Workers experiencing a decline in health are four times more likely to leave their jobs if they lack access to flexible working, according to research by the Work Foundation at Lancaster University.
The Work Foundation report examined data from 9,169 UK workers aged 16-60 over a four-year period, from 2017/18 to 2021/22, focusing on those who experienced health deterioration. It found that nearly 9 percent of workers who faced a health decline exited the workforce by the end of the study. Almost half left within the first year, with men more likely to exit during this period (4.7 percent) than women (3.9 percent).
Workers without any job flexibility were four times more likely to leave employment after a health decline. Similarly, workers with limited control over their working hours, pace, tasks, and overall job structure were 3.7 times more likely to exit the workforce.
Employer Awareness Yet Limited Action
The report reveals a disconnect between employer awareness of the impact of ill health on workforce performance and the implementation of supportive measures. Two-thirds (64%) of senior business leaders surveyed acknowledged that poor employee health negatively affects organisational performance. However, only 48 percent of employers provided flexible working arrangements.
In addition to flexible working, only about one-third of businesses reported adopting other preventive measures. Around 36 percent said they assess workplace mental health risks, while 37 percent reported making adjustments to workload, pace, or role clarity.
The Work Foundation’s researchers describe this as an “awareness to action gap” and emphasise the need for employers to address this shortfall in order to retain skilled workers and mitigate the economic impact of workforce health issues.
Ben Harrison, Director of the Work Foundation at Lancaster University said, “The UK Government’s ‘Get Britain Working’ agenda focuses on supporting those who have fallen out of the labour market to return – but if we do not consider the factors that drive people to leave in the first place, we risk treating the symptoms rather than the cause.
“The evidence is clear that once someone leaves work due to ill health, it becomes increasingly more challenging to help them back into employment. To achieve the Government’s ambition to boost the employment rate to 80%, we must take action to stem the flow of those leaving work due to sickness, and find new ways to ensure they remain connected to the labour market.”
Multiple Health Conditions Increase Employment Exit Risk
The study found that workers with multiple health conditions are particularly vulnerable. Those with one disability or health condition were 1.5 times more likely to leave work following a health decline compared to those without such conditions. This likelihood increased to 2.4 times for workers with two conditions and rose sharply to 5.6 times for those with three or more.
Mental health also plays a role in employment outcomes. Workers with poor mental health who experienced a new disability or health decline were 1.9 times more likely to leave their jobs than those with good mental health.
“We find workers with multiple health conditions – including mental health issues – are especially vulnerable to the risk of early exit from work,” Ben Harrison added. “But crucially the evidence also suggests that early action from employers to support workers who experience ill health can make a big difference to retaining them in the workplace. It’s vital that the Keep Britain Working review identifies new ways for the Government and employers to work together to provide this early intervention.”
Recommendations to UK Government
To address these issues, the Work Foundation report makes several recommendations. It urges the Government to ensure that the forthcoming Employment Rights Bill mandates flexible and secure working arrangements from the first day of employment. The report also advocates for revising the Health and Safety at Work Act to better address modern workforce challenges, including mental health risks, and for strengthening enforcement of mental health assessments and preventive measures.
Other recommendations include transforming occupational health services to provide better access and mandatory coverage by large employers, as well as establishing a network of workforce health hubs integrated with public health initiatives. The report also calls for improvements to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) to support phased returns to work and promote employee retention.
Professor Stavroula Leka from Lancaster University is a co-author of the research. She said, “Unlike other nations such as Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands, the UK Government does not provide adequate support to employers by coordinating the provision of preventative occupational health services.
“From the business leaders we surveyed, 65 percent acknowledge the importance of occupational health – yet only 37 percent provide these services to their employees. With the number of working age people living with major illnesses projected to grow, it’s clear the UK’s current systems need work. There is not enough focus on prevention and early intervention to support ill workers to stay in employment.”
