Wellness in work - supporting people in work and assisting people to return to the workforce: An economic evidence review

Rapid review methodology was used to identify updated economic evidence on programmes or interventions designed to enable employees to remain in and return to the workforce. In Wales, there are currently 1.48 million people in employment and 58,300 people who are unemployed. This equates to an unemployment rate of 3.8% in Wales. The evidence in this report builds on a previous Wellness in Work report (Edwards et al., 2019). This review has a broad focus to understand the economic impact of well-being within the workplace. The main section of the report is on the economic benefits of keeping the workforce well. Seventy-six papers were included from databases searched for literature published between 2017 and 2023. Economics studies were found relating to common mental health conditions; severe mental health conditions; influenza vaccination; illicit drug use; smoking and vaping; healthy eating and physical activity. A range of economic evidence of low, medium, and high quality relating to interventions targeting well-being in the workforce was identified. This included high quality evidence that interventions in the workforce for employees at risk of common mental health disorders can be cost saving for businesses and the health and social care sector. There is also high quality evidence on the cost-effectiveness of interventions focusing on healthy eating and physical activity in the workplace. Some evidence gaps were also identified. Policy and practice implicationsThere is a need to consider the evidence presented in this rapid review on cost-effective interventions to improve the wellness of the workforce in Wales. Updated policies and procedures to improve equal employment opportunities, regardless of age, gender, or disability status are needed. Economic considerationsAmongst the G7 nations, the United Kingdom (UK) is performing relatively poorly in relation to returning to pre-pandemic employment rates. This is in part caused by the long elective (planned) surgery waiting lists present in the National Health Service (NHS) right across the UK, highlighting the circular relationship between health and the economy.