Senior managers from across the Island are being encouraged to attend a free event that will put wellbeing in the Island’s workplaces centre stage. The event, on Friday 7 October, is the first of its kind in the Isle of Man and a result of a collaboration between the Department of Health and Social Care and the Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce.

Workplace environments can have a significant impact on people’s health. Recent research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development showed that the average number of sickness absence days in the UK – currently an average of 6.9 days a year – is increasing, at an average cost of ?554 per employee annually.

It is important for organisations to have their own wellbeing initiatives in place that both encourage employees to look after their health and provide support when needed.

Minister for Health and Social Care, Howard Quayle, said: “A key component of our strategy for future health and social care services is to support people in taking responsibility for their own health and wellbeing. We cannot achieve this without working with employers and supporting them to make workplace wellbeing a priority. People spend a great deal of their time at work, so we must engage with employers in our efforts to improve the population’s overall health.

“There is also a considerable economic impact to sickness absence. An engaged and healthy workforce is more productive, which, for a small jurisdiction such as the Isle of Man, can make a considerable difference to our economy.”

The event, sponsored by Celton Manx, will demonstrate the importance of promoting wellbeing in the workplace for both managers and employees.

Gary Hogman, an Associate of Derek Mowbray’s Management Advisory Service (MAS), will lead the presentation. Gary has 20 years’ experience working in mental health in the areas of research, policy, communications and campaigns. Most recently, Gary was the national programme lead for the UK Department of Health’s mental health awareness campaign, ‘Shift’, which tackled the stigma and discrimination that surrounds mental illness.

Gary will share the importance of introducing a wellbeing initiative in the workplace and the performance cost benefits it can bring to organisations of all sizes.

This presentation will be followed by a training conference on 1 December 2016 for organisations ‘health champions’. Attendees will learn how they can help to improve the wellbeing of their workforce through presentations, case studies and practical exercises.

The event is open to organisations of any size and type. To find out more or reserve a space at next month’s presentation contact the Public Health Directorate on 642639 or email publichealthevents.dhsc@gov.im.

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