IOSH Occupational Health and Wellbeing 3

Question 1

What is presenteeism in the context of occupational health and why is it considered a significant business risk?

Accepted Answer

Employees attending work while unwell, resulting in reduced productivity and potentially spreading illness

Answer

Presenteeism — working while unwell — is estimated to cost UK businesses more than absenteeism because productivity losses and the risk of spreading illness are often underestimated and harder to measure.

Question 2

What is an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and what does it typically provide?

Accepted Answer

A confidential support service providing counselling, advice, and referral services for personal or work-related problems

Answer

An EAP is a confidential, employer-funded service that provides employees with professional support — including counselling, legal advice, and financial guidance — for a range of personal and work-related issues.

Question 3

When a GP issues a 'Statement of Fitness for Work' (fit note) in the UK, which of the following outcomes is possible?

Accepted Answer

The employee may be assessed as unfit for work OR fit for work with specified adjustments such as altered hours or amended duties

Answer

Since 2010, fit notes allow GPs to advise that an employee 'may be fit for work' with adjustments (phased return, amended duties, altered hours, or workplace adaptations), supporting earlier and safer return to work.

Question 4

What does a thorough workplace wellbeing programme typically include to address the mental health of employees?

Accepted Answer

A combination of organisational interventions (e.g. workload management), targeted support (e.g. EAP), and individual tools (e.g. resilience training)

Answer

Effective mental health programmes operate at three levels: primary (tackling root causes in the organisation), secondary (early intervention and support), and tertiary (rehabilitation), rather than relying on any single measure.

Question 5

How should an organisation measure whether its occupational health and wellbeing programme is effective?

Accepted Answer

By tracking leading and lagging indicators such as sickness absence rates, employee engagement scores, health surveillance outcomes, and early intervention referrals

Answer

Effective measurement combines lagging indicators (e.g. sickness absence, ill-health retirement) with leading indicators (e.g. engagement scores, early referral rates) to give a complete picture of programme impact.

IOSH Managing Safely Practice Test

IOSH Managing Safely Practice Test

IOSH Occupational Health and Wellbeing 3