The current rate of sickness absence in the rail industry is nearly twice the national rate. This results in over a million lost workdays every year. A healthy workforce is essential for a high-performing network that is safe to use, meets all customer needs, and is financially sustainable. The industry is undergoing a culture shift to elevate the importance of health to the same level as safety. To achieve this industry must continue to consider the health risks associated with its activities, standards, decision making process, and its culture.
The Health Data Hub will inform company strategies capturing data to shape policy, benchmark performance, identify trends, and enable prioritisation of resources. Adopting evidence-based approaches to tackle industry challenges, such as an ageing workforce and the rise in lifestyle diseases, will lead to an improved approach to the prevention of harm. It will enable early identification and intervention on health risks. It will mean the industry will not only be able to react to, but also proactively prevent work-related ill-health.
Mental health and common physical health conditions must be recognised as collective priorities rather than individual challenges. While it remains the responsibility of all staff, senior leaders play a pivotal role in driving cultural change from the top down. Positive role modelling from senior leaders is essential for creating a culture of trust and openness, and to pave the way for meaningful improvements in employee wellbeing.
We must continually improve environmental conditions to ensure good employee health and wellbeing and increase the attractiveness of working in rail. Our aim is for rail to foster an environment where everybody takes responsibility for health and wellbeing, demonstrating that work can improve people’s lives and make every day better.
