Healthy Workplace, Healthy Workforce, Healthy Business
The Healthy Working Wales (HWW) programme aims to support and encourage employers to create healthy working environments, take action to improve the health and wellbeing of their staff, manage sickness absence well and engage with employees effectively, all of which can help to achieve a range of positive business and organisational outcomes.
The HWW Programme:
- Offers health advisor support, training events, workshops, information and guidance.
- Operates a free awards scheme for employers in Wales, providing a framework to improve employee health and wellbeing, whilst rewarding employers who are actively working to do so.
- Contributes to and complements employers’ short and long term goals.
- Sends a powerful message, internally and externally, that employers are committed to creating a better working environment.
- Supports employers to develop policies and undertake actions designed to promote happier and healthier workforces.
- Seeks to promote communication and open conversations by raising awareness of health and wellbeing issues and reducing stigma.
- Is delivered by Public Health Wales on behalf of Welsh Government.
New HWW Delivery Model
The pandemic has created opportunities as well as challenges for our work with employers, including a rapid shift to virtual working and modes of delivery and also a greater emphasis placed on staff health and wellbeing than ever before.
We are committed to developing a new model of delivery to meet the needs of employers of all sizes and from all sectors in Wales as well as the demands of the changing world of work. The new HWW delivery model will include online needs assessment tools and a virtual offer which will help us reach more businesses in Wales – it will be launched in 2022.
Why is health and wellbeing at work important?
Employers play a key role in contributing to the health and wellbeing of the workforce given that:
- Employees spend a large proportion of their time at work.
- The top 2 causes of long-term employee absence in the UK are preventable:
- Musculoskeletal problems
- Mental health conditions
- In the UK, 119 million days were lost to sickness absence in 2020 (the lowest levels since records began in 1995 but please note, this number is affected by furloughed workers).
- Poor mental health costs UK employers billions every year, with the largest hit coming from lost productivity caused by presenteeism.
Why should employers get involved?
The Chartered Institute of Professional Development (CIPD, 2020) states:
“A culture of wellbeing, driven by great people management, is good for employees and good for business. It makes the workplace a more productive, attractive and socially responsible place to work.”
Committing to health and wellbeing will enhance an employer’s reputation resulting in better recruitment of staff and new talent as well as good employee engagement and retention.
Employees who feel that their employer is proactively supporting their health and wellbeing will:
- Feel valued as an employee.
- Experience increased levels of morale, motivation and productivity.
- Experience fewer episodes of sickness absence.
- Be more likely to stay with an organisation, thereby retaining valuable skills and experience plus reducing staff turnover and associated recruitment costs.
- Be part of a more engaged workforce that will work efficiently together.
- Enjoy a positive working environment which in turn allows the organisation to thrive.
Eligibility
Any employer in Wales with at least 1 employee is eligible to join the programme, free of charge. We welcome employers of any size and in any sector to get involved with Healthy Working Wales.
5 Ways to get to know us….
- Visit our website: www.healthyworkingwales.wales.nhs.uk
- Follow us on social media Twitter: @Healthywork_HWW; Facebook: @HealthyWorkingWales; Linkedin: @Healthy Working Wales / Cymru Iach Ar Waith
- Listen to our podcasts YouTube
- Email us: Workplacehealth@wales.nhs.uk
- Sign up to our monthly e- bulletin for regular updates!
