Q4 HR Zone: What’s your key policy? Do you simply focus on the absent minority or the majority of well employees?
Kanas: The Fit for Life programme is aimed at everyone. In terms of encouraging absent workers to get back to work we offer private health insurance at some of our sites which is fully funded by the Company but only covers the employees not their families. This has dramatically speeded up access to specialist treatment and investigations such as MRI scans resulting in a more rapid return to work.
Q5 HR Zone: What impact has the focus on employee health and wellbeing had on recruitment and retention?
Kanas: The programmes we’ve got in place should stand us in good stead but it is too early to judge if it has had a substantial impact on recruitment and retention.
Q6 HR Zone: What would the cost to the company be of an unwell workforce?
Kanas: It can amount to millions of pounds. We reckon that for every 1% reduction in our sickness absence rate, we can save up to £1 million – so it’s a huge saving that can have a real impact on the bottom line.
Q7 HR Zone: And finally, do staff get free chocolate?!
Kanas: There is a staff sale shop with reduced priced chocolate and I am a regular customer!
