(PHE image from GOV.UK)
Public Health England has published a document that provides a tool for carrying out workplace health needs assessments.
It sets out workplace health advice and is intended for employers of all types and sizes.
It suggests that a health needs assessment can be a useful and simple way to gather anonymous information about the health of a company’s workforce, and also provides a baseline of data against which to track progress.
According to PHE, the document provides a tested tool to carry out a workplace health needs assessment and sets out survey questions and advice on their use with workplace health.
A Health Needs Assessment is described as the process of gathering information on a specific population, in this case employees working within a specific company, in order to decide where to invest to improve health and wellbeing.
Within the context of a programme to work with staff on improving health and wellbeing, a HNA is a process designed to help employers find out about staff health needs within their organisation and to set a baseline of employee health.
It involves conducting a survey of staff and analysing the results to help an organisation plan a programme of health and wellbeing activities that staff will value and feel appropriate to their needs.
The HNA can also help with measuring the impact of health and wellbeing activities that are put in place, says PHE. It is advised that repeating the survey after a suitable period, such as a year, would help to show the difference made by the activities that have been implemented.
The questions aim to gather information from employees which can also be compared with national data so you know how your workplace compares.
