Ill Health is Now the UK’s Biggest Workforce Risk – Are You Ready?

Economic inactivity due to ill health has surged. It is now the top reason people leave the labour market, overtaking education and caring responsibilities.

If you run or deliver Occupational Health services, this isn’t a policy talking point. It’s your reality. It’s also your opportunity.

A national discovery report from the Keep Britain Working review confirms what many in the sector already know. Ill health is no longer just a clinical or HR concern. It is a national economic risk. And it is costing the UK economy over £150 billion a year in lost output.

This Is No Longer a Contained Problem

More than one in five working-age adults now live with a condition that limits their ability to work. That includes chronic pain, fatigue, anxiety, MSK injuries and complex multimorbidity.

For OH providers, this means more demand, more complexity and more scrutiny. It also means your service model needs to evolve fast to stay relevant.

Clients are not just looking for response and recovery. They want prevention, retention and results.

The Future of OH Will Be Won Early, Not Late

Once someone drops out of the workforce due to ill health, their chance of returning falls sharply. After one year out, it drops to just 3.8%.

This is why providers who can act early and partner strategically are gaining ground.

The review identified three priority areas that need real capability from providers:

Incentives: Helping clients design work that people can stay in
Interventions: Supporting faster access to meaningful clinical input
Case management: Coordinating across HR, managers and healthcare teams

Providers who can deliver in these areas will not just meet demand. They will shape it.

Your Hiring Strategy Needs to Catch Up

We are already seeing a shift in how the strongest providers build their teams. They’re hiring beyond technical fit. They’re looking for people who can:

Influence workplace systems, not just navigate them.
Drive prevention and policy change, not just referrals.
Join the dots across mental health, MSK, H&S and wellbeing.
Think and act strategically under pressure.

That means redesigning briefs. Structuring teams for delivery and advisory. And backing people with the resources and authority they need to lead.

What This Means for Providers Right Now

This is not a wait-and-see moment. If you want to grow your offer and protect your contracts, ask:

Are we delivering early support, or just reacting to breakdowns?
Are our teams equipped to help clients retain their workforce, not just assess it?
Are we making a measurable dent in long-term absence?
Do we have people who understand system change, not just clinical process?

If not, it’s time to act. Because the pressure is rising and the market is shifting. Those who adapt now will lead the next phase of OH delivery in the UK.

About Recruiting Heads

We help Occupational Health providers build teams that deliver strategic, measurable value. From advisors to clinical leaders, we place professionals who can drive change, not just follow processes. Strategic recruitment for OH, Wellbeing, H&S and Clinical Governance. Built for people who want results, not just CVs.