Occupational hazards

For all the talk of workplace health and wellbeing over the past decade, one truth is becoming impossible to ignore: most organisations still treat it as a “nice to have” rather than the strategic imperative it has become. The latest IOSH white paper, on health and wellbeing, reveals a widening gulf between intent and impact – one where visionary statements and investment is happening, yet risks, root causes and preventative action remain largely unaddressed. 

Across 22 countries, IOSH’s research uncovered a striking reality: two thirds of organisational decision makers reported an increase in health and wellbeing issues over the past year, despite the majority also increasing their occupational health investment. At the same time, mental health challenges – stress, anxiety, depression – have overtaken physical risks as the dominant workplace concern, regardless of geography, sector or organisation size.

This is not just a shift in rhetoric; it’s a symptom of a working world transformed. Hybrid working, technological overload, blurred boundaries and escalating workloads are creating or increasing psychosocial hazards and risks at a pace organisations are struggling to keep up with. 

The persistent disconnect

What stands out most in IOSH’s research is the disconnect between what organisations believe they’re doing and what workers are experiencing. Many businesses now have health and wellbeing strategies, policies and programmes – but few measure their effectiveness. Few align wellbeing interventions to the specific needs of their workforce and to their risk profile. And too many focus on reactive benefits and support rather than proactive action to prevent harm in the first place.

Gym discounts, lifestyle perks and ad hoc wellbeing days may feel helpful, but they don’t address the fundamental drivers of work-related harm: workload, job design, culture, leadership behaviours, long working hours and unmanaged psychosocial risks.

The evidence on long hours alone should concern every leadership team. The World Health Organization and International Labour Organization estimate that excessive working hours contributed to 745,000 deaths in 2016 – and the global trend continues to rise. Yet, IOSH’s research shows that reducing long hours is rarely treated as a strategic priority.

A challenge of competence and confidence

One significant barrier is the growing complexity – and ambiguity – of wellbeing responsibilities. Smaller businesses in particular report feeling underprepared to interpret regulatory expectations or identify good practice. Even where investment is made, a lack of in house OSH expertise means it often fails to translate into genuine improvement.

Data protection concerns, uncertainty around technology enabled health monitoring, and a lack of clarity on the ethical use of data all compound the problem. The result is a landscape where businesses want to do the right thing, but lack the tools, confidence and consistency to do so effectively.

From fragmented activity to integrated systems

The IOSH white paper makes one conclusion unmistakable: health and wellbeing must move from isolated initiatives to embedded, person centred, prevention first OSH systems. That means:

• Treating psychosocial risks with the same rigour as physical risks.
• Building clear, meaningful metrics into OSH reporting.
• Ensuring leadership sets cultural expectations – not just policies.
• Code signing interventions with workers, as part of effective consultation mechanisms.
• Developing organisational OSH competence through trained OSH professionals.

Put simply: good health and wellbeing is no longer a discrete programme; it is a core business function that directly influences performance, productivity, recruitment, retention, innovation and reputation.

Closing the gap

If businesses want to close the persistent gap between aspiration and action, they must start with prevention, not perks. They must understand that psychological safety is as measurable and manageable as any physical hazard. And they must recognise that meaningful wellbeing isn’t soft, it’s strategic.

IOSH’s research shows an appetite for change. What organisations need now is support. Because ultimately, health and wellbeing isn’t a trend. It’s not an initiative. It’s the foundation of a healthy, safe and resilient organisation. And the sooner leaders stop treating it as optional, the sooner we can close the disconnect between what businesses intend to achieve – and what workers actually experience.

• IOSH’s white paper, From perks to prevention: redefining health and wellbeing for today’s workforce, is available on the IOSH website at iosh.com/about/what-we-do/white-papers

Ruth Wilkinson is head of policy and public affairs at the  Institution of Occupational Safety and Health. For more information, visit www.iosh.com