Bajorek is the lead author of the Work Foundation Health at Work Policy Unit's paper The Way Forward: Policy Options for Improving Workforce Health in the UK.
The report looks at the barriers that are preventing businesses from focusing on workplace wellbeing, despite the persuasive business case. But Bajorek told HR magazine employers should look beyond the bottom line when it comes to the health of their staff.
"I'm constantly frustrated that we have to keep making the business case, but that's the way businesses function," she said. "We don't have a culture of looking after employees."
The paper makes a series of recommendations to government around encouraging employers to promote wellbeing. They include fiscal incentives and plans to make wellbeing data available to investors.
Bajorek quoted research from the paper that suggests the advantages of employee wellbeing go beyond the business itself.
"There is a public interest in investing in this," she added. "The figures suggest that by taking strain off public bodies such as the NHS and the Department for Work and Pensions the taxpayer also saves money."
Stephen Bevan, director of the Centre for Workforce Effectiveness at The Work Foundation, commented that despite the strong business case "companies continue to neglect health and wellbeing policies".
"The government must play a leading role in removing some of the barriers by offering advice and guidance in addition to empowering businesses through options such as tax incentives, a levy system, or local budget pooling to encourage employers to act," he said.
