The impact of poor musculoskeletal (MSK) and mental health in the workplace should not be underestimated. MSK conditions, such as back pain or joint conditions, affect one in eight people of working age in the UK during their lifetimes, representing a huge portion of the workforce, and are the biggest cause of workplace absence in the UK. Many employers are well aware of the impact of MSK problems, but the links to mental health are easy to overlook.
In fact, MSK and mental health are closely linked. People experiencing an MSK condition are at higher risk of developing stress, anxiety and depression, with depression being four times as common in people experiencing persistent pain.
The key question for employers is how they can put a holistic strategy in place to support their workforce and reduce the impact of poor MSK and mental health in the workplace. Health Shield, a leading provider of Health Cash Plans, has developed a guide for creating a rounded strategy to address MSK and mental health, which can be found in its eBook, The Impact of Musculoskeletal and Mental Health.
Health Shield has also created an online calculator which allows managers to build a business case for their strategy by demonstrating the financial savings which could be made by putting a focus on prevention and early intervention, for example by using its on-demand physio services or mental health app, Thrive.
The Health Shield team will be at this year’s CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition and can discuss your requirements for a wellbeing strategy. Visit them at stand F60.