Your workplace is changing. You’re navigating mental health pressures, rising sickness absence, and the complexities of hybrid teams. At the same time, you’re expected to stay compliant, safeguard your people, and keep everything running smoothly.
That’s a lot to juggle – but occupational health (OH) helps you do it with confidence.
Whether you manage a high-risk team on-site or lead an office dealing with stress and burnout, this guide gives you a clear, practical overview of occupational health, why it matters, and how to find the right provider to support your business.
What is Occupational Health?
Occupational health is all about keeping your people safe, healthy, and fit for work – physically, mentally, and emotionally. It’s a specialised form of workplace healthcare designed to prevent illness, manage risk, and support your team throughout their working lives.
You might need OH to ensure a safety-critical worker is fit to operate machinery or to support someone returning from stress-related leave. Either way, it’s about prevention, early action, and making sure your people can do their jobs safely and well.
Occupational health helps you:
- Prevent work-related illnesses and injuries
- Support recovery and safe returns to work
- Manage workplace risks
- Deliver legally required health surveillance
- Enhance everyday employee wellbeing
It’s more than a compliance requirement: it’s a smart, strategic investment in your team and your business.
Why Occupational Health Matters
Sickness absence is rising fast. In 2023, UK businesses recorded a 55% increase in sickness rates compared to 2019. That’s an average of 128 sick days per business – costing the economy over £103 billion through absence, presenteeism, and staff turnover (IPPR, 2024).
You’re not alone if you’re feeling the pressure. Industry leaders are turning to OH for better prevention, faster intervention, and practical support.
For Employers
If you’re dealing with compliance deadlines, growing absence rates, or pressure from leadership to “do more” for wellbeing, OH helps you take control:
- Legal Compliance: Meet your sector’s health surveillance and safety-critical medical obligations and avoid HSE penalties.
- Absence Reduction: Tackle the root causes of frequent sickness, from MSK issues to mental health.
- Business Continuity: Get support that’s fast, responsive, and doesn’t disrupt your operations.
- Strategic Value: Position OH as a risk reducer and business asset, not just a tick-box cost.
For Employees
Occupational Health isn’t just for you as an employer – it’s built around the needs of your people.
Your team expects more than a one-off health check. They want access to support for mental health, proactive screenings, and resources that actually help. When you deliver that, you build trust, boost morale, and strengthen retention.
What Does Occupational Health Include?
Occupational health isn’t one-size-fits-all – it’s a broad set of services designed to protect your team, manage risk, and support long-term wellbeing at work. The exact support you need will depend on your industry, your workforce, and the risks your employees are exposed to day-to-day.
You might need mandatory medicals for safety-critical roles. Or health surveillance for exposure to noise, vibration, or hazardous substances. You might want to build in preventative care, or strengthen mental health support.
A well-rounded occupational health programme typically includes:
1. Health Surveillance
Legal health checks designed to spot early signs of work-related ill-health, helping you stay compliant with HSE regulations and keep your team safe. Examples include:
- Audiometry (hearing tests)
- Spirometry (lung function)
- HAVS (Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome)
- Skin and vision screening
- Occupational hygiene assessments
2. Occupational Medicals
Role-specific assessments to ensure employees are fit for work, especially in safety-critical environments:
- Fit-for-work assessments
- Safety-critical medicals
- Pre-placement and return-to-work medicals
- Exit medicals for health data tracking
3. Testing and Screening
Protect your team and manage workplace safety risks with evidence-based screening services:
- Drug and alcohol testing (pre-employment, random, post-incident)
- Vaccinations and immunisations (flu, hepatitis, travel)
- Biological monitoring
- Face fit testing
- Lead exposure screening
4. Wellbeing Services
Employee wellbeing goes far beyond physical health. Wellbeing services include:
- Mental health first aid training
- Monthly wellbeing toolkits and campaigns (via The Vault)
- Webinars and events with experts
- Sleep assessments and “Know Your Numbers” biometric checks
The LATUS Group Approach to Occupational Health
At LATUS, we don’t just deliver occupational health – we make it work for you. We take the heavy lifting off your shoulders with a tech-led, people-first model designed for flexibility, speed, and scale.
Here’s what makes us different:
- Nationwide Coverage, Zero Hassle: With the UK’s largest fleet of mobile health units and technicians positioned across every county, we bring services to you wherever you are.
- Digital-First Tools: Our connected health platform, YODHA, puts real-time health data and insights in your hands. It simplifies referrals, tracks engagement, and helps you make better decisions, faster.
- Exclusive Resources: Our digital hub, The Vault, is packed with wellbeing campaigns, posters, and templates, ready to deploy whenever you need them.
- Tailored Onboarding: No two businesses are the same. We build every service package around your workforce, your industry, your risks, and your goals.
- Human Support: Behind the tech, you’ll find qualified clinicians, responsive account managers, and a team that takes ownership from day one.
Whether you’re booking a single assessment or rolling out a company-wide health programme, we make OH easier to manage and more meaningful for your people.
What Happens at an Occupational Health Assessment?
If you refer a team member for an OH assessment, you might wonder what actually happens. These aren’t tests to “catch people out”; they’re designed to support your team and help you make fair, informed decisions.
What Is an Occupational Health Assessment?
An OH assessment looks at how a person’s health affects their work and vice versa. It’s used for:
- Pre-employment checks
- Return-to-work after sickness
- Concerns around performance
- Safety-critical roles
- Post-incident reviews
Some people call it an “occupational health check”, but that usually means a general screening – not a referral-based assessment.
What Happens During the Assessment?
While each case is tailored to the individual and their job role, a typical assessment follows this general process:
- Referral Review: The clinician will have background information provided by the employer (e.g. role details, concerns, absence record).
- Consultation: The employee meets with a qualified occupational health professional either in person, over the phone, or via video call.
- Medical Discussion: They’ll discuss symptoms, medical history, job demands, and any work-related health concerns.
- Examination (if required): This depends on the reason for the referral and the role.
- Recommendations: A fitness-for-work outcome is issued, which may include adjustments, phased return, or further review.
LATUS clinicians provide clear, evidence-based reports to help employers make informed, fair decisions while prioritising employee confidentiality. Key outcomes from an assessment can include:
- Fit for work (with or without adjustments)
- Not currently fit for work
- Recommendations for reasonable adjustments
- Follow-up or specialist referral
What Can Occupational Health Do for Your Business?
Occupational health isn’t just about staying compliant. From reducing costly absences to driving morale and retention, effective OH helps create safer, stronger, and more resilient workplaces. Here’s how OH makes a difference:
- Reduced Sickness Absence: Early intervention, rehabilitation, and proactive case management help get employees back to work safely and quickly.
- Improved Retention and Morale: Showing staff their health matters increases engagement, loyalty, and job satisfaction.
- Regulatory Compliance: Tailored health surveillance and medicals ensure you meet HSE requirements specific to your sector.
- Stronger Wellbeing Strategy: Digital tools like YODHA and The Vault help embed health and wellbeing into everyday culture.
- Tangible Business Value: Reduces risk, cuts absence-related costs, and protects long-term productivity.
How to Choose the Right Occupational Health Provider
There’s no shortage of occupational health providers out there, but finding one that actually works for your business is another matter. You need a partner who gets your challenges, takes the pressure off your team, and delivers consistently.
Here’s what to look for:
- Nationwide Reach: You might have one site or fifty. Either way, you need support that turns up on time, every time, wherever you are.
- Industry Expertise: From logistics and construction to education and office-based teams, your risks are unique. Your provider should know exactly how to manage them.
- Tech-First Tools: Platforms like YODHA give you instant access to data, insights, and reports – no chasing, no spreadsheets, just smart, simple oversight.
- People-First: Behind every platform should be trusted clinicians and responsive account managers who genuinely care about keeping your business moving.
- Flexible Onboarding: One-size-fits-all won’t cut it. Look for a provider that shapes their services around your teams, your goals, and your pace.
That’s what we build at LATUS – not just a service, but a partnership that makes occupational health feel easy, effective, and built to last.
Support Your Employees Today
You’re here because you want to do occupational health the right way. So let’s get started. Here’s how it works:
- Book a free consultation to discuss your needs and compliance requirements.
- We carry out a needs audit to tailor services to your workforce, risks, and locations.
- Onboarding is simple and streamlined with mobile units, digital tools, and instant access to resources like The Vault.
Whether you need a one-off check or a full occupational health programme, we’ll make it simple. Start today and give your people the support they deserve while protecting everything you’ve built.
Contact us now or explore our website to see how LATUS Group can help you lead with confidence in occupational health.
Interested in speaking to an Occupational Health expert?
Complete our enquiry form and a member of the team will be in touch
