Workplace policy and management practices to improve the health and wellbeing of employees

This guideline makes recommendations on improving the health and wellbeing of employees, with a particular focus on organisational culture and context, and the role of line managers.

The aim is to:

• promote leadership that supports the health and wellbeing of employees
• help line managers to achieve this
• explore the positive and negative effect an organisation’s culture can have on people’s health and wellbeing
• provide a business case and economic modelling for strengthening the role of line managers in ensuring the health and wellbeing of employees.

The guideline is for employers, senior leadership and managers (including line managers) and employees. It will also be of interest to those working in human resources, learning and development teams, professional trainers and educators, occupational health, health and safety, trade unions and professional bodies. In addition, it may be of interest to other members of the public.

This guideline was first published in June 2015. A new committee considered evidence as part of a further IES project relating specifically to older employees and added new recommendations in March 2016 – it did not review or amend the original recommendations. New recommendations were made if explicit evidence was found for older people. However, the original recommendations remain applicable to employees of all ages.