Survey on UK manufacturing wellbeing released
The latest research by manufacturing trade body Make UK shows a shift from a ‘reactive’ model of health and wellbeing to a ‘proactive’ one.

Between £10,000-£50,000 is spent annually by manufacturers on health and wellbeing. This jump in overall spending has gone from a third to more than half in three years.
The survey finds mental ill health is the biggest cause of long-term sickness absence among manufacturing employees.
The repport, A Healthier Manufacturing Workforce – wellbeing and work in UK manufacturing, makes recommendations to industry and policymakers to ensure staff health and wellbeing is met.
These include
- Understand and review your organisational culture.
- Empowering work-life balance through flexible working
- Prioritise wellbeing to drive performance and innovation
Policy recommendations include
- Implement expanded tax relief on occupational health services
- Continue the partnership between government and industry on improving employer understanding of high-value health and wellbeing interventions
- Make statutory sick pay available from the first day of absence with a rebate for SMEs.
- Introduce tax relief on accredited leadership and management training