Leading the way. Improving working lives.

No one is more concerned with health and wellbeing than the NHS. And no one is doing more to lead the achievement of a healthy work/life balance for the benefit of all.

Launched in 2000, the Improving Working Lives (IWL) standard is the cornerstone of our work on becoming a healthy employer. And its effectiveness is recognised by regulatory bodies that use its standards to assess organisations.

NHS Employers represents trusts in England on workforce issues and helps employers to ensure the NHS is a place where people want to work. They also work in partnership with programmes and initiatives such as Investors in People (IIP) and their "Health and Well-being at Work" framework, the Department of Health's "Health, Work and Well-being" strategy, and the Positively Diverse programme.

The IWL standard has enabled NHS organisations to deliver their commitment to staff by offering employment practices such as:

• Flexible working (including options for flexible retirement)
  
  
• Valuing equality and diversity
  
  
• Access to childcare and carer support
  
  
• Tackling discrimination, harassment and bullying in the workplace
  
  
• Training and development
  
  
• Health in Work
  
  
• Staff involvement and communication
  
  
• The IWL initiative has also prompted the NHS to invest considerably in improving work/life balance.