27 February 2007 - What is ‘good work’? Government seeks clarity
Health, Work and Well-being – Caring for our future
Today DWP Minister Lord McKenzie called on the expertise of businesses, government and charities to discuss and agree what constitutes ‘good work’.
Evidence shows that work is beneficial to physical and mental health, and leads to greater social and financial inclusion. But it must be ‘good work’, for which there is no widely accepted understanding or definition, despite considerable presumed knowledge.
Lord McKenzie this morning opened the first in a series of events which will inform and develop a framework for employers to ensure their workplaces are healthy and efficient. This will enable employees to benefit from improved health and well-being, and help businesses to reduce the millions of working days lost due to injury and ill health*. The ageing workforce and increasingly competitive economy reinforces this need for healthy and productive workplaces.
Lord McKenzie said:
“We know that good work is beneficial for individuals, communities, and the economy. But we need to figure out exactly what ‘good work’ is, so that we can ensure workplaces are happy, healthy and productive. This may necessitate a radical rethink, including addressing outdated work practices, increasing flexible working, cutting red tape, and promoting effective and open work cultures. Positive changes will reduce the number of days lost to ill health and injury, and allow people to remain in and return to work quicker. A collective effort is essential to achieve this – Government must work alongside businesses, charities and healthcare professionals.”
Today’s seminar, hosted by the Work Foundation, is the first of four on the theme of Good Work. At the end of the series the Work Foundation will produce a summary report which will provide a definition of ‘good work’.
Last September the DWP published an independent review Is Work Good for your Health and Well-being? which concluded that ‘good work’ is beneficial for physical and mental health, boosting self esteem and quality of life. It showed that when people return to work from unemployment their health improves by as much as unemployment damages it.
The Health, Work and Well-being strategy is about improving the health of the working age population, preventing work related injury or illness, intervening early when health problems arise, and providing rehabilitation support. The strategy reflects the Government’s Welfare Reform agenda which is committed to helping more people enter into, remain in and return to work. The agenda aims to reduce the number of people who need to rely on incapacity benefits by 1 million, and help 1 million older workers and more than 300,000 lone parents into work.
* In 2005/06 two million people suffered from an illness caused or made worse by work according to the Health and Safety Executive. Official figures suggest that 30 million working days are lost due to injury and ill health attributed to the workplace.
Notes to editors
- Lord McKenzie was at the “Good Work” breakfast seminar at the Work Foundation in Carlton House Terrace. The event was funded by the HWWB cross-Government group and attended by businesses, charities and stakeholders.
- The Health Work and Well-being strategy was launched in October 2005 and is led by Dame Carol Black, the National Director for Health and Work. The strategy is a groundbreaking partnership between Government (Department for Work and Pensions, Department of Health and the Health and Safety Executive), employers and healthcare professionals. Its main themes are engaging stakeholders, improving working lives and healthcare for working age people.
- To find out more about the Health Work and Well-being strategy or to join one of the online forums please visit http://www.health-and-work.gov.uk/
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