Absence Management software provider launches NHS Wellbeing Module to cater to growing trend for proactively managing employee wellbeing.
Monday 1st July sees the start of Health Information week 2019, running from the 1st to the 7th July. Health Information Week is a national, multi-sector campaign aiming to promote the availability of high-quality information for the patient and the public.
To coincide with Health Information Week, Edays Absence Management has developed its new NHS Wellbeing Module, available to all new and existing clients from today, providing employers and employees direct access to high-quality healthcare information directly within their absence management system.
The launch reaffirms Edays’ continued commitment to deliver a world-class absence management system that enables any company to manage holiday and sickness absences more efficiently, increasing productivity and facilitating more proactive management of employee wellbeing.
The NHS Wellbeing Module
This month, Edays absence management becomes the first absence management software provider to give direct access to the NHS health and wellbeing database, providing employers and employees with quick and easy access to a library of resources to help manage sickness absence. The move to introduce this module has been brought about due to a rise in the importance employers and employees are placing on health and wellbeing within the workplace.
The module itself has two key benefits, from a front-end user (employee) perspective it offers advice and a portal to go to for help without having to ask for it from a healthcare professional or seek out another online source.
From an admin (employer) perspective, having the opportunity to attach links to advice directly into sickness logging and return to work forms means that, for example, HR can add a link to a ‘how to prevent flu’ page to someone who has recently been off with the flu.
Interview with Clare Avery, Head of People and Culture, Edays Absence Management
- Why would direct access to a health and wellbeing module within an absence management system be useful for HR teams and employees?
Having all the information you need to support health and wellbeing in your workplace, in one place! It is incredibly useful for you to have wellbeing guidance and information at your fingertips to proactively support absences.
For example, managing incidents of stress or re-occurring illness can be really challenging for both employees, and for line managers wanting to provide meaningful support. Having one place to collate and access absence data alongside a portal of information to give you advice and guidance on how to support employees proactively is a game-changer.
Line managers have to juggle high volumes of work and complexity on a daily basis – Edays take away the burden around managing absence and supports managers to make a positive difference within their teams.
- What has brought about the recent importance placed on employee health and wellbeing and an organisations responsibility towards ensuring a high level of employee wellbeing?
Employees entering the workforce for the first time are challenging traditional concepts of what is or what is not important at work. Individuals are increasingly motivated to work for organisations that proactively support the wellness of their employees; organisations who show a genuine commitment to looking after the people who develop deliver success for that business.
Increasingly a ‘good’ organisation to work for is one that provides an environment that goes beyond traditional employee wellbeing support like a private medical scheme. It is one that proactively invests time and resources in understanding how employees are feeling and configuring an environment that nurtures wellbeing.
Recent research promotes the concept that happy and healthy employees will work more productively and will be more committed to staying working for longer for that organisation. This is, in addition, the benefits of a reduction in time spent away from the office with sickness absence.
- What sort of trends do you envisage emerging over the next twelve months around health and wellbeing in the workplace?
Health and wellbeing will continue to be a major topic for HR teams and managers, with an increased focus more on mental health, not just physical health. Organisations need to challenge themselves to look beneath the exterior that individuals portray and to understand how the workplace might be contributing to stress, depression, anxiety, etc, or how better to support personal issues that could impact working lives.
Organisations are starting to train up and champion Mental Health first aiders who are trained to spot the signs of mental health issues and start to develop communications and proactive plans to support individuals. The return to work interview will need to change, and managers will need to be trained to dig deeper into those meetings, engage employees so they feel able to trust their managers and begin to discuss mental health problems.
In addition to this, there will be more focus on the working environment as a key to enhanced wellbeing: adaptable working spaces, ability to work flexibly (whenever) and from home/coffee shops, etc (wherever), a greater level of attention for the employee’s family and how individuals manage work/home life (as well as leave options for new additions or caring responsibilities) and how tech can make a difference to how individuals connect with organisations/their line managers/their work.
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Harry is Head of Customer Success here at edays, helping organisations to get the very best out of their edays system. His experience in SaaS and HR brings valuable insight into how organisations can better manage their people, processes and productivity.