A new government initiative aimed at reducing long-term sickness in the workplace has been criticised by business leaders and advisers as too limited to make a meaningful impact. The scheme, announced by the Department for Work and Pensions, will fund free occupational health training for 5,000 line managers in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across England. The training, delivered by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, is scheduled to run from January to March next year.
Officials say the programme is intended to help managers recognise early signs of health-related issues and intervene before employees are forced out of work. Ministers have described the policy as addressing an inherited crisis, with over 2.8 million people currently on long-term sick leave, one of the highest rates in the G7. Government analysis shows around 800,000 more working-age adults are out of work due to sickness compared with 2019.
Replacing employees lost to ill health costs small businesses an average of £11,000 per worker, while each day of absence is estimated to cost around £120 in lost profit. The training will focus on helping managers spot warning signs such as persistent fatigue, changes in behaviour, and rising absence levels, and hold supportive conversations about workplace adjustments.
Employment Minister Dame Diana Johnson said the initiative would provide small businesses with tools often lacking. “Too often, small businesses lose skilled staff to health issues without the tools to support them, and that doesn’t help anyone,” she said. “This free training gives line managers the confidence to have the right conversations and make adjustments that could help keep people in work.”
Despite the government’s assurances, experts from data, HR, finance, and advisory sectors questioned the scheme’s scope and effectiveness. Rohit Parmar-Mistry, founder of Pattrn Data, said training 5,000 managers would barely scratch the surface of a problem affecting millions. “A manager can recognise fatigue, but they can’t fix chronic illness, long NHS waiting lists, or broken work environments,” he said.
Kate Underwood, founder of Kate Underwood HR and Training, warned that while improving managers’ confidence is positive, the real challenge for SMEs lies in the financial and legal pressures of sickness absence and delayed occupational health advice. Sarah Gatford, founder of Sarah Gatford Ltd, noted that genuine progress depends on building trust and psychological safety, not merely following checklists. “If this helps managers ask ‘How can I help?’ instead of ‘When will you be back?’, it’s a start, but 5,000 managers across the SME sector is still a drop in the ocean,” she said.
Others were blunt in their criticism. Riz Malik, director of R3 Wealth, described the initiative as disconnected from SMEs’ priorities, while Scott Gallacher of Rowley Turton pointed out that almost 80% of SMEs offer no occupational health training, highlighting a significant gap between political messaging and practical impact.
Ministers have defended the policy as a first step toward keeping more people in work, but critics warn that without larger investments in healthcare, workplace flexibility, and sustainable job design, the scheme may struggle to address the underlying problem.
