Employers from across Lancashire are being invited to attend a ‘Work and Health Forum’ hosted by Lancaster University on 2 July 2025. The event is organised by the Centre for Organisational Health & Well-being and the Work Foundation. It will bring together business leaders, policymakers, and academics to address the growing health challenges affecting the workforce.
New research from the Work Foundation reveals that 20 percent of UK workers consider themselves to be in poor health. About six percent believe they may have to leave their jobs within the next year due to health problems. Employers are increasingly aware of the issue, with 64 percent of senior business leaders saying that poor employee health has negatively affected their organisation’s economic performance.
The forum will explore how employers in the North West can focus on creating healthier jobs to help ease worker shortages and support economic growth. The event is free and will be held from 10am to 1pm at Lancaster University Management School.
Ben Harrison, Director of the Work Foundation, said the government’s goal to bring around two million more people into work is ambitious but could drive economic growth and raise living standards. He stressed that to reach this target, the UK must deal with the impact of sickness and poor health in the workplace. Since 2020, nearly 700,000 people have left their jobs due to long-term illness, with a particularly high rate in the North West.
Harrison hopes the event will help shine a light on the challenges employers and workers face in the region. He said it would also show how businesses can support the health of their employees, which in turn can strengthen productivity and stability.
Attendees will hear the latest research on workplace health from Lancaster University experts, join roundtable discussions over lunch, and listen to speakers, including an occupational health specialist and directors from leading regional businesses.
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