More than 250 major UK employers have joined Sir Charlie Mayfield’s workplace health taskforce, which aims to stop people leaving jobs because of long-term illness and help others return to work. The former John Lewis chair said reducing health-related worklessness could support economic growth that is already “hiding in plain sight.”
The companies taking part include British Airways, Tesco, Royal Mail, Sainsbury’s, EDF Energy and Currys, alongside several government departments and 10 mayoral authorities, including London and Manchester. The taskforce is linked to the government’s wider Get Britain Working programme.
The initiative will ask employers to track sickness absence, return-to-work outcomes and disability participation. The government said this would make workplace health performance visible across large employers for the first time.
Employers Asked to Improve Contact With Sick Workers
Sir Charlie told the BBC that many people signed off work for several months receive no contact from their employers. He said the problem is often not bad intent, but a workplace system where employers and staff stop communicating when support is most needed.
The taskforce aims to test ways for companies to intervene earlier when workers develop health problems. It also wants employers to help people remain connected to work before long-term absence becomes permanent.
Official figures cited by the programme estimate that health-related economic inactivity and poor workplace health cost the UK £212 billion a year. Long-term sickness has become one of the main reasons people are outside the labour market.
Sir Charlie said improving workplace health could benefit employers, employees and taxpayers. He argued that keeping more people in jobs would expand the workforce without requiring higher immigration, new housing or waiting for younger workers to enter employment.
Concerns Remain Over Costs and Safeguards
Some employers have warned that higher taxes and rising costs limit their ability to invest in workplace health programmes. Others have cautioned that any return-to-work drive must not pressure people who are too unwell to work.
Sir Charlie said the plan should not be treated as a contest between businesses and workers. “This is not a zero-sum game,” he said, adding that better support could help both sides.
The programme comes as welfare spending remains under political scrutiny. Government figures show social security spending accounts for a large share of public expenditure, with benefits for disabled people and people with health conditions among the fastest-growing areas.
Sir Charlie said tackling the causes of health-related worklessness could help reduce pressure on the welfare bill over time. He said the approach should focus on practical support at work rather than simply shifting people off benefits.
Featured image credits: Dave Collier via Flickr
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