Current data points to us having the worst of all worlds: low productivity, talent shortages in key occupations, rising unemployment, and a skills mismatch which means individuals are unemployed despite the labour shortages. We are also seeing record high levels of sickness absence; ONS data shows that around 5% of the country is on long-term sick leave. The most significant increases in ill health are across mental health.

Rishi Sunak recently announced that a crackdown on Britain’s sick note culture is the solution. Sunak intends to strip GPs of their power to sign people off work, instead placing this responsibility in the hands of specialist work and health professionals who will assess what work the sick individual can do, to get them back into the workplace quickly.

However, what got us here is not going to get us to a brighter future. We need to stand back and really challenge our historical thinking around these issues.

Read the full article on page 11: Business Voice Summer 2024

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Business Voice is the official publication of Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce Group which represents over 3,000 businesses from micro to multi-national organisations throughout Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire & Swindon.

Businesses must recognise that poor mental health is often driven by toxic work environments, work intensification and poor management.