Occupational Health for SMEs: Extent of the Problem

Small and medium sized enterprises are the UK economy. In fact, SMEs account for 99.85% of the UK business population.
But while SMEs are brilliant at building products, teams and momentum, many are left exposed when health problems hit the workplace.

The scale is no longer “an HR issue”

Ill health is now a core business risk. UK analysis has estimated the economic cost of lost output due to ill health at around £150 billion per year.
At the same time, the UK government’s Keep Britain Working review reports 2.8 million working age people are economically inactive due to health conditions.
And work related ill health continues to bite, with stress, depression or anxiety driving a huge share of days lost.

The access gap leaves SMEs carrying the risk

Despite the need, access remains patchy. Society of Occupational Medicine material highlights that only around half of people in employment have access to Occupational Health.
That typically means managers end up making health calls they are not trained to make, while absence drifts into conflict, capability, or legal exposure.

Why early Occupational Health wins

Evidence summaries from the Society of Occupational Medicine show that early OH intervention can save an average of 20 absence days per affected employee, and organisations with robust OH provision report 25 to 30% fewer sickness absence days.
On mental health support alone, Deloitte reports an average £4.70 return for every £1 invested.
And the DWP has cited estimates that preventing a single job loss can save around £8,000.

A real example: clear OH advice protects both sides

In Kleinova v Higgidy (2021), the tribunal described an OH report as “sensible and helpful”, noting it advised the employer the claimant remained unfit for work and was not likely to return in the foreseeable future. That clarity supported fair decision making without guesswork.

How Global OHS supports SMEs

Global OHS provides Occupational Health designed for real workplaces: fast access, clear manager friendly guidance, proportionate adjustments, and straightforward pricing. The point is simple: protect your people, protect your managers, and protect business continuity, before “a small wobble” becomes a full on organisational faceplant.