Ask the expert: What is 'workplace health'?

The Business Health Matters programme was created in Lancashire to help improve the overall health and wellbeing of employees throughout the county.

By bringing together a network of partners including the University of Central Lancashire, ukactive, Lancashire Mind and various local authorities and leisure trusts, our programme provides accessible workplace health support for businesses of all sizes.

Businesses tell us that the health and wellbeing conversation can be overwhelming and even conflicting at times and that knowing where to start is notoriously difficult.

So, we will be using this regular column to answer your questions, helping you find the support you need within your organisation.

In this first column, we get to grips with the basics in response to a reader query from the construction sector.

Q: What is ‘workplace health’?

A: Put simply, workplace health is ‘promoting and managing the health and wellbeing of staff’ and includes managing sickness absence and presenteeism (a person who is physically at work but is unproductive).

It’s important to break this definition down into the two clear elements of ‘promotion’ and ‘managing’ so that you can understand where to begin in your organisation.

‘Promotion’ plays an essential role when supporting employees. Although it is something that is often deprioritised for more time-sensitive work, positive health and wellbeing promotion is a catalyst for change in the workplace.

By promoting better nutrition options, national campaigns or encouraging staff to take breaks and complete physical activity, a culture where employees make positive choices each day is created.

Empower a member of your team to lead on this and become an accredited Workplace Health Champion with us (for free!) to get started.

The ‘managing’ side of workplace health is often the more challenging part of the puzzle.

This requires offering tangible solutions, such as insurance or health checks, which can often feel daunting and cost-prohibitive.

This has been recognised in Lancashire and is why the Business Health Matters programme was developed. Within our workplace wellbeing programme, we deliver comprehensive health checks and provide a wellbeing plan for each employee, with ongoing support packages from a range of local authorities and leisure trusts.

We recognised that it was time the ‘managing’ side of workplace health was made accessible and that’s exactly what we are doing.

What has historically been viewed as a ‘nice-to-have’ is now something that is essential for every business to take seriously.

With 11.9 million working-age people in the UK now having a long-term health condition (DWP, 2016) and poor mental health costing UK employers around £45bn each year (ONS, 2018), now is the time to get help in promoting and managing the health of your team. Because as a county, we simply cannot afford not to.

Want to ask us a question for the next issue or find out more about how we can help you? Email [email protected]

Enjoyed this? Read more from Paul Blythin, Business Health Matters

Latest news

1

Lockheed Martin Skunk Works and BAE Systems’ FalconWorks announce strategic collaboration Collaboration between BAE Systems FalconWorks and Lockheed Martin Skunk Works

Lockheed Martin Skunk Works and BAE Systems’ FalconWorks announce strategic collaboration

09 Sep 2025

2

High street retailers urged to ‘take advantage’ of new funded support programme Brian Moore, Lee Johnson, Anne Williamson and Andrew Leeming

High street retailers urged to ‘take advantage’ of new funded support programme

08 Sep 2025

3

Beaverbrooks invest in the high street in difficult conditions Mark Adlestone And Anna Blackburn Beaverbrooks

Beaverbrooks invest in the high street in difficult conditions

08 Sep 2025

4

Preston City Council invests £250,000 in NW Mutual NW Mutual chief exec Dave Burke and Valerie Wise and Matthew Brown from Preston City Council

Preston City Council invests £250,000 in NW Mutual

08 Sep 2025

5

Profit before tax doubles for Eric Wright Group in latest results Jeremy Hartley

Profit before tax doubles for Eric Wright Group in latest results

08 Sep 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
Sub36 Networking - Follow the signs
Sub36 Deaf Village Social1200
Networking
17 Sep 2025

Sub36 Networking - Follow the signs

The Deaf Village, Blackburn, BB2 5EN

10:00 - 12:00

LBV124 September/October Launch Event
MBP Arc Cinema Preston Opening 205
Networking
18 Sep 2025

LBV124 September/October Launch Event

The Arc Cinema, Preston, PR1 2BL

08:30 - 10:30

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

Longridge Soap Box Derby
Screenshot 2025-06-10 090035.png.png
LBV Hub Fundraisers
14 Sep 2025 - 14 Sep 2025

Longridge Soap Box Derby

Berry Lane, Longridge, PR3 3WH

10:00 - 16:30

Preston Tech Connection - The Ultimate Tech Quiz!
Preston Tech Connection Sept 25.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
16 Sep 2025 - 16 Sep 2025

Preston Tech Connection - The Ultimate Tech Quiz!

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 19:00

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
17 Sep 2025 - 17 Sep 2025

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire

Stanley House, Blackburn, BB2 7NP

11:30 - 14:15

Cumbria Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880461633-4862066883-1-original.20241022-110415.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
19 Sep 2025 - 19 Sep 2025

Cumbria Business Expo 2025

Carlisle Racecourse, Carlisle, CA2 4TS

09:00 - 15:00

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: September
Sept Freelancer (1).png.png
LBV Hub Networking
23 Sep 2025 - 23 Sep 2025

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: September

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Your Business, Your Region: Making sense of devolution and Local Government Reorganisation
Chorley Council breakfast event new
LBV Hub Networking
23 Sep 2025 - 23 Sep 2025

Your Business, Your Region: Making sense of devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

Worden Hall, Leyland, PR25 3DH

08:00 - 11:00

Speed Networking with BNI
2.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
24 Sep 2025 - 24 Sep 2025

Speed Networking with BNI

Chorley Football Club, Chorley, PR7 3DU

16:00 - 19:00

The Marketing Meetup IRL: Lancashire - September
TMM Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
25 Sep 2025 - 25 Sep 2025

The Marketing Meetup IRL: Lancashire - September

Chorley, PR7 2SL

18:00 - 20:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV 123 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin