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Just 12 per cent of HR professionals see occupational health (OH) as a leading driver of employee health at work – even though it directly underpins many of the priorities they rank more highly.
The findings come from a YouGov survey, commissioned by the Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM), ahead of Occupational Health Awareness Week (OHAW). They highlight both a lack of awareness and significant opportunities for UK employers to use OH more effectively.
The survey shows most HR professionals prioritise work-life balance (90 per cent) and workplace culture (74 per cent) when asked about factors that most contribute to employee health. By contrast, only 12 per cent placed OH among their top four drivers.
Yet experts point out that OH services can support all these goals. Through proactive advice, early intervention and evidence-based risk management, OH professionals can improve both culture and work-life balance by helping staff manage health risks before they become problems.
The results reveal a striking gap between potential and practice. Only 42 per cent of organisations said they use OH professionals to plan how to prevent ill health. Prevention is one of the most effective ways to cut sickness absence, avoid presenteeism and save costs, but many employers are not yet taking advantage.
The lack of focus on presenteeism – when staff are at work but unwell and unable to perform fully – is another concern. Despite costing UK businesses an estimated £25bn each year, just 13 per cent of HR professionals said their organisation refers employees to OH for support in managing presenteeism.
Professor Neil Greenberg, President of SOM, said the survey results show a clear need to reframe how occupational health is perceived. He said:
“These findings show there is still a significant gap in how occupational health is understood and used in UK workplaces. While professionals value wellbeing, culture, and work-life balance, they do not often recognise that effective OH underpins these priorities.
SOM completely understand the pressures HR teams are under – juggling multiple demands, from recruitment to retention, employee relations and wellbeing. It’s not surprising that occupational health can sometimes be seen as just another service, rather than a strategic partner.
By using OH proactively – especially for prevention and managing presenteeism – businesses can reduce absence, improve retention and save money. Proactive use of OH means both early referral and taking advice from OH professionals about how to create healthy work environments. Unfortunately, if OH professionals are only consulted when a worker has highly complex health needs, finding effective solutions to return them to good health can be very difficult.”
Greenberg added that OHAW 2025 aims to raise awareness by showing OH as a supportive partner to HR, helping organisations deliver on their people priorities rather than adding to their workload.
Research consistently shows occupational health pays for itself. Studies suggest that every £1 invested in OH returns up to £2.35 through reduced absenteeism and medical costs. That makes it one of the most cost-effective wellbeing measures employers can adopt.
Occupational Health Awareness Week (OHAW) 2025 This year’s OHAW runs from 22–28 September, as part of SOM’s 90th anniversary. Under the theme “Occupational Health as a Strategic Partner to HR,” activities include webinars for HR professionals on 23 and 26 September, a careers event on 24 September, and targeted resources for employers.
