A workplace wellbeing specialist has repeated warnings of the cost of ignoring mental health and wellbeing at work, and has urged operators to put strategies in place to help staff thrive.
Speaking after being invited to address operators at a recent Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) regional conference, Ollie Bell, a workplace health and wellbeing consultant, says too many employers still underestimate the economic impact of neglecting staff wellbeing — new research from Deloitte has revealed that the cost to employers of poor mental health is £51bn per year — particularly in industries such as passenger transport, where stress, fatigue and isolation are common.
According to Health and Safety Executive data, the transport sector records one of the highest overall rates of ill-health, at over 3,000 cases per 100,000 people. Mr Bell highlights a 2020 study of London bus drivers that found 46% reported poor sleep, and more than a third said they fought sleepiness while driving several times a month.
Mr Bell cites figures showing that a business with 100 employees on an average salary of £30,000 could face wellbeing-related costs of £150,000 to £600,000 a year, driven by sickness absence, staff turnover and “presenteeism” — when employees attend work but perform below their best due to illness or disengagement.
He warns that presenteeism alone can costs businesses around £8,000 per employee per year, while replacing a single staff member could cost up to £9,000 once recruitment, training and lost expertise are factored in.
“There is a legal responsibility for employers to care for their employees at work,” says Mr Bell. “Stress, sleep, fatigue, loneliness, isolation and experiences of abuse have all been reported to be prevalent within the bus and transport sector. That can’t be good for safety, and it can’t be good for sickness absences.
“Tailored support is essential to build a roadmap towards a culture where people can thrive in the workplace.”
