Health, Safety and Wellbeing – Should wellbeing be in the domain of a health & safety practitioner?

Health and Safety practitioner’s roles are transforming, influenced by changes in legislation, the nature of the workforce and the prevailing social and health economy.  This is for several reasons, including the recent economic downturn. Roles now commonly include quality, environment, security and more recently wellbeing. It is the last of these areas, wellbeing, that this article focuses on. What part do health and safety practitioners have to play?  The following article is based on an MSc research project which the lead author undertook at Loughborough University.  The project looked at evidence of how physical wellbeing programmes have been implemented in the workplace and more specifically the role of the H&S practitioner. To better understand both the involvement and views of health and safety practitioners in regard to wellbeing, the IOSH Tyne and Wear branch were asked to complete an on-line questionnaire, the results of which are discussed.

What are workplace physical wellbeing programmes?

It is perhaps useful to start with a definition “Workplace Health Promotion (WHP) is the combined efforts of employers, employees and society to improve the health and wellbeing of people at work. Through a combination of improving the work organisation and work environment, promoting active participation and encouraging personal development” Workplace Health Promotion (2015). It must be noted that wellbeing promotion in the workplace is not a modern invention; Victorian industrialists George Cadbury and William Lever saw the importance of a healthy workforce. Understandably the workplace is considered a prime location for health promotion, due to the presence of social networks, the possibility of reaching a large population and purely the amount of time people spend at work (Rongen et al, 2013).  Dame Carol Black has led UK research into workplace wellbeing promotion, encouraging respective governments to communicate the benefits of wellbeing programmes to employers whilst suggesting safety and health practitioners should play an expanded role in promoting wellbeing in the workplace, Black (2008).

Workplace physical wellbeing programmes tend to focus on key areas such as; physical activity, nutrition and health checks/advice. It is then equally important that the programme is well managed ensuring that organisations plan well and get the wellbeing programme they need and then have some measure of how successful it was, so that improvements and adjustments can be made.

The case for workplace physical wellbeing programmes

There is very good evidence from around the world that workplace physical wellbeing programmes work e.g. reducing cholesterol in Japan (Maes et al,2011), Weight reduction in India (Prabhakaran et al, 2009) and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease here in the UK (Khaw et al, 2006). Supported most notably by the World Health Organisation WHO (2008). There are also countless studies that have found that mental health improved as a result of physical activity (Fox, 1999), (Warburton et al, 2006). A resounding 95% of respondents in the survey agreed that physical activity was important for mental health. Organisationally there are benefits to the business such as reduced absenteeism (Baicker et al, 2015).

The importance of such programmes is compounded by the back drop of obesity and lack of physical activity.  These are two of the biggest public health problems to face us in the 21^st century (Vaughan-Jones and Barham, 2009), (Blair, 2009). This is particularly poignant as working practices are part of the problem, the increasing sedentary nature of some roles means that those ‘roles’ are adversely effecting employee health e.g. increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, this link being established some time ago in a study of bus drivers in the London Bus Company (Morris et al, 1953).

Barriers to workplace physical wellbeing programmes

Unfortunately, there are a number of barriers which result in wellbeing programmes either struggling to get off the ground or floundering at some point.

The most notable being the workforce themselves, with many viewing wellbeing programmes as intrusive and taking the view that their own health is their business (van Berkel et al, 2014). One respondent in the survey noted “It’s not the company’s business.” (Taylor, 2016). Yet it appears if the programme is well planned and involves workforce consultation, those views may be altered, FDF (2012).

Cost is, as with many initiatives, a deciding factor and wellbeing programmes are no different, with many organisations not wanting to fund such programmes without clear information on ‘what’s in it for them’, respondents in the survey concurred identifying cost as the biggest barrier for their organisations. This is much clearer in the USA (Maes et al, 2011), where most employers pay their employee’s medical insurance, as a result there are financial incentives for introducing wellbeing programmes as they’ll reduce medical costs, this is not the case in most European countries, leading to less zeal for such programmes. It is no surprise then that larger organisations are more likely to provide wellbeing programmes in due to the resources they have available (McCoy et al, 2014), who found 24% of large businesses provided a comprehensive wellness package, compared to 4.6% of small businesses. The lack of clear information, can also dissuade organisations from investing in wellbeing programmes, with many businesses being unaware of both how to approach workplace wellbeing programmes and the benefits they provide, Black (2008). This is an area the UK government are acutely aware of and have set up a task force to deal with it, the Health at Work Policy Unit (HWPU).

Health and Safety Practitioners and well-being programmes

Traditionally workplace wellbeing programmes have been within the domain of occupational health practitioners and human resource departments.

Occupational health services have a long track record of promoting the physical, mental and social wellbeing of employees. Human resource departments also have a vested interest in the wellbeing of their employees. Traditionally they will be responsible for monitoring sickness absence, arranging sick pay and back to work interviews, Human Resource Manager (2015).

More recently health and safety practitioners have become more involved in managing workplace wellbeing in an apparent, albeit low key, evolution of the role, Wellbeing Manager Jobs (2015). To support this development there is sound theory behind the relationship between workplace wellbeing programmes and Safety and Health practitioners, in that health and safety and wellbeing do have a mutually beneficial relationship, as recognised by the UK government which stated “There is no clear boundary between safety related issues on the one hand and health and wellbeing on the other” (DWP, 2008, p.44). 

Further to this point, health and safety practitioners look to protect workers’ health e.g. through the reduction of airborne hazardous substances below workplace exposure limits in line with EH40. Wellbeing programmes e.g. walking initiatives and dietary advice look to improve workers’ health. So, although there are key differences between the two functions, they are both concerned with the health of workers. It could be argued then, that a mutually beneficial relationship exists, in which great strides could be made, by looking at both the protection and improvement of health together.

There is evidence that health and safety practitioners are starting to engage in the wellbeing agenda. IOSH have held regional branch meetings IOSH (2015) that have discussed wellbeing in relation to the role of their members and in national surveys IOSH (2012).

Survey findings of IOSH members

The extent and success of workplace physical wellbeing programmes

As previously discussed, the workplace is seen as a fruitful setting for wellbeing programmes (Rongen et al, 2013). 86% of respondents in the survey agreed with this view. However, as recognised by (McCoy et al, 2014) larger organisations are more likely to provide wellbeing activities when compared to small organisations, this assertion is supported by statistically significant findings in this study (Taylor, 2016). To tackle this issue the HWPU are exploring ways of reducing the financial burden such as tax breaks and grants. Once on the path to wellbeing programmes it is essential that workers are consulted (Whysall et al, 2006), to ensure activities are tailored for their needs, 55% of respondents indicated that their organisations consulted workers, which is encouraging, but also leaves room for improvement.

In regard to core elements of physical wellbeing programmes (physical activity, nutrition and health), it was pleasing to note for example that 64.5% of organisations offered cycle/walk to work schemes, over half offered healthy food options in the canteen and 81.4% had access to an occupational health service. There appears to be an intrinsic relationship between those core elements (physical activity, nutrition and health), in that they have mutually beneficial and linked associations, as found by (Knowler et al, 2002) who discovered the risk of developing type 2 diabetes was reduced by an acceptable level of physical activity and good diet.

It is then important that there is some measure to gauge the success of wellbeing activities and identify areas for improvement (Naito et al, 2008), only half of the respondent’s organisations engaged in this practice, leaving the other half with no idea of the impact the programme might have had.

Are Health and Safety Practitioners engaged in wellbeing programmes?

Dame Carol Black suggested that Health and Safety practitioners have a key role to play in the management of workplace wellbeing Black (2008), it was pleasing to note then that 43% of practitioners in the survey had been involved in wellbeing programmes. With the highest involvement in the health section 66% (health checks, smoking cessation etc.) and 50% in physical activity (bike to work scheme, running clubs etc.). This was further supported in the survey by 74% who felt the health section best suited the health and safety role

If Health and Safety practitioners are not involved in managing workplace wellbeing, what are the reasons?

“For many employers, workplace health appears entrenched within a health and safety paradigm” (Pescud et al, 2015, p.8) in that businesses are more likely to invest in health and safety measures as they have clear benefits, legal compliance, reduced accidents etc. The benefits of wellbeing programmes are less well understood, so it’s no surprise that employers are less likely to pursue them.

An obvious reason why health and safety practitioners are not involved in wellbeing programmes is that other departments manage them, namely occupational health and human resources. With 62% of those surveyed recognising this as the main reason they were not being utilised in wellbeing management. Yet an encouraging 58% felt that a combination of all three departments was the best way forward for wellbeing management. Which is in-line with the authors own views on the subject, as it would provide a more holistic view of workers’ health and how best to protect and improve it

For means of balance, it is important to note that just under half of those surveyed felt that physical wellbeing programmes were not something that health and safety practitioners should be managing,  and a quarter would not feel comfortable managing those programmes if asked. However more encouragingly, 76.5% felt that health and safety practitioners did at the very least have a key role to play in physical wellbeing programmes supporting the findings of Dame Carol Black, Black (2008).

What would make Health and Safety practitioners get involved in wellbeing programmes?

The results of the survey clearly show that the most important factor that would encourage health and safety practitioners to get involved in wellbeing programmes was training. Which was not surprising, as practitioners would want a greater understanding of the topic area before getting involved. There is a current qualification that would go some way to meeting those training needs, the NEBOSH Wellbeing Certificate NEBOSH (2014). There was also a clamour for building experience and better information. A culmination of the three highest responses (training, experience and information) can be summed up in the 85% of respondents, that agreed if their organisation gave them the time and support to develop the skills required to manage physical wellbeing programmes, they would be happy to take on the responsibility.

This enthusiastic response appears a clear opportunity to explore the use of health and safety practitioners within wellbeing programmes. Perhaps by setting up focus groups to investigate a cross departmental approach to employee wellbeing.

The Future role of H&S practitioners in the wellbeing agenda?

It appears somewhat futile to protect employee’s traditional health and safety and not look at their wellbeing with similar vigour. Many employers have made great strides with wellbeing programmes, for example in the food industry FDF (2012). However, there is room for improvement and health and safety practitioners, with their wide and varied knowledge base, can play their part in shaping those programmes and begin looking at employee health and wellbeing in wider terms. Over three quarters of those practitioners surveyed agreed they had a key role to play.

References

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