The right support at the right time

• You will have a wider pool of talent.
• We know employer engagement and retention will be better, while employees that will take fewer days sick and be more productive and happy.
• We need to meet the challenges of an ageing population
• You will avoid additional recruitment costs through losing a member of staff through illness
• You have the opportunity to make a real difference in your community by making some very simple changes in your business

• Become Disability Confident accredited. Disability Confident challenges the negative attitudes toward disabled people and is a recognised symbol of a good employer (replacing the two ticks scheme). Possability People are Disability Confident leaders and will be happy to support you throughout this process
• Businesses can access funding from Access to Work to cover the costs of any equipment, software, support workers or other costs you may face employing a disabled person.
• Claim tax relief of up to £500 if you take action to prevent employee ill health
• Encourage employees to be physically active
• Claim corporation tax relief on your premiums when you purchase income protection insurance for employees
• You can employ 4 adults, or 10 x 18 – 20 year olds on the national minimum wage without National Insurance contributions
• Create working interviews and supported internships for disabled people. (Possability People will be happy to support you with this process through their Recruit Ability project)
• Have supportive absence management processes such as flexible working (Recruit Ability at Possability People can help with this)
• Keep in contact with employees on sick leave: phased returns to work means employees return more quickly

• Create a one-stop-shop for employers which include case studies, examples of reasonable adjustments and awareness raising sessions.
• Establish a Disability Confident Business Leaders Group. This will work alongside ministers and officials to increase employer engagement around disabled employment, starting with the top FTSE 250 companies.
• Create supportive networks between employers, employees and charities around health and work.
• Provide incentives (financial or otherwise) for new, creative things which support disabled people into work
• Develop specialist Interventions based on specific health needs working with local NHS and government for employees
• Reform the Statutory Sick Pay system so it better encourages supportive conversations and phased work returns that is better financially for both sides
• Explore why larger employers aren't making better use of Group Income Protection Insurance and working with insurance providers to make this more viable for smaller companies.  

• Sickness: 139 million sick days were taken in 2015, costing 9 billion per year, median cost at £622 for each absent employee.
• Costs or replacing a worker earning more than £25,000 ranges between £20,000-£40,000
• It pays to be aware of disabled people, with the purple pound worth £212 billion
• Access to work scheme: invested £100 million last year to support 36,000 disabled people. Additional funding will be help 60,000 people.
• Access to Occupational Health: 72% of public sector, 52% in voluntary sector and 39% in private sector.
• Employment Allowance Claimants: 45% who had worked in the past 12 months before their claim had a period of sickness absence before they left work.

If you want to contribute to the Chamber blog, contact us on hannah@brightonchamber.co.uk