Royal Mail Group’s health and wellbeing ‘blueprint’ could provide GBP 1.45 billion boost to UK’s struggling sectors

Innovative measures help the organisation cut absence by 25 pct and save GBP 227 million in three years

Health and wellbeing initiatives introduced by Royal Mail Group could hold the key to reducing the impact of absence across the UK’s worst performing sectors and deliver savings of GBP 1.45 billion a year, a study by the London School of Economics revealed today.

In its ‘ Value of Rude Health’ report – the result of a unique, year-long study – the London School of Economics also calculated that the value of Royal Mail Group’s approach to tackling absence could bring more than 94,000 people absent through illness or injury back into work more quickly.

The study revealed that Royal Mail Group’s health and wellbeing activities have:
• Slashed absence by 25 pct between 2004 and 2007
• Brought 3,600 employees absent through illness or injury back into work
• Saved more than GBP 227 million in terms of direct costs (wages and benefits)

Royal Mail Group’s success in cutting absence by a quarter has been achieved through:
• Health screening for employees and occupational support services including physio and occupational therapy
• Health clinics in more than 90 Royal Mail Group sites to help people return to work and prevent them getting ill
• Fitness centres run by trained instructors in larger sites
• Health promotion campaigns targeting smoking and back pain
• Increased support and training for managers to improve the effectiveness of absence to attendance policies

And the business is continuing its activities to improve the health and wellbeing of its people through two new initiatives – an online health check-in and assessment service and the recruitment of Health Trainers to help fellow workers improve their health through advice and practical support.

At a time when absence is an increasing priority for employers, the London School of Economic’s ‘Value of Rude Health’ report has created one of the most compelling investment cases to date for health and wellbeing policies. One of the UK’s largest employers, Royal Mail Group has invested GBP 46 million over three years in approaches that address the biological, social and psychological causes of absence, delivering a return on investment of five to one.