This white paper from HercuWise explores how prevention-focused workplace health strategies can support employee wellbeing while helping to address wider UK health and productivity challenges.
It argues that workplaces are an important setting for preventing ill health and calls for employers to move beyond reactive or fragmented wellbeing initiatives towards a more holistic approach encompassing physical, mental and social health.
Drawing on existing research, HercuWise’s own market research and a small pilot study, the report also examines the potential for evidence-based digital learning to make workplace health support more accessible and scalable.
Key findings include:
- Employee sickness is estimated to cost the UK £141 billion a year.
- Poor mental health costs UK employers around £51 billion annually.
- 83% of respondents were interested in or open to digital workplace wellbeing solutions.
- Pilot participants reported improvements in confidence and knowledge around stress management, nutrition and physical activity.
The report concludes with recommendations for government, employers and workplace health providers to strengthen preventive workplace health support and improve how its impact is measured.
