Employers, line managers and HR professionals are being invited to create health conscious workplaces that aid retention and attract new talent through ‘In Sickness and in Health’; a Greater Manchester Employer Coalition (GMEC) event taking place on Wednesday 19th March 2008 at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester between 8.30am and 1pm.
[UKPRwire, Thu Mar 13 2008] Employers, line managers and HR professionals are being invited to create health conscious workplaces that aid retention and attract new talent through ‘In Sickness and in Health’; a Greater Manchester Employer Coalition (GMEC) event taking place on Wednesday 19th March 2008 at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester between 8.30am and 1pm.
This already sold out event will provide advice and practical solutions to some of the causes of sickness absence. It will also highlight the importance of taking action on health and wellbeing in the workplace.
Tim Thomas, a specialist employment lawyer at Cobbetts LLP, said: “As well as the social reasons for employers to take the issue of workplace rehabilitation seriously, there are also good business reasons. Employers who fail to take appropriate action risk losing talented and loyal staff. They could also face liability under the Disability Discrimination Act, which could cost tens of thousands of pounds.”
A 2007 survey commissioned by Business in The Community (BiTC) revealed that 33%of workers feel their health is neglected at work, while 60% feel they are not viewed as a valuable asset, worthy of investment. The event will provide employers and HR professionals with the opportunity to explore the role of workplace wellbeing in organisational functioning and productivity; giving them the tools to create a health conscious workplace.
David Fillingham, Chief Executive of Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust said: “Ill health and injury are estimated to cost the UK industry over £13bn a year, equating to more than 40 million working days lost, and a cost per employee of £659. In Greater Manchester we have approximately 64,000 people claiming a health related benefit, many of these people can and want to work. It is up to us as employers to create the right environment to attract and retain talent – focusing on what people can do, not what they cannot. ”
The event will combine local and national keynote speakers with a range of informative, challenging and interactive workshops.
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Contact Details
Noreen Muzaffar, (Information and Communications Officer), Greater Manchester Employer Coalition
David Fillingham, Chief Executive of Bolton Hospital NHS Trust.
Bert Massie, CBE
Tim Kiddell-Head of Development and Delivery, Health Wok and Well being
The workshops will show how investing in employee health and wellbeing is a business opportunity; a way for employers to attract and retain the best possible workforce giving them an advantage over competitors. Another workshop will look at the range of legal issues relating to workplace health, disability and rehabilitation. Another workshop will discuss mental health and stress which result in absence from work. The workshop will provide practical suggestions for employers on how to improve access to and rehabilitation in the workplace for people with mental health problems. The final workshop will tackle substance misuse in the workplace.
The event is sponsored by:
•Jobcentre Plus
•Business in the Community (working on Business Action on Health)
•Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust
•Health work and wellbeing
•Cobbetts LLP
•Salford Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT)
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