitate absent employees and

what employers can realistically afford to do.

Incentives for promoting workplace health

Whilst HM Revenue and Customs confirmation that employers andemployees wont have to pay tax on annual health checks and medicals

is a step in the right direction, the findings of our research clearly

demonstrate the need to take this initiative a step further by incentivising

employers (particularly SMEs) to invest in employee health and wellbeing.

When probed, employers cited tax incentives as the most favoured

approach (compared to subsidised occupational health in 2008), a view

that was shared by 64% of GPs. We are pleased to see that this further

confirms the validity of the recommendations NERA made in the report

they produced on our behalf in 2006 and we will continue to work to

raise the profile of the numerous benefits tax incentives could bring tothe economy, the NHS and employers alike.

Employers are facing a contradiction between theneed for investment in employee health andwellbeing and the financial priorities for thebusinesses during the recession.


Unlike the current tax arrangements, which arguably actas a disincentive for employers to invest in the health oftheir employees, an offset against National InsuranceContributions could grow the supply market significantlyand enable employers to embrace a new set of productsfocused on return to work benefiting the wholeworkforce.

Aviva, (the new name for Norwich Union Healthcare) NERA Report

Cutting the cost, reaping the benefits, Oct 2006.


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Despite having little money to invest, employers do recognise the benefits

of looking after their employees health and wellbeing with nearly 90%

believing that the current climate makes it even more important to do so.

This is a view supported by employees, with over two thirds (68%)

believing that their employers should be spending more on health and

wellbeing provisions to keep workers, as well as businesses, fit and healthy

during these tough times.

While its clear that employers prefer to look to the wider business first

cutting external training (34%), entertainment (46%) and introducing

recruitment and promotion freezes (44%) in order to save money,

employee benefits are being cut.

Not surprisingly its the softer benefits such as gym membership discounts

that go first, despite over half of employers thinking that these benefits are

good for the health of the business.

Few employers have cut spending on traditional insurance products such

as Private Medical Insurance (12%), Group Income Protection (7%) and

Group Life (6%). But, there are few signs of new investment, with only

1% of businesses planning to introduce new health benefits this year.

Employers recognise the benefit of

workplace wellbeing

Employers view Health of the Workplace 3 research.

Which of the following staff benefits have you cut spending on?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Entertainment

External training courses

Wellbeing measures

Sabbaticals

Subsidised gym memberships

Private health care

Counselling services

Group income protection

Life insurance

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Stress Management

Despite recognising rocketing levels of employee stress, just a quarter of

businesses surveyed offered an Employee Assistance Programme to their

employees. Worryingly, around one in ten (9%) of these employers are

either considering or have recently cut spending on counselling services.

The likelihood of counselling support falls with the size of the company

with 66% of companies with over 250 employees offering an Employee

Assistance Programme, compared to 11% of those with less than 50 staff.

Instead, employers are relying on flexible working hours, employee training

and social events to limit the impact of employee stress.

Not surprisingly, 41% of

employees feel unsupported

by their employers, and 80%

of GPs claim employers leave

workers unsupported to deal

with stress.

Three quarters of GPs believe

employers still cant spot

stressed workers which is not

surprising considering a third of

employees wouldnt tell their

boss if they were stressed a

figure which is likely to rise as

employees keep their problems

hidden for fear of becoming an

easy target for redundancy.

When asked how they felttheir employees would deal with stress, all employers cited drinking more

alcohol and smoking as the main coping mechanisms. This view was supported

by employees, with nearly a third saying that theyd drink more alcohol (32%)

and nearly a fifth (18%) saying that they would smoke more cigarettes.

Worryingly, nearly half of GPs (48%) said that their patients are using

alcohol and drugs to deal with increasing workplace stress.

It is absolutely key that employers

help support employees through

the events that they are having to

deal with as a direct and/or indirect

effect of the current economic

climate. Support systems like

Employee Assistance Programmes

are a simple way to manage mental

wellbeing and help employees takepreventative action as well as

providing advice on a whole host of

areas such as financial worries, debt

and redundancy.

Dr Doug Wright,

Head of Clinical Governance,

Aviva UK Health


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Employers view Health of the Workplace research.

Which of the following impacts do you expect the current economic

situation to have in the workplace this year?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Productivity levels will actually increase

because we are all worried about job security

Staff morale will be low

Employee stress levels will increase

Relationships between

colleagues will be strained

Staff will be worried

about taking sick days

Staff will be worried

about taking holidays

Absence levels and sick days

are likely to increase

Staff will become closer as they pull

together in support of the business

Which of the following might you do to help you deal

with the effects of stress:

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

Speak to your friend

Over eat / indulge in a poor diet

Drink more alcohol

Smoke more cigarettes

Exercise / go to the gym more

Self-medicate with drugs from the chemist,e.g. sleeping tablets, flu medication

Under eat

Speak to your manager

Take more sick days

Take drugs

Call a counselling helpline

Over 60 percent of employees felt that they and their

colleagues were under increased pressure yet 45% saidthat their company had no provision for dealing with stress.


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Employees view Health of the Workplace 3 research.


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Cutting back on employee counselling services, or not offering

them at all, opens employers up to a number of risks including:

I no robust way for employees to report the problem

I no ability to prevent the condition escalating

I employee going off long-term sick with little warning

I no contingency planning meaning that other staff have to

pick up the workload potentially increasing stress

levels of remaining staffI no consistency when dealing with employee stress

I longer-term impacts due to employee burn-out

I employees using inappropriate methods to cope

I potential employee liability claims.

The benefits of counselling

Recent research conducted in association withPPC Worldwide one of the largest providers

of Employee Assistance Programmes, showed

that counselling dramatically increases the

likelihood of someone remaining in work and

returning following a period of absence. The

findings showed that 33% of employees

were absent from work at the time they had

their first counselling session with only

0.6% planning to return to work. By the lastcounselling session the amount of people not

at work had fallen to 13% with 8% of these

employees saying that they were planning to

return to work. In addition, three quarters

(74.7%) stated that the sessions had helped

them improve their wellbeing.

An employer who offers counselling services is in a far better position than

one who doesnt offer these services. In addition to the obvious benefits to

the employee, and helping to mitigate the above risks, our research shows

that counselling can also have a positive impact on employee absence.

A dangerous game to play

Employers offering an Employee

Assistance Programme are far more

equipped to prevent and treat

employee stress. Not only do they

give employees access to

independent, confidential advice

but many EAPs also offer support

and training for Line Managers

to help them identify the signsof stress.

Dr Doug Wright,

Head of Clinical Governance,

Aviva UK Health

An EAP will give you upto 14 return for every

1 invested in a full EAP

service.

Source: CBI, 2004.

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Far-reaching impacts

Work/life balance, healthy eating and exercise all play a key role in stress

management. Yet, employees are working longer hours, taking fewer

lunch breaks and spending less time on leisure activity. And, instead of

turning to their employers for help, employees are indulging in a poor diet,

smoking, or drinking alcohol to help them deal with stress. Only 18% of

people would consider doing more exercise.

In the recent years, obesity has been the key focus in the media notsurprisingly considering the Governments Foresight Think Tank estimated

that by 2050, 60% of men, 50% of women and 25% of children in Britain

will be clinically obese with related health problems costing more than 45

billion a year. The above behaviour is only going to exacerbate this issue.

We are already seeing a knock-on effect to employees health with

many suffering from insomnia (55%) depression (21%) and anxiety

(21%). A further 33% of employees are suffering from back and neck

pain a worrying statistic, considering that musculoskeletal problems

continue to be the most common cause of long term disability for the

under 45s at a cost to the country of between 3bn and 3.5bn in lost

productivity, medical treatment and sickness benefits every year. And,

nearly half of stress-related conditions manifest themselves from

musculoskeletal conditions.

Moreover, when you consider that a recent research article produced by

the Harvard School of Public Health suggested, of the seven million deaths

from cancer world-wide, 35% were attributable to nine potentially

modifiable factors such as diet, physical inactivity and smoking thelonger-term impact of increased smoking and alcohol consumption,

a poor diet and limited exercise could be far reaching.

There has been a great deal of coverage regarding the

financial impact of the recession on UK PLCs, but few have

stopped to think about the severity of the health issues

facing Britains workers. On top of the adverse effects of

stress itself, an unhealthy diet, limited exercise and increased

levels of smoking and drinking could have far-reaching and

long-term effects on the UK economy.

Dr Doug Wright,

Head of Clinical Governance, Aviva UK Health

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Even when the economy was growing, the nations healthcare

professionals were predicting that a time bomb is ticking for the UKs

health and the strain on the NHS, let alone on industry and therefore the

UK economy will be immense. When you overlay the impacts the recession

could have on the nations stress levels (and health in general), the results

could be significant.

In the current economic climate, thinking of your day-to-day

working life, are you likely to do any of the following:

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Go into work even when

you are ill

Work longer hours

Not take lunch breaks

Worry about work in theevenings / at weekends

Offer to take on morework / responsibility

Have less time for leisureactivities e.g. sport

Not admit to your bossthat you are feeling stressed

Call in sick more frequently

Struggle to complete my work load

Not take holidays

Not complain to colleaguesabout your company / workload

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Employees view Health of the Workplace 3 research.


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The GPs view

Whilst 14% of GPs felt that

attitudes to workplace health had

improved, almost a third (29%) felt

that attitudes to workplace health

were worsening. Eight out of ten

GPs believe the UKs employees will

be more likely to abuse alcohol,

and a third think drug problems

will rise in 2009. As previously

discussed, almost half (46%) ofUK GPs are already seeing their

patients abusing alcohol and drugs

because of stress, and 89% predict that levels of depression and requests

for anti-depressants will rocket this year.

When asked which workplace initiative would have the biggest impact

on health and wellbeing, GPs stated that employers should provide

flexible working, free counselling and fitness schemes to their staff.

Six out of ten GPs believetheir patients are strugglinginto work when ill due to fearof losing their job and almosttwo thirds of GPs (59%) thinkthat British employees,already working some of thelongest hours in Europe, areset to see their time at work

increase even more.Source: Health of the Workplace 3 research.

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Tax

incentives

TaxSubsidised

ocupational

healthcare

A

legalduty

toprovide

occupational

health

Better

pr

ovisionby

thepublic

sector

Better

pa

rtnerships

wit

htheNHS

Better

evidenceof

effective

practice

Other

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

What do you think would encourage employers to

implement occupational health measures?



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47%

5%1% 1% 2%

Employers have soleresponsibility

Its all about reciprocalresponsibility betweenemployer and employee

Employees should beresponsible for theirhealth, this has nothingto do with employers

Health care workers cando little to affect employeehealth in the workplace

Other

Whose responsibility

is workplace health?

Sick Notes vs Fit Notes

As previously mentioned, moving the focus away from incapacity to

focus on capacity is definitely a step in the right direction. Whether

Fit Notes will work in practice, and the actual impact they will have

on sickness absence rates when they are introduced next year is still

open for debate particularly amongst the GP population.

However, initial feedback from the GPs we questioned, gives us

some insight into the debate this initiative has sparked. Interestingly,

64% felt ill equipped to provide Fit Notes for the UK workforce with

a further 15% non-committal. When asked whether Fit Notes wouldhelp control sickness absence, only 2% of GPs strongly agreed.



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Conclusion

The impacts of stress, anxiety and depression should not be taken lightly.

It would be very naive to focus purely on the condition itself and ignore

the wider impacts mental illness, and leading an unhealthy lifestyle can

have on the health of individuals, the workplace and ultimately the

economy. And, it goes without saying, the factors contributing to stress,

also need considering.

Workplace wellbeing is still seen as the responsibility of all stakeholders

Government, employer, employee, and provider. Our Health of the

Workplace 3 research findings illustrate what a difficult position

businesses and indeed employees are in.

From an employees perspective, its all too easy to lose the balance

between work life and home life particularly in the current economic

environment. But, employees need to recognise that many of the coping

methods identified in this study could be detrimental to their health

further exacerbating the problem.

Whilst this report shows that many employees appear to be maintaining

their productivity despite working long hours, skipping lunch breaks and

de-prioritising leisure time, it also highlights that employees are alreadysuffering the effects of stress and going into work when they are unwell.

Even if a company has a highly motivated, resilient workforce how far

can these people be stretched before they reach breaking point?

It is for this reason that employees need access to advice and support

that helps them help themselves. Whether it is guidance on cutting back

on alcohol and cigarettes, doing exercise or healthy eating, taking a few

simple steps could have a real positive effect on their mental and

physical wellbeing.

But workplace health isnt solely the employees responsibility, employers

also have a key role to play in changing their employees behaviours and

there are a number of ways in which they can help.

Firstly, they can look at their cultural environment. The Health of the

Workplace report clearly demonstrates that in many cases employees

are not taking a lunch break yet employers have a duty to ensure that

employees are taking at least their statutory breaks under their Working

Time Regulations. By promoting a culture that encourages staff to take

a break at lunchtime ideally to eat a healthy lunch, go for a walk and

switch off from work theyll have a positive effect on morale,

productivity and their employees health.


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Employers can support these cultural changes with a range of

occupational health solutions. And whilst its clear that budgets are tight,

when it comes down to a choice between saving money and investing in

the health of staff, employers should think carefully before choosing to

stop investing in employees health.

Wellness management need not be complicated, or costly. Taking a few

simple steps could make a real difference. Examples include, introducing

early intervention activities that red flag certain conditions identified via

the absence reporting mechanism, the pro-active management of stress

via EAPs and introducing online health management tools to encourage

staff to lead a healthier lifestyle.

According to The Royal Institute of Public Health (RIPH) The evidence

suggests that wellness programmes have a positive impact in areas such as

staff turnover and productivity, and that programme costs quickly translate

to financial benefits through cost savings or additional revenue generation.1

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) agrees,

suggesting that in terms of employee health, forward-thinking

organisations recognise that managing their human resource is asimportant to success as control of financial and capital

resourcesThrough an investment in people, organisations can achieve

excellence and maintain a leading edge.2

The introduction of tax incentives will almost certainly encourage more

employers to purchase occupational health benefits, but its now unlikely

that the Government will introduce such an incentive in the near future.

Its therefore up to the other stakeholders, particularly intermediaries and

healthcare providers, to educate employers on the benefits of

occupational health provision and work with them to tailor solutions

which help prevent and tackle their companys personal risk areas, within

their budget.

What is clear is that theres no one size fits all solution, and its essential

that employers invest in the right workplace wellness benefits for their

company and recognise that whist return on investment may not always

come overnight, taking small steps to tackle key risk areas such as stress,

could over time reap returns that far outweigh the initial outlay.

1. www.riph.org.uk/pdf/workplace_wellness.pdf2. www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/health/occpnhlth/occhealth.htm?IsSrchRes=1


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About the research:

GP Research

Aviva commissioned health research experts Mede Connect to recruit a panel of

201 General Practitioners from across the UK to complete a comprehensive

online survey. This panel is representative of the 40,000 GPs in the UK in terms

of gender, ethnicity, practice type and location, and reflects the regional

proportions of the UK. The research was conducted on 4 March 2009.

Employer Research

The research was carried out online by Opinion Matters/Tickbox.net between2 March and 6 March 2009 amongst a nationally representative sample of

211 UK Decision makers.

Opinion Matters/Tickbox.net is a leading market research organisation,

carrying out consumer, corporate and niche market surveys online amongst

a 50,000+ member panel. Opinion Matters/Tickbox.net follow the codes

of the MRS (Market Research Society) and are fully registered and compliant

with the Data Protection Registrar.

Employee Research

1006 interviews were conducted by Redshift with UK men and women

taking place between 3 and 8 March 2009. Online interviews carried out

with a randomly selected, regionally nationally representative sample

of UK panellists aged 18 and over.

Redshift Research is a UK-based market research agency. They design and

fulfil both business market research programmes, tailored to the needs of

business to business audiences, as well as consumer market research studies.

Redshift Research are members of the MRS company Partnership scheme

About our health business

Established in 1990 as Norwich Union Healthcare and re-branded to Aviva

in 2009, we now provide a range of private medical insurance, income

protection, occupational health and group life products and services that cover

over 2,400,000 lives. We are one of the largest providers of income protection,

group life and private medical insurance in the UK.


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About our occupational health business

Aviva Occupation Health UK Limited, a sister company of Aviva Health

UK Limited provides occupational health solutions and services to a wide

range of industry sectors. By utilising their large fleet of purpose built

mobile clinics and approved medical centres, staffed by a team of

experienced occupational physicians and nursing staff, the services are

designed to meet the individual needs of clients.

Aviva Health UK Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services

Authority and is a member of the Association of British Insurers and theFinancial Ombudsman Service.

Employer Solutions

We understand the needs of our clients are varied and changing. From

militating against short-term employee absence to improving bottom-line

productivity, for most employers ensuring staff are healthy and happy at

work is a key priority. Thats why weve developed Employer Solutions.

Employer Solutions is a range of health, insurance and protection-based

options that work together, or as stand-alone solutions helping to meet

a range of employer needs. At its heart, Employer Solutions offers:

I Absence Solutions three modules that form the basis of an

integrated absence management program that can work on their

own or as part of a broader solution that includes existing

occupational health programmes.

I Wellness Solutions a range of preventative health products and

services that aim to identify any potential employee health risks early

on and enable employers to put in place a range of options that keepemployees in tip-top condition.

I Protection Solutions a range of options that includes traditional

Private Medical insurance, Income Protection and Group Risk

products combined with a selection of Occupational Health services

to enable employers to help control short and long-term absence and

ensure that any regulatory liabilities are met.

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Aviva Health UK Limited. Registered in England Number 2464270.

Registered Office 8 Surrey Street Norwich NR1 3NG.

This insurance is underwritten by Aviva Insurance UK Limited. Registered in England Number 99122,

Registered Office 8 Surrey Street Norwich NR1 3NG.

Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Aviva Health UK Limited, Head Office: Chilworth House Hampshire Corporate Park Templars Way

Eastleigh Hampshire SO53 3RY.

www.aviva.co.uk/health

Health of the Workplace

Our annual Health of the Workplace study provides a snapshot of

occupational health in Britain today. Now in its third year, the Health

of the Workplace research is designed to undertake detailed analysis into

the opinions of employers, employees and GPs about workplace health

issues that affect them.

The reports goal is to uncover the most important issues facing health

in the workplace, understand current debates, and to suggest solutions

which will help both employers and employees.

To achieve this, we worked with three specialist research agencies to

survey 200 GPs, 200 employers, and more than a thousand employees

to build a detailed picture of occupational health in the UK in 2009.

aviva health of the workplace report - may 2009

Documents