Sick in the Workplace: 1.4 Million Suffering from Work-Related Ill Health

The latest statistics on workplace ill health from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) make for interesting reading. 1.4 million of us suffered from work-related ill health in 2018/19, with nearly half a million new cases appearing. Collectively, 23.5 million working days were lost to work-related ill health over this period.

The figures hint at the scale of the human cost of poor health and safety in the workplace. For each of these cases there’s someone who has suffered hardship because of work, often long-term, and in some cases fatal.

What are the Causes?

A staggering 44% of work-related ill health is caused by stress, depression and anxiety. The majority of days off sick have this cause. In many cases, due to the weakening but sadly still present stigma around mental health, workers may attribute their absence to a physical illness to avoid telling their managers. Taking mental health seriously is a huge priority for all organisations.

Musculoskeletal disorders were another prominent issue. Unsurprisingly, industries such as agriculture and construction have a higher than average rate, but all companies need to make sure they’re offering proper trained in manual handling. In offices, spending too long at the keyboard in the wrong position can lead to musculoskeletal problems later on. These can often be long-term and cause severe pain; in some cases, people will be unable to work due to their symptoms.

It’s important not to dismiss the early signs of these conditions as “just a sign of ageing”. Most people have room for improvement in their posture or working conditions and should see a doctor if they feel they might be developing a disorder.

The causes of workplace injuries are relatively familiar. Slips, trips and falls were the most common cause once again, with manual handling close behind. Shockingly, 8% of workplace injuries were caused by acts of violence. It’s unacceptable that anyone should face violence or aggression at their workplace. Some jobs, such as healthcare, security and retail, have a higher than average risk of encountering this poor conduct and employers should take every step necessary to make sure their workers are protected. Anyone can be a victim of workplace violence or aggression, so even in industries that don’t suffer from a higher risk, managers need to take this very seriously.

Occupational lung disease affects thousands of people. In fact, an estimated 12,000 people die each year from past exposures at work. Asbestos damage is sadly common. This highlights how inadequate health and safety can have an impact on employees years after the problem occurred.

Will Things Improve?

Work-related ill health declined for a number of years but has been broadly flat in recent times. With the right training, legislation and commitment from people in all industries, there’s no reason why we won’t see further improvements.

For employers, the most important thing to do immediately is to listen to their staff. The people doing the work on a daily basis are the ones with the most valuable insights into potential hazards and what they need to mitigate them. This is especially valuable during the risk assessment process.

Overall, the UK’s health and safety culture compares favourably with many others around the world. It is one of the safest places to work in Europe. There’s no reason why the trend towards improvement in recent decades shouldn’t continue, as long as the right conditions are maintained and it remains a top priority for businesses and employees alike.

Should Workplace Bullying be Illegal?

Workplace bullying has made international news in recent times. South Korea passed a law making bullying a criminal offence, and a difficult court case involved a French company accused of “moral harassment” against its employees.

The consequences of workplace bullying can be catastrophic. It contributes to mental health conditions, causing long-lasting negative effects for the person involved. In the case in France, multiple suicides were linked to the company’s treatment of its staff. In Ireland, a park ranger committed suicide, mentioning workplace bullying in a note to his family. These cases highlight the most extreme consequences, but even “milder” cases are extremely upsetting, causing stress, anxiety and depression.

Businesses that tolerate bullying risk losing their employees, both those who are bullied and those who witness it going unpunished, leading to high turnover. Bullies are poisonous to a company’s culture and morale, especially those in positions of power.

With such grave concerns about workplace bullying, it’s reasonable to ask why the UK hasn’t outlawed workplace bullying.

Bullying or Harassment?

UK law currently makes a distinction between “bullying” and “harassment”. Harassment relates to one of the protected characteristics (age, sex, race, disability, marital status, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, and religion). This means it is illegal under the Equality Act 2010.

Bullying, however, is not. This is partly due to the difficulty in agreeing a standard definition for bullying. Many tactics used by workplace bullies can be subtle, such as ostracising a colleague or quietly setting them up to fail. Just because it isn’t covered by UK law at present doesn’t mean employers should treat it with anything less than the seriousness it deserves. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 requires employers to take all necessary steps to ensure the safety and wellbeing of their staff, and allowing behaviour that can cause both physical and mental health issues would fall short of this duty.

In practice, the line between bullying and harassment is not always clear. One can easily cross over into the other, and both are unacceptable.

Are You Being Bullied at Work?

Acas defines workplace bullying as ‘offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, an abuse or misuse of power through means that undermine, humiliate, denigrate or injure the recipient’.

This can take many forms. Violence and aggression are at the more obvious end of the spectrum. More subtle examples might be picking at someone’s work, undermining them in front of colleagues and missing people out of relevant meetings.

For those being bullied, it’s important to remember you’re not powerless. Remember that bullying is a sign of weakness and insecurity on the part of the perpetrator, and often they choose their victims based on their high performance. Their victim’s skills, prospects and competence has made them insecure about their own role, so they try to diminish the victim by undermining their confidence and blocking their ability to do their job.

Logging every incident is crucial. Include dates, times, witnesses and as much detail as possible. Sometimes it’s possible to resolve the issue informally, through discussions with managers, HR or even the bully themselves (though not if the victim feels uncomfortable or this would make the situation worse). People suffering from work-related bullying can try to reduce the negative effects by focusing on their lives outside of work. Family, friends, hobbies and side projects can take your mind off your job, and hopefully help to put some emotional distance between you and the unfair actions of the bully.

Ultimately, the power to move to a new job is something victims of workplace bullying should keep in mind. It doesn’t seem fair to leave when the bully is still in post, but it’s often the best option for a person’s mental health and career prospects. If this seems too big a step, an initial chat with your GP could help to clarify your options. A period of leave may help in some cases.

What Should Employers Do?

Under no circumstances should bullying be allowed to continue. It’s corrosive to the individual involved, their department and the entire company. The impact of letting it go isn’t restricted to individuals: many good workers will be less committed to their employer if they see ill-treatment like this going unpunished. All employers have a duty of care to protect their staff from the hazard of workplace bullying.

The best course of action varies depending on the individual case. Everybody involved should have a chance to tell their story. It might be appropriate to take disciplinary action. Team structures may need to be reviewed.

Since bullying can cause mental health deterioration in those suffering, it might be appropriate to point people towards resources they may find helpful. The charity Mind has a wealth of information on its website.

When workplace bullying occurs, it needs to be dealt with swiftly. Allowing it to continue or for the bully to move on to a new victim can lead to some of the harrowing examples mentioned in this article, and damage both your staff and your company.

5 Steps to Safe Lone Working

5 Steps to Safe Lone Working

Many roles involve working alone, from estate agents showing people around houses, to lorry drivers, to content writers working from home. Any job that requires someone to be on their own without supervision falls into this category.

Unfortunately, lone workers are at particularly high risk. They can be vulnerable to attack or aggression, and if they fall victim to a workplace accident such as a fall, they will find it harder to get prompt help – especially if they’re in an isolated location or travelling alone.

Their employers are responsible for ensuring their safety at all times, and there are steps employees can take to protect themselves whilst lone working.

1 – Check in regularly

It’s not always possible to ask someone to accompany you on every work trip. The next best thing is making sure a colleague has your back when you’re away.

Schedule regular check ins and let them know when you’re planning to be at a few key points. They will know to raise the alarm if you don’t check in as expected. Remote working can be extremely useful for employees and their employers, but it can bring its own set of challenges and it’s important to be aware of them.

2 – Always have a way to communicate

It’s important to always have a way to contact people for assistance if you need it. When meeting clients or having people visit you at your home, consider having a colleague or friend call you at a pre-arranged time – and have a code word to let them know if you need help.

Some lone workers carry a personal alarm. The Suzy Lamplugh Trust’s website includes lots of useful information on protecting your personal safety in different situations.

3 – Risk assessments

Any tasks that involves lone working should be risk assessed. Identifying potential hazards in advance is an important step in making sure they never harm anyone.

4 – Leave if unsure

When meeting a client, travelling or otherwise working alone, if you feel threatened or unsure – you must leave. Making an excuse and re-arranging an event or meeting is far preferable to putting your own safety at risk. Your personal safety must be your top priority, and your employer’s.

Likewise, if you’re working alone in an environment you think may pose a physical threat to you, it’s important to stop the work task immediately. Employers have a duty of care towards all their staff and should fully support them if they don’t feel safe.

5 – Get proper training

Learning as much as you can about health and safety, your rights and responsibilities is an important way of protecting yourself. Whether you’re working at height, on the road for your job, or dealing with aggression or violence at work, knowing what to do to keep yourself safe is vital.

Workplace Emergency: NHS Violence and Harassment Still Far Too High

Violence and bullying have no place in any workplace. Unfortunately, they remain the reality for thousands of workers in the UK. 326,000 adults experienced work-related violence in 2016/17.

High-pressure environments can be particularly vulnerable. Shocking statistics released at the beginning of March show that one in five NHS employees have experienced harassment, with less than a third reporting their organisation is proactively addressing employee wellbeing. The amount who had suffered physical violence from the public, patients and their relatives had thankfully dropped slightly from the year before, but was still surprisingly high at 14.5%.

Stress in the NHS has been flagged as an issue for several years, with a culture of long, unpredictable hours leading to high employee turnover.

In the high-pressure environment of a medical setting, with increasing demands and the threat of abuse from the public all too strong, it’s vital that managers ensure their staff are supported. Nobody should suffer workplace violence or have to withstand aggression, but where it occurs, they should know it’s unacceptable and their managers support them.

Managing Violence and Aggression eLearning from VinciWorks

Our anti-violence and aggression eLearning course is designed to help employees protect themselves and promote a safe and harmonious workplace for everybody to enjoy.

The course looks at the trigger factors and signs to look out for. It also covers how to deal with violence and aggression in the workplace, and when and how to report incidents.