NICE guidance calls for promotion of healthy workplaces

UK workplaces are being urged by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to do more to promote a culture that improves the health and wellbeing of employees.

The new public health guidance is aimed at employers, managers and employees and covers a range of areas, from organisational commitment to the leadership style of line managers.

It provides advice on how to develop the culture of an organisation to create a positive environment, with mental wellbeing at work highlighted as a key priority.

As such, it prioritises respect for work-life balance, flexible work scheduling, encouraging workers to be creative and explore new opportunities, and managers leading by example.

Simon Stevens, NHS England's chief executive, said: "Health-promoting workplaces are obviously good for millions of employees and ultimately for taxpayers too, so the time is right for all employers – including the NHS – to raise our game."

Each year, more than a million working people in the UK experience a work-related illness, leading to around 27 million lost working days.