ACAS is urging West Midlands businesses to save money and reduce absenteeism by focusing on ensuring employees are healthy at work.

The employment relations service has launched a new guide to help businesses promote and manage a healthy workplace.

Recent statistics show 222,000 people in the region suffered from an illness which they believed was caused or made worse by their work.

Available online at www.acas.org.uk, Health, work and wellbeing in the workplace offers free advice to businesses, HR managers and employees.

The launch of the guide has coincided with Mental Health Action Week (March 23 to 29), which this year addresses anger.

Every year, three in 10 employees experience mental health problems and it is estimated stress-related sick leave costs the UK industry £370 million every year or 91 million working days.

Some of the key areas covered in the new Acas guide include:

How to recognise health problems with your employees

What makes a healthy workplace

A health, work and wellbeing checklist

Further sources of expert information on health, work and wellbeing

Dave Whiting, senior adviser, Acas West Midlands, said: "Creating a healthy workplace has strong benefits for individuals and organisations.

"This guide will help businesses to ensure that measures are taken to look after its employees which, in turn, will boost productivity and effectiveness.

"If businesses can take steps to manage ill-health - physical and mental - then they will save money and have happier employees."

Key indicators of a healthy workplace:

Line managers are confident and trained in people skills

Employees feel valued and involved in the organisation

Managers use appropriate health services (e.g. occupational health) to tackle absence and help get people back to work

Managers promote an attendance culture by conducting return to work discussions

Jobs are flexible and well designed

Managers know how to manage common health problems, such as mental health and musculoskeletal disorders

Employers and employees can seek advice and guidance from Acas via its website, www.acas.org.uk or helpline, 08457 47 47 47.