Workplace sickness

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that it expects the independent assessment service to be phased in gradually across the country from October 2014, with the service being available nationally by April 2015.

Aviva's in-house rehabilitation team has broadened its offering of a mental health claims service to customers with Group Income Protection.

A quarter (25%) of employees that cycle to work feel motivated when they arrive in the office, according to research.

One of the largest NHS contractors for pain management is to target the private health insurance (PMI) and protection sectors in the new year.

The Association of British Insurers has revealed the make up of a new rehabilitation panel to provide a unified voice for insurers.

Some of the largest employers in Europe including Royal Mail Group, Barclays and BT have launched a programme to raise awareness of depression in the workplace.

The government's new independent assessment service (IAS) for checking employees who have been off work through ill heath for more than four weeks is likely to be delayed.

Just 15% of HR professionals consider absence management to be a main concern, yet almost half (49%) admit managing absence poses a problem for their companies.

All companies will now have access to the Business in the Community (BITC) Workwell benchmark enabling them to publically report employee engagement and wellbeing.

New research suggests tradespeople are amongst the nation's fittest workers, typically exercising for 16.4 hours each week, over six times the NHS' minimum recommendation of 2.5 hours exercise per week.