Beyond the HSE Stats: Proactive Wellbeing Actions for Safer, Healthier Workplaces

As organisations continue to navigate the evolving landscape of workplace health, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has recently published its annual workplace health and safety statistics for 2024/25. While traditional workplace injuries remain fairly steady, the report tells an important story about the growing impact of work-related ill health, particularly mental health.

In the past year, work-related ill health rose by 12 percent, with stress, depression, and anxiety now accounting for 52 percent, up from 46 percent the previous year. This rise highlights that mental health is becoming an even more dominant factor in workplace wellbeing, affecting both employees’ health and organisational performance.

Musculoskeletal disorders, which previously accounted for 32 percent of work-related ill health, now make up 27 percent. These conditions, including back, neck, and upper limb issues, continue to pose a significant risk to employees’ health and comfort, as well as to organisational productivity and performance. Preventing them through ergonomic interventions and proactive workplace practices is critical.

The total number of working days lost due to work-related ill health and non-fatal injury has risen from 33.7 million in 2023/24 to 40.1 million in 2024/25. This increase highlights the scale of work-related ill health for organisations and reinforces why taking proactive, evidence-based steps, rather than reactive measures, to support both mental and physical wellbeing is so important.

For employers, the message is clear: supporting both mental and physical wellbeing is essential. Evidence demonstrates that taking a holistic approach to workplace health, which addresses the work environment, psychosocial factors, and physical wellbeing, can reduce stress, improve productivity, and enhance employee engagement (WHO, 2010). Comprehensive wellbeing programmes that combine physical activity and mental health support have been shown to reduce absenteeism and increase overall workforce performance (Gallup, 2024). Research also indicates that employees who experience wellbeing across multiple dimensions are more likely to be engaged, creative, and loyal to their organisation (Gallup, 2024). Organisations that actively prioritise employee wellbeing tend to outperform others in areas such as productivity and profitability, particularly when support is consistent, visible, and integrated into both work and personal wellbeing initiatives (WHO, 2010; Gallup, 2024).

Recent data from Gallup’s 2025 State of the Global Workplace report reinforces the urgency of supporting employee wellbeing. Global employee engagement fell from 23% to 21% in 2024, while manager engagement dropped from 30% to 27%. Manager burnout eventually leads to declining performance, increased absenteeism, and higher turnover, impacting the people they lead and the organisation as a whole. If managers are disengaged, their teams are too, as around 70% of team engagement is attributable to the manager. Low engagement not only reduces productivity but also increases stress and negatively affects overall wellbeing, showing that how employees experience work is closely linked to their mental and physical health.

To address these challenges, Gallup (2025) recommends targeted interventions, including manager training, coaching development, and ongoing support, to improve engagement, reduce stress, and enhance employee wellbeing. Gallup estimates that fully engaged workforces could unlock up to US$9.6 trillion in global productivity, highlighting the tangible strategic benefits of investing in proactive wellbeing initiatives.

Practical Actions to Enhance Workplace Wellbeing:

With workplace wellbeing challenges rising, organisations need practical, high-impact actions that proactively support employees, reduce the risk of mental health issues and physical injuries, lower sick leave, and improve productivity.

1. Get Workload and Role Demands Under Control

Review workloads regularly and redistribute where needed.
Protect time for focused work and reduce unnecessary admin.
Ensure role expectations and priorities are clear.

Small changes in work design can prevent burnout, reduce risk of injury, support both mental and physical wellbeing, and can reduce long-term absence.

2. Strengthen People-Management Skills

Train managers in supportive conversations, early spotting of strain, and fair workload distribution.
Give managers the time and tools they need to support their teams.

Good day-to-day management is one of the strongest protective factors for employee wellbeing.

3. Manage Psychosocial Risks Like Any Other Safety Risk

Use structured tools to identify psychosocial risks (e.g., HSE Management Standards Indicator Tool).
Review high-demand roles and teams more frequently.
Work with employees on changes that reduce risk.

Treating psychosocial factors with the same seriousness as physical hazards reduces incidents and improves engagement.

4. Build a Culture Where People Feel Safe to Speak Up

Act consistently on concerns, including bullying or poor behaviour.
Reinforce respectful communication and team support.
Encourage early conversations rather than crisis conversations.

Psychological safety creates earlier reporting, quicker action, and fewer long-term issues.

5. Provide Rapid Access to Occupational Health, Physiotherapy, and Counselling

Ensure quick occupational health (OH) appointments and clear referral pathways.
Offer fast-access physiotherapy to prevent minor issues becoming chronic.
Provide timely counselling services to support mental health.
Use early ergonomic assessments and workplace adjustments to prevent physical injuries.

Integrating OH, physiotherapy, counselling, and DSE (display screen equipment) workstation assessments into everyday practice proactively supports employees’ holistic wellbeing. Early intervention is a cost-effective step an organisation can take, supporting both physical and mental health simultaneously.

6. Regularly Gather Employee Feedback

Use surveys, focus groups, or one-to-one check-ins to understand wellbeing needs.
Ask about workload, stressors, support, and ergonomics.
Act on feedback and communicate changes to show employees their voice matters.

Employee participation enables evidence-based, continuous improvement in both mental and physical wellbeing initiatives. Regular feedback helps organisations respond quickly to risks, improves engagement, and builds trust.

7. Secure Leadership Commitment and Governance

Ensure senior management visibly supports health and wellbeing initiatives.
Embed wellbeing into organisational policy and allocate resources to initiatives.
Assign accountability for implementing and reviewing workplace wellbeing programmes.

Leadership engagement is critical for sustainable, organisation-wide wellbeing.

8. Implement Continuous Monitoring and Improvement

Establish regular review cycles for wellbeing initiatives.
Track outcomes such as absence rates, injury data, and employee feedback.
Adjust interventions based on evidence and communicate progress to staff.

Systematic monitoring and improvement ensures initiatives remain effective and responsive to changing needs.

9. Promote Health and Lifestyle Support

Encourage physical activity, stretching, and healthy movement breaks.
Provide education on posture, ergonomics, nutrition, and stress management.
Offer programmes that integrate physical and mental health promotion.

Supporting lifestyle and preventative health measures complements workplace interventions and enhances holistic wellbeing.

10. Embed Ethics, Values, and a Broader Social Approach

Uphold organisational values such as respect, fairness, and inclusivity in all wellbeing initiatives.
Ensure wellbeing programmes are accessible, equitable, and treat employees with dignity.
Where relevant, consider community and family engagement to extend wellbeing beyond the workplace.

Ethics and social responsibility reinforce trust, engagement, and sustainable impact.

The HSE statistics for 2024/25 show that workplace health challenges go far beyond preventing accidents. Mental and physical wellbeing are closely interconnected and play a central role in employee engagement, productivity, and long-term organisational success. By taking proactive, evidence-based steps to create supportive and holistic work environments, employers can reduce the risk of work-related ill health and absenteeism while fostering a motivated, high-performing workforce. Employees who experience wellbeing across multiple dimensions are more engaged, creative, and loyal, and organisations that consistently prioritise wellbeing tend to outperform others in productivity and profitability (WHO, 2010; Gallup, 2024, 2025). Supporting wellbeing is no longer optional; it is a strategic necessity for sustainable organisational success. With workplace wellbeing remaining a critical issue into 2026, employers must act now to protect and support their workforce.