£3.7m UK study to test whether workplace wellbeing support can reduce sickness absence 

A major new UK research programme will examine whether workplace health and wellbeing initiatives can meaningfully reduce sickness absence and improve employee quality of life, particularly within smaller organisations. 

The £3.7 million, five-year study, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, will begin in May 2026. It will focus on evaluating the impact of free-to-access workplace health and wellbeing initiatives, known as WHISPAs, which are funded by local government or voluntary and community organisations. 

Led by the University of Birmingham, the programme brings together a broad academic and public sector partnership, including Newcastle University, Teesside University, Imperial College London, the University of Hertfordshire, the University of Exeter, East Sussex County Council and the British Chambers of Commerce. 

The research comes at a time when poor workplace health and wellbeing continues to place significant strain on UK organisations. Mental ill health alone costs employers more than £100 billion in 2023, while long-term sickness absence has reached record levels in recent years. 

Crucially, the study will focus on small and medium-sized organisations with fewer than 250 employees, which make up the majority of the UK workforce but often lack the resources to invest in structured wellbeing support. 

Dr Laura Kudrna, Associate Professor in Health Research Methods at the University of Birmingham and lead applicant on the project, said: “There are many initiatives that support workplace health and wellbeing, but we need to ensure support is accessible, effective and appropriately tailored, especially for smaller and medium-sized organisations, which employ the majority of the UK workforce. 

“Many large organisations, such as universities, are able to fund and provide health and wellbeing support for their staff. This is harder for smaller and medium-sized organisations that have relatively limited financial and human resources. Across the UK, local government already provide substantial support for these workplaces that come from a range of sectors like manufacturing, retail and financial services. This research is about working with local government and these businesses to energise, expand and learn from their approaches.” 

WHISPAs typically include a range of support, from mental health resources and musculoskeletal guidance to flexible working advice and lifestyle interventions such as fitness programmes. Despite their availability across more than 60 local government regions, uptake has been inconsistent, with cost and awareness remaining key barriers. 

The first year of the programme will focus on building a robust evidence base, combining existing research with new data collection to assess what works and how support can be implemented more effectively at scale. 

Nigel Lloyd, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Hertfordshire (UoH), said: “UoH’s role in this collaborative project will involve working closely with organisations to understand how they implement workplace health and wellbeing support – and the factors that enable or hinder success. We’re excited to get started and to build on our previous workplace health and wellbeing research.” 

Findings from the initial phase will be used to develop a practical support package for local government, with a focus on mental health, musculoskeletal health and lifestyle-related wellbeing. This will then be tested in real-world settings to assess its impact on employee absence and overall quality of life. 

Professor Richard Lilford, Joint Lead Applicant and Professor of Public Health at the University of Birmingham, said: “As the dependency ratio becomes ever more challenging and as larger portions of the potentially active workforce lay down their tools, the importance of health in the workplace rises, both for the health of the public, and for national prosperity.” 

The programme will  take a collaborative approach, with public contributors involved in shaping research questions, analysing findings and supporting engagement activity. 

Darrell Gale, Director of Public Health at East Sussex County Council, added: “Workplace health is a vital prevention opportunity. We are proud to partner on the WHISPA programme to strengthen the evidence for what works in improving wellbeing and reducing sickness absence.” 

For employers, particularly those operating with limited resources, the study signals a growing focus on scalable, evidence-based approaches to workplace wellbeing. As sickness absence continues to rise, understanding what genuinely improves employee health and performance is becoming an operational priority, not just a wellbeing ambition.