For EDF Energy, one of Britain’s largest energy companies, ill health among employees costs £13 million (HK$164.4 million) a year. Since 2006, the company has therefore introduced many corporate wellness initiatives, encouraging staff, their families and the wider community to boost their general wellbeing. As a result, Professor Carol Black, expert adviser on work and health at Britain’s Department of Health, cited EDF Energy as a positive example during a recent presentation on workplace health to representatives from about 25 local organisations at Hong Kong’s British Council.
EDF has offered psychological support to employees, trained more than 1,000 managers to recognise psychological ill health among staff, enhanced good work principles – such as strong relationships, fairness, flexible working arrangements and meaningful work – and organised a team of “health advocates”. Made up of staff volunteers, the health advocates carry out an engaging health and wellness programme, which includes physiotherapy services, ergonomic assessments, and stress and resilience training.
According to Black, who is also the principal of Newnham College at Cambridge, ‘There are basic principles about how you can keep people healthy and well and in work, and I think they apply to Hong Kong as much as they apply to Britain.’ Black noted that with sickness absence and worklessness associated with ill health costing Britain more than £100 billion a year, the key issue facing the British workforce is how to keep people who are fit for employment at work, and how to enable them to work for a longer period of time.
Black explained, ‘For most people of working age, work – the right work – is good for their health and wellbeing. For most people, worklessness is harmful. Much sickness absence and inactivity follows common health problems which, given the right support, are compatible with work – although sometimes it means a different kind of work.’ Based on a 2008 review by Black, the “fit note” was introduced to replace the old sick note in April 2010. These means that instead of advising their patients that they were completely fit or completely unfit for work, doctors now could advise that their patient has some functional limitations but, with appropriate support, could return to the workplace.
‘At the moment in Britain, we have a great interest in improving people’s resilience and mental health – proactively, rather than waiting until people become sick,’ Black added. ‘It’s all about people being in good work; work in which you feel you have a sense of control and autonomy, where the leadership is empowering and you feel appreciated. The biggest thing is knowing how to look after people. These things don’t cost money – they cost attitude and a bit of time.’
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