A new occupational health scheme will be launched to help business insurance customers in Wales.
The Welsh Assembly claimed that work-related sickness creates an annual bill of more that £500 million for the country's economy, as well as having an impact on the performance of individual business insurance holders.
As part of the One Wales programme, the NHS will create a national occupational health service to help prevent ill health at work and provide support for firms trying to keep people in the workplace, with the initiative being funded by contributions from business insurance customers.
Professor Mansel Aylward, chair of the Wales Centre for Health and leader of the group which examined the scheme, said flexibility is the key to creating occupational health support that works.
"Occupational health aims to maximise the health gains of being in work, ensures a safe environment for work and removes barriers to allow people to realise their potential at work," he added.
Recent research from Aon Consulting claimed that 29 per cent of companies are looking to redesign their worker wellbeing packages over the next 12 months, according to HR magazine.
