People might have concerns about taking time off work for a check-up, screening appointment or finding a sexual health clinic. They might also worry about confidentiality being broken, or reactions from their peers.

How you can make a difference:

• Create a workplace culture where a person feels they can be open, with mutual trust and confidentiality
• Promote and signpost to screening, guidance and support services for all aspects of health in your Health and Wellbeing policies, communications and campaigns
• Provide flexibility to attend medical appointments and check-ups which can avoid sickness absence and prevent problems arising in the future that may impact on health and wellbeing
• Employers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees or employees with a long term health condition for medical appointments related to their disability or long-term health condition

Promoting and supporting health awareness in your workplace provides an opportunity for employees to reflect on their lifestyle in a safe environment. This empowers staff to make proactive choices about their health, boosting their productivity and motivation.

Employees who access health screening opportunities, health check-ups and attend medical appointments and clinics when they have concerns about their health, benefit their overall health and the business they work for.

The benefits include:

• Employees who feel healthy and fit can stay focused on the tasks in front of them and keep their productivity high throughout the workday
• Through screenings, it is possible to identify health problems and prevent them becoming serious conditions that will keep people away from work
• With screening, health checks and access to treatment, people may also become more aware of their lifestyle, motivating them to change, improve and discover effective ways of treatment
• Up to date screening supports workplace safety ensuring a person is fit to undertake their role i.e. vision tests
• Showing that employees are valued leads to an improvement in happiness and productivity
• Builds trust, reinforcing the employer’s commitment to employees by showing concern and care – improves staff retention, boosts productivity and improves engagement

At Wiltshire Council we are here to help you and your employees to develop a healthy workplace. Our team can provide support, answer your queries and signpost you to the latest information and guidance.

If you would like to make your workplace a healthier place to work, find out more or meet with us, please contact:

Call: 0300 0034566

[email protected]