Workers 4 Times More Likely to Quit After Health Decline Without Flexible Conditions: Report

London City workers walk across London Bridge in a file photo. Bruno Vincent/Getty Images

Employees in Britain are four times more likely to leave work after a health decline if employers offer no flexibility over working conditions, a report has found.

New research by the Work Foundation at Lancaster University revealed on Thursday that workers with little control over their working hours, pace, and tasks were 3.7 times more likely to leave their job.

The study tracked 9,169 workers aged 16–60 from 2017–2018 to 2021–2022.

The findings revealed that 9 percent of employees who experienced a health decline left the workforce by the end of the four-year study. Nearly half of these exits occurred within the first year, with men (4.7 percent) being slightly more likely than women (3.9 percent) to leave.

Ben Harrison, director of the Work Foundation, emphasised the need for government action to address the root causes of workforce exits.

“The UK Government’s ‘Get Britain Working’ agenda focuses on bringing people back into the labour market. However, without addressing why people leave in the first place, we risk only treating the symptoms, not the cause,” Harrison said in a statement.

Government’s Growth Mission

The government has prioritised reducing unemployment and boosting economic activity, aiming for an 80 percent employment rate.

However, 2.8 million people remain out of work owing to long-term illness, which is a near-record figure. Labour recently announced £240 million investment in local services to help people return to work, ahead of its Get Britain Working White Paper detailing reforms in Jobcentre systems, benefits, and workforce health.

Harrison warned that helping workers return after health-related exits becomes increasingly challenging over time.

“To meet the government’s employment goals, we must prevent sickness-related departures and find new ways to keep workers connected to the labour market,” he added.

Health Conditions and Workforce Retention

The report also highlighted the challenges faced by workers with multiple health conditions.

Employees with one disability or health condition are 1.5 times more likely to leave work than those without health issues. This likelihood increases to 2.4 times for workers with two conditions and 5.6 times for those with three or more.

Mental health also plays a critical role, the study found. Workers with poor mental health are nearly twice as likely (1.9 times) to leave their jobs after developing a disability or facing health challenges compared to those with good mental health.

Harrison stressed the importance of early support from employers, which he said could significantly help retain workers with health conditions. He called on the government and employers to prioritise early intervention and proactive support for the workforce.

“Unlike countries such as Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands, the UK lacks adequate government-coordinated support for preventative occupational health services,” added co-author Stavroula Leka of Lancaster University.

Although 65 percent of surveyed business leaders recognised the importance of occupational health, only 37 percent provided these services to employees.

“With more working-age individuals living with major illnesses, the current system is clearly inadequate. Greater focus on prevention and early intervention is needed to help ill workers remain in employment,” Leka said.

Inactivity

In the period of July to September, the UK’s economic inactivity rate stood at 21.8 percent. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate largely increased among those aged 50 to 64.

When compared to other countries, including Germany, France, and Italy, the UK fares poorly, with a 50 percent higher rate of economic inactivity owing to illness among people aged 50 to 64 who want to work.

This year, the economic inactivity rate for people aged 50 to 64 was at 27.4 percent, a 0.2 percent increase compared to 2023. A new Labour Market Advisory Board—appointed by Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall—has urged the government to tackle the root causes of economic inactivity, such as poor physical and mental health.

Labour has vowed to honour a commitment made by the Conservatives to reform the work capability assessment, a test that determines eligibility for sickness benefits. When in government, the Tories said that changing the test would save £3 billion.

According to Downing Street, plans for the “really complex” work capability assessment area will be set out separately in spring.