Drive To Tackle Workplace Sickness With Small Business Occupational Health Training – DWP

Thousands of people at risk of dropping out of work will be given more support to stay in their jobs thanks to new Government-funded occupational health training for 5,000 line managers working in small businesses.

The free training funded by the Department for Work and Pensions comes as part of the Government’s drive to tackle workplace sickness and will be made available to small and medium sized businesses across England, helping them to better support staff and identify health-related issues early.

It will help tackle the inherited issue of more than 2.8 million people signed off long-term sick – one of the highest rates in the G7 – while the Keep Britain Working Review found 800,000 more working-age adults are out of work due to sickness than in 2019.

The cost of ill-health to small businesses is stark, as replacing an employee lost to ill-health costs over £11,000, while every sickness absence day costs businesses around £120 in lost profit.

The free training – led by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) – will give line managers the practical skills they need to recognise early signs that someone they’re managing needs help, so they can have supportive conversations about health and workplace adjustments. Persistent fatigue, behaviour changes, and increased absence will be some of the signs managers will be trained to spot and step in early to support people, so they have better ways forward to continue in work.

Drive to tackle workplace sickness with small business occupational health training – GOV.UK