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Work free from small print

Support our six actions for safe and healthy workplace cultures

How often do you read the fine print when buying something, using it, or signing up to a subscription? In today's workplace, there's a similar ‘small print’ for work that doesn’t consider the long-term impact of poor health and safety on people.

Male worker in hi-vis vest and hardhat high-fiving a colleague

Jobs can come with many benefits. Ads regularly promote things like "competitive" salary, private health plans and pensions. Other perks like gym memberships and social contact are listed as tempters for prospective employees.

While people are often drawn to such offers, they may overlook the hidden downsides – the ‘small print’ – that can come with it if the work is not ‘good work’.

This can lead to people working regular unpaid overtime. As well as working long hours, there may also be a culture of skipping lunch breaks. And many people don’t switch off, checking emails outside of work – and even when on holiday.

This is where our campaign comes in.

An IOSH-commissioned survey by YouGov of 1,000 working people from a range of industries and job roles around the UK, conducted in September 2024, demonstrated how widespread this issue is. Results include people who regularly:

  • work 48+ hours a week (more than UK max)

    57%

  • check emails outside of working hours

    52%

  • work two or more unpaid hours a week

    50%

Long working hours led to 745,000 deaths from stroke and ischemic heart disease in 2016, a 29 per cent increase from 2000, according to the latest estimates by the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization.1 The number of people working long hours is increasing, and currently stands at nine per cent of the total population globally. This trend puts even more people at risk of work-related disability and early death.1

    Excessive sitting is believed to slow metabolism, impacting blood sugar regulation, blood pressure, fat metabolism, and leading to weaker muscles and bones.2 Figures show you are 38 per cent more likely to die prematurely if you sit for over 12 hours a day.3 Meanwhile, prolonged screen time causes eye strain and headaches and sitting too long leads to back and neck pain and joint issues (musculoskeletal problems).

    Managers may lack skills needed to manage workload and stress. In fact, poor management can increase stress.

    Employers may not accommodate the flexible work patterns required for caring responsibilities. It can be hard to plan the use of statutory holidays around inflexible work schedules.

    Some jobs carry a higher cancer risk. For example, people whose work means they could be exposed to asbestos, silica dust or UV rays from the sun are at higher risk. Four in 100 UK cancer cases are linked to work-related exposures.4

    Mental health crises or conditions are often unsupported at work, unlike physical illnesses. They can even be caused by work or made worse by work. Poor mental health costs UK employers £51 billion a year.5 Yet for every £1 spent on supporting the mental health and wellbeing of their workforce, there is a return of nearly £5 in increased productivity.5

Below are our recommendations for Government on the steps we believe are needed to help the UK work free from the small print. They align with the calls to action we made to the new Government in our General Election manifesto to ensure a safer, healthier and happier future for us all.

  1. Provide a safe and healthy working environment as a basic right for everyone

    This includes endorsing and fully implementing related international OSH conventions. It must cover all workers, irrespective of their employment status, including non-permanent ‘gig’ workers and those in supply chains. 

  2. Ensure all non-permanent ‘gig’ workers can receive compensation for work accidents

    And also occupational diseases. Secure their right to good working conditions, a minimum wage, working time protection and collective bargaining, including union representation. 

  3. Back the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to do its role

    And help businesses prevent harm through increased staffing and funding that enables better guidance, more inspections and effective enforcement across its wider regulatory remit. 

  4. Invest in strong occupational health systems

    Equip small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with the resources they need to invest in prevention and early intervention around occupational health, including mental health. 

  5. Equip workers with the necessary health and safety awareness, knowledge and skills

    This is so they can build positive and proactive cultures, both now and for future generations. 

  6. Review and where necessary update laws and regulations

    This is to ensure changing health and safety hazards and risks are addressed. 

If you would like to work with us to help the UK work free from small print, please contact the public affairs team.

References

  1. ILO and WHO 2021
  2. British Medical Journal, 1958
  3. Harvard Health Publishing, February 2024 (Quoting November 2023 issue of British Journal of Sports Medicine.)
  4. Cancer Research UK
  5. Mental health and employers, Deloitte 2024