“British businesses have much to learn from the Netherlands when it comes to getting people back to work,” according to Chris Britton, people experience director at Reward Gateway Edenred.
The Netherland’s employment rate is 82.3 percent, but it wasn’t always this high.
The country “proved it is possible” to tackle high levels of ill health among its population, according to a report in the Telegraph.
Pierre Koning, professor at the Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam, told the newspaper: “Around the turn of the century, we had very high sickness rates and also high disability rates. We were basically the champion in terms of [sickness] absence then.”
However, today, OECD figures show that 85.5 percent of Dutch people are either employed or looking for work, which is a big increase from 74.2 percent at the start of the millennium.
Christopher Prinz, senior labour market analyst at OECD, said the biggest lesson the Dutch can teach the UK is that it is far easier to help people stay employed in the first place than to get them off benefits later on. Acting early to prevent people falling out of work due to ill health is key.
With 2.8 million people out of work in the UK due to ill health and government pledges to boost the employment rate to 80 percent (up from 74.9 percent), sickness in working age people is a key issue for the country.
Britton said there is plenty HR and employers can do to improve the transition back into work for people who have been out of the workforce with long term health issues.
“It’s clear that British businesses have much to learn from the Netherlands when it comes to getting people back to work. Indeed, the question of how to encourage this has been asked for years between many successive governments. It’s clear, however, that the ultimate responsibility lies with the employer to create a flexible, and positive workplace environment.”
Businesses who are looking to attract candidates to roles need to start thinking holistically about the wellbeing support they offer employees, providing for them regardless of what stage of life they are at, he said.
“It’s also important to realise that the needs of the modern worker develop and evolve quickly. Today, working from home is widespread so offering a level of flexibility when it comes to office time is a must.
“It is also important that employers create a culture where staff feel psychologically safe, [it’s] crucial in allowing employees to be their authentic self when returning to work. This understanding atmosphere will lead to happier employees who are more willing to take creative risks and push the envelope – a win-win for the business.”
Britton emphasised that managers need training on how to support their team members.
“Our HR Priority Report found that while 51 percent of HR believe that employees feel safe in confiding in them, the reality is that only 42 percent of employees actually feel this way. Improving these numbers certainly needs to be prioritised by business and HR leaders, especially if long-term unemployed are to be encouraged back to the workforce.”
