Employee health data is one of the most valuable resources in workplace management. When used effectively, it can transform how organisations approach employee wellbeing, reduce absence costs, and support interventions that deliver measurable returns. Yet for many UK employers, health data remains fragmented and disconnected, offering limited insight and even less actionable intelligence.
The challenge is not simply collecting data, but making it work for meaningful organisational improvement. In many companies, health information exists in silos across multiple systems, suppliers, and departments. Sickness absence records are held in HR systems, healthcare plan utilisation resides with benefits providers, and wellbeing programme engagement metrics are tracked on separate platforms entirely.
Fragmented data and disconnected insights
This fragmentation creates blind spots at a time when workforce health is a pressing concern. The recent publication of the Government’s Keep Britain Working Review showed us that the UK is facing a crisis with the scale of economic inactivity linked to ill-health becoming a significant issue. Furthermore, CIPD research shows that around 8.5 million working people in the UK feel their jobs are undermining their health. While we know this is an urgent concern, many employers struggle to gain a holistic view of their workforce’s health due to disconnected services that duplicate efforts without delivering real and integrated insights.
The consequences of fragmented data go beyond administrative inefficiency. When organisations can’t connect different data points, they struggle to understand the full health picture. Many employers often lack reliable comparative data, making it difficult to evaluate whether absence rates, healthcare utilisation, or wellbeing programme engagement are above, below, or in line with sector norms.
The result is decision-making based on incomplete information and means that HR and reward professionals often invest in health and wellbeing initiatives with no clear evidence as to what works, and where resources will have the greatest impact.
The power of integration
When health data systems are integrated effectively, the insights can be transformational. Combining different sources of information enables organisations to move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and create interventions that are tailored to specific demographic needs and organisational challenges.
There are financial benefits to having integrated health data too. Screening programmes, for instance, can deliver returns of five to six times their initial investment, provided interventions are targeted in the right areas. Rather than reacting to absence trends, management can identify early warning signals and implement preventative measures.
Understanding workforce demographics also becomes more valuable as the employee base evolves. Insights into how different groups engage with health and wellbeing offerings allow employers to refine strategies continuously. Perhaps most importantly, integrated data shifts conversations with senior leadership from cost justification to value demonstration.
Organisation culture and commitment
When health initiatives can be linked directly to business outcomes such as reduced absence, improved productivity, and higher retention, investment decisions become evidence-based rather than assumption-driven.
Achieving this requires organisational commitment. Companies must assess current data capabilities honestly, identify gaps, and work towards harmonising disparate sources under unified systems.
The key question organisations must answer is: what problem are we trying to solve? Different objectives, whether informing wellbeing strategy, reducing absence, or improving healthcare utilisation, demand tailored data approaches and analytical frameworks. Communication is equally important. Health data only delivers value when it informs decision-making and guides HR teams, leadership, and managers in making informed choices about health investments.
The Keep Britain Working Review stresses that workplace ill-health is not solely a medical issue, but one that is shaped by organisational culture, available support, and how work is structured. Addressing these factors requires a holistic, data-driven approach that integrates mental, physical, and social care, from prevention and early intervention through to rehabilitation and sustainable return to work.
Health data should be treated as an ongoing capability rather than a one-off project. By embedding data-driven decision-making into the organisational culture, companies can proactively address emerging health challenges and ensure interventions remain effective as workforce needs evolve.