Employers needed ‘on the pitch’ to tackle culture of fear over sickness

Speaking to Radio 4’s Today programme this morning, Sir Charlie Mayfield, author of the Keep Britain Working review talked of a culture of “fear” that means sick people are dropping out of work rather than seeking support: “When people get ill in work they generally fear telling their employer about it,” he said. “And the employers are often fearful of talking to people about it and so you create distance. And if you have distance when people are unwell it really does not help to [improve the issue].”

'Vanguard' employers are set to trial practical solutions in areas such as return-to-work and tailored support for long-term unwell. Photograph: iStock

The review, published last November, delineated a three-year ‘vanguard phase’ in which chosen employers would test and refine workplace health initiatives to reduce sickness absence.

He announced that this would be reduced to one year with momentum building fast. “[We are seeing] a high level of engagement from employers, providers and mayors. There’s a lot of appetite in solving this problem,” he stated, adding ‘vanguard’ employers had doubled from 60 to 120.

Mayfield would not be pressed on what or when he would make his recommendations to government, instead focusing on the work he is doing with employers. 

Five "employer sprints" will be starting imminently, he said, to help establish and test practical solutions in areas such as return-to-work and tailored support. “We have to get clarity for employers to support them in what they need to do.”

Then it’s about asking government to create the “right set of incentives that encourage [many more] employers to get on board.”

“We’ve got to get employers on the pitch. Employers can make a huge difference to handling ill health and disability in the workplace. Employees, providers and government have a role to play too. What we’re figuring out is how to put that all together, so the whole system works much better.”

Listen to the interview on Radio 4 (from 07:55 am on 27 January) here