Hillingdon Council employees are healthy, happy … and here: Well‐being package improves staff attendance, engagement and morale

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the origins, development and success of an employee well‐being package at Hillingdon Council, London, UK, which has helped to reduce sickness absence from an average of around 15 days per person per year at its worst to just above eight days per person today.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reveals that the package, drawn up in close consultation with the employees and their trade unions, not only involved stricter absence‐management processes, but also reducing the complexity and length of key HR policies and processes and publicizing the range of benefits available to help employees to look after themselves and reduce their own absence levels.

Findings

The paper highlights gains in staff engagement and morale.

Practical implications

The paper shows that employees themselves like the approach the council has taken to managing sickness absence.

Originality/value

The paper demonstrates that cutting sickness absence does not have to involve simply taking a hard‐line approach.

Citation

(2009), "Hillingdon Council employees are healthy, happy … and here: Well‐being package improves staff attendance, engagement and morale", Human Resource Management International Digest, Vol. 17 No. 7, pp. 8-11. https://doi.org/10.1108/09670730910996482