Principle 3
Health & Wellbeing
Supporting physical and mental health builds happier, more resilient teams.
Your job can have a big impact on your health, and your health can affect how well you work. For adults of working age, not having a paid job can harm your health: it raises the risk of early death and increases the chance of illness, especially poor mental health.
But not all jobs are good for you. Some roles don’t pay enough to lift families out of poverty. They can also raise the risk of injury, illness or mental health issues. In some cases, working in these jobs may be just as bad for your health as being unemployed.
The Cornwall picture on health and work
In Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, nearly one in three people who aren’t working are out of the workforce because of long-term sickness. That’s higher than the average for England and the South West.
Economic inactivity is a growing challenge. It affects both our economy and the pressure on health services. In 2023, around 74,800 people aged 16 to 64 in Cornwall were economically inactive; up from 67,900 in 2022. That’s a rise of 6,900 people in just one year. This means 22.4% of working-age people in the area are not in work, compared to 21% in England and 19.1% in the South West.
According to the CIPD Work Index 2025, about a quarter of employees say their job has a negative effect on their health and mental wellbeing.
Why this matters to your business
As the pension age rises, many people with long-term health conditions, like mental health issues, musculoskeletal problems or disabilities, may find it harder to stay in work or get a job. Health can be a real barrier to employment.
In Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, workforce shortages are especially serious in health and social care. To build a strong, productive economy, we need a healthy, skilled workforce.
The cost of people being out of work due to sickness or long-term health issues is huge. Across the UK, it’s estimated at £100 billion a year. In Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, it’s estimated around £1 billion. Some reports suggest the real figure could be three times higher, putting the local cost closer to £3 billion.
This loss in productivity affects our economy. That’s why there’s a strong business case for taking action.
Sub-optimal health and wellbeing, both physical and mental, can hinder an individuals’ productivity in work as well as their ability to take up skills training and education. Collectively, these effects impede economic growth and cost employers. Coastal communities, including in CIoS, have some of the worst health outcomes in England, with low relative life expectancy and high rates of many major diseases.
There is a clear commercial benefit for organisations to promote the good mental and physical health of their workforce as it can lead to productivity gains, whilst reducing sickness absence and staff turnover.
Have you thought about introducing a mid-life MOT?
A mid-life MOT is an opportunity for all employees in their mid-life to reflect three crucial aspects of their life: health, skills and finances. Looking after these three areas can help employees stay in work, remain productive and achieve a more secure retirement.
For employers, it will help exploring how modest changes in the workplace can im prove retention, keep a motivated workforce and can also help with succession planning. Templates have been created for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to start these conversations between employees and employers, they also include links to more resources.
Mid-life MOT Guide for Individuals
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Or creating a Healthy Lifestyle Action plan?
Guidance has been developed as part of the Good Growth programme to help businesses put together a healthy lifestyle action plan for their employees:
Healthy Lifestyle Action Plan
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Take a look at Healthy Cornwall
Healthy Cornwall offers a range of workplace health and wellbeing programmes, including NHS Health Checks, training and skills development, healthy weight support, advice on healthy eating, physical activity and stop smoking support. Our Healthy Workplace webpage provides practical resources, campaign links, and ideas to help you enhance employee wellbeing.
