Involving your employees and their representatives in discussions about health, safety and wellbeing is very important. Benefits can include:
- lower accident rates
- reduced costs
- a positive health and safety culture
- better policies and procedures
Here you can find information on how to consult, as well as who you should consult with and when.
Ways of consulting
You can consult with your employees and their representatives in several ways. These include:
- holding formal consultations or meetings
- having health and safety as a regular topic at departmental or management meetings
- sharing information on notice boards, your intranet and through email alerts
- adding information to pay slips by printing messages on them or using inserts
Who to consult with and when
The law states that you must consult with employees about changes in the workplace that could substantially affect their health and safety. You may also need to consult with employee representatives.
You can find out more about who you should consult with and when on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website.
In addition, there are other times when you will legally need to consult with employees. You can read more about this on the UK Government website (external site).
Find out more
For further reading on employee communication and consultation, ACAS has a useful web page and guidance booklet (external site) available.
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
If you need information specifically around engaging with staff and COVID-19, go to our COVID-19 and engaging with staff pages.