A desk-based workforce is not a low-risk workforce. Long hours sitting at a screen can contribute to musculoskeletal (MSK) pain in the back, neck and shoulders, while low activity can increase cardiovascular and metabolic risk. This webinar will show how employers can build a clearer picture of physical workforce health and take targeted action – with practical lessons from Bank of Ireland.
Professional services employers often have mature wellbeing programmes, particularly around mental health. But they may have far less visibility of the physical health risks developing across desk-based and hybrid workforces.
Musculoskeletal problems can go unreported, while conditions such as high blood pressure may have no obvious symptoms. Both can remain hidden from absence and service-uptake data.
Without clearer insight, decisions about preventative support may be guided by assumptions rather than actual workforce needs.
Office workers spend three-quarters of their working day sitting.
Work-related MSK disorders accounted for 7.1 million working days lost in Great Britain in 2024/25.
Sources: NIHR Evidence, 2023; Health and Safety Executive, 2025.
For employers, the challenge is seeing these risks early enough to act – before they contribute to more complex health needs, absence or reduced performance – and understanding where preventative support should be focused.
How to respond to the health risks behind desk-based work
Register for our upcoming webinar to explore what a practical employer response looks like across large desk-based and hybrid workforces.
You’ll learn how to:
- Recognise the MSK, cardiovascular and metabolic risks associated with sedentary and hybrid working
- Understand why absence, benefits and wellbeing data can leave physical health risks hidden
- Make preventative health checks accessible and engaging for desk-based and hybrid employees
- Connect employees with relevant wellbeing, Occupational Health and healthcare support following their results
- Use anonymised workforce health data to identify priorities and target preventative activity
You’ll also hear directly from Bank of Ireland about why it introduced preventative health checks, what it learned and how the insight informed its wider workforce health activity.
Who should attend?
This webinar is for Wellbeing, Occupational Health, HR, People, Reward and Benefits leaders within professional services organisations.
It will be particularly relevant to employers with large desk-based or hybrid workforces that already invest in employee wellbeing but need clearer evidence of physical health risks and where support should be focused.
