IDS HR Studies Update 823, June 2006

Employee health & well-being

Employee health and well-being programmes are increasingly moving up the HR agenda as a means of improving staff morale and engagement as well as reducing sickness absence. Health and well-being encompasses a wide range of initiatives and activities, from subsidised gyms and sports clubs, through complementary therapies, healthy eating and other health promotions, to flexible working policies.

This IDS HR Update:

• examines the private medical schemes at 34 named organisations
• considers the issue of smoking in the workplace
• includes five detailed company case studies discussing the health and well-being initiatives introduced by a range of organisations
• rounds up some of the latest health-related news stories.

Features

Private medical insurance

By providing company-paid private medical insurance, employers aim to help staff recover and return to work as soon as possible following illness or an accident. Our special feature gives details of the company-paid PMI policies at 34 organisations, examining cost containment methods, eligibility criteria, benefit levels, terms of cover and claims administration.

Smoking in the workplace

Smoking in the workplace represents a health risk, can increase employers’ costs, presents a poor company image and can lead to resentment between staff who smoke and those who don’t. Our second feature article looks at the design and implementation of smoking policies, in the light of forthcoming government legislation.

Case studies

• Ernst & Young promotes wide range of employee health and well-being initiatives
• O2 introduces health and well-being initiative
• London Underground tackles stress
• Alcatel Telecom revamps its employee assistance programme
• GlaxoSmithKline breaks the back of musculoskeletal injury

News round-up

• National Director of Health and Work appointed
• CBI reports continued fall in absence
• The Big Life group introduces new staff welfare package
• Well @ Work project tests health interventions
• EEF survey highlights key role of occupational health