Meaningful conversations 

Improving the occupational health process for everyone 

Summary:

Trevor Pierce has worked for more than 13 years as a counsellor and wellbeing practitioner, privately, in the public sector and with the emergency services. He argues that ‘meaningful conversations’ are key to improving managers’ ability to support the health and wellbeing of their staff, while making more efficient use of available OH resources.  

A recent survey from the Work and Health Unit (a joint unit of the Department for Work and Pension and Department of Health and Social Care) into private occupational health (OH) providers has shown that line manager involvement is important to the success of OH provision. However, the role that managers play is often restricted to the referral of an individual to OH and the implementation of OH recommendations. The purpose of this article is to explore how managers can take a more proactive role in their staff wellbeing, explore workplace and health issues with their team members before considering a referral to OH,… 

Trevor Pierce has over than 13 years’ experience as a workplace counsellor and wellbeing practitioner, working with the OH team at Kent Police and elsewhere within the public sector. He is currently working at Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Trust as a vocational support worker; case-managing individuals with health-related sickness absence, helping them overcome the barriers to returning to work and encouraging them to involve their manager in the process. 

Author: Pierce T

Tags wellbeing

Occupational Health at Work April/May 2022 (vol. 18/6) pp13-16

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