Occupational Health Awareness Week increases awareness of what occupational health (OH) is and the value it provides to workplace health. In 2025 the week focused on HR professionals and how OH helps HR by increasing retention, offering expert advice on improving health and wellbeing in the workplace. See https://www.som.org.uk/hr-professionals-underestimate-role-oh-employee-w...
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What is occupational health?
OH professionals are independent experts. OH maintains the wellbeing of employees, preventing ill-health and developing solutions to keep staff with health issues at work. They advise on staff unable to work due to long-term or short-term intermittent health problems, and organisational wide steps to reduce sickness absence. A healthy workplace culture and the adoption of a systematic approach to OH contributes to the success of an organisation. An evidence review about the value of OH in the UK is here, with a global review here.
If you want to find an occupational health company for your employees, go to the SOM Find an OH Provider directory. To find an individual OH professional, visit our Find an OH Professional directory. Resources for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) wishing to engage OH services can be found here.
What do OH Professionals do?
• Provide independent advice on staff unable to work due to long-term or short-term intermittent health problems, and organisational wide steps to reduce sickness absence
• Assess fitness to work regarding ill-health capability dismissal or ill-health retirement
• Advise on compliance under the Equality Act 2010 (including disability, pregnancy and age discrimination) and temporary or permanent changes to the work or workplace ('reasonable adjustments')
• Carry out pre-employment or pre-placement health assessments
• Develop health and wellbeing related strategy and policies and can provide health advice to employees
They also carry out statutory health surveillance (e.g. when workers may be exposed to hazardous substances or noise).
OH professionals include doctors, psychologists, technicians, nurses, occupational therapists and physiotherapists - read our OH Professional profiles here. OH Professionals make a real difference to the health of workers. It’s a rewarding and interesting career, one that allows a good work/life balance. Interested? Visit our Careers in OH page here.