IOSH supports RNIB research on rehabilitation

06 October 2011

A research report launched today (Thursday 6 October) by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has been commended and supported by IOSH.

Jill Joyce, senior policy and research adviser at IOSH, worked alongside the RNIB and other organisations to compile the report, which was released this morning at the Health and Wellbeing Conference 2011.

Similarly to IOSH’s Li£e Savings campaign, which highlights the business case for good health and safety, the RNIB report outlines the business case for employment retention, showing how it can deliver financial benefits to the economy, to employers and to employees.

According to the research, keeping a newly disabled person in employment has a cost benefit of at least 2.5 times an employer's investment.

Report author and RNIB campaigns officer Philip Connolly said: "Having examined the data, RNIB is calling on employers to support vocational rehabilitation and adopt proactive employment retention policies. Not only will these provide better outcomes for the individual, they will also help businesses save money and keep valuable staff."

The report highlights that the principal benefits of employment retention are that it allows the employer to retain the employee’s accumulated skills and experience, and the employee to maintain income and independence.

Other savings the report acknowledges include:
• Avoidance of redundancy pay or the costs associated with terminating employment
• Reduced costs of someone on long-term sick leave
• The costs of recruitment and induction training for replacement staff
• Voidance of costs from a claim arising from disability discrimination cases
• Intangible benefits of increased staff loyalty and morale, as well as a workforce more representative of its customers and community.

Jill added: “It has been a pleasure working alongside the RNIB. Rehabilitation is a vital part of any good business strategy. The research ties in well with the IOSH Li£e Savings campaign and is a good read for the occupational safety and health professional – there’s lots of information and advice.”

For more information or to the view the report visit the RNIB website.