Health drive for businesses

Mar 26 2008 by Katie Bodinger, South Wales Echo

WELSH businesses are being urged to keep their employees healthy ahead of Mental Health Action Week.

Employment relation service Acas has launched a new guide to help businesses promote and manage a healthy workplace.

Recent statistics show that 132,000 people in Wales suffered from an illness which they believed was caused or made worse by their work.

Gareth Petty, area director for Acas Wales, said: “Creating a healthy workplace has strong benefits for individuals and organisations. This guide will help businesses to ensure that measures are taken to look after its employees, which in turn will boost productivity and effectiveness.

“If businesses can take steps to manage ill-health – physical and mental – then they will save money and have happier employees.”

The launch of the guide coincides with Mental Health Action Week this week which this year addresses anger. Employers and employees can get advice from the Acas website – www.acas.org.uk or on the helpline – 08457 47 47 47.