In the last few years, we’ve seen the reasons for having a comprehensive occupational health programme multiply dramatically – a trend that’s not likely to stop in upcoming years. Changes in legislation, the NHS and employees’ attitudes mean that, far from being just a nice-to-have, occupational health programmes are fast becoming essential back-up for business.

• Employers are taking a more pro-active approach to managing costs associated with ill-health – because they realise the huge impact employee absence and presenteeism has on the bottom line alongside the growing importance of corporate social responsibility.
• Many people are suffering from chronic disease – As medicine advances, people are living – and working – with health conditions for longer. This could mean significant changes for your workforce over time, with more employees needing support with long-term conditions – for longer.
• The state is set to provide less support – We have already seen the impact of cuts to the NHS, and state health services may be under continued pressure for a long time to come. With further cuts anticipated, affecting support for long-term conditions and additional services such as physiotherapy, it’s employers who are increasingly being asked to fill in the gaps.
• The workforce is ageing – With the abolition of the state retirement age and pressure on pensions, the proportion of older people in the workforce is going to increase, with an inevitable increase in the number of people needing support for ongoing health conditions.
• Employees’ attitudes are changing – Increasingly, employees  know more about their health and their employment rights. They expect support from their employers – and are now more willing to use litigation if they don’t feel that they’ve been supported appropriately.

This is why at AXA PPP healthcare we’ve taken a new look at occupational health and developed new, intelligent solutions for businesses like yours.