Here are six workplace health challenges we heard again and again at Festival of Work – and how we’re tackling them differently.
Festival of Work 2026 gave us the opportunity to speak with hundreds of HR professionals about the realities of managing workplace health today. It also marked the launch of our refreshed Innovate Healthcare brand.
Whilst our look has evolved, the conversations we had reinforced something that has always driven us: organisations want occupational health that is responsive, practical and genuinely supports both employers and employees.
Across the two days, six challenges came up repeatedly.
1. “Neurodiversity support is now a business priority”
No topic generated more discussion than neurodiversity. Many organisations told us they are seeing increasing numbers of employees seeking support, often before receiving a formal diagnosis.
The challenge isn’t necessarily understanding whether someone has a condition. It’s understanding what support they need to thrive at work. This is where traditional occupational health approaches can fall short.
Our Neurodiversity Workplace Needs Assessment focuses on workplace barriers rather than diagnosis. Delivered by specialists with Access to Work expertise, it provides tailored recommendations that can include workplace adjustments, coaching, assistive technology, software and practical self-management strategies.
The focus is simple: helping individuals perform at their best while enabling organisations to create more inclusive and productive workplaces.
2. “We’re waiting weeks for appointments and even longer for reports”
Long wait times remains a major challenge across the sector. We spoke to organisations experiencing waits of several weeks for an assessment, followed by further delays before receiving a report. When absence, capability or workplace adjustments are involved, those delays can have a significant impact on both employees and employers.
Our standard service level is an assessment within five working days or sooner and a report within two working days of the appointment We also provide live access to clinician diaries, allowing referrers to book directly into available appointments and choose the most appropriate clinician in real time.
The outcome is faster access to support, quicker decision-making which helps to reduce absenteeism and length of time off work resulting in a better experience for everyone involved.
3. “The report doesn’t help us overcome the barrier to work”
Another recurring theme was the quality and practicality of occupational health reports. Many attendees shared examples of recommendations that were clinically sound, but impossible to implement in reality.
One example discussed was recommending homeworking for a teacher – advice that doesn’t reflect the practical demands of the role. The challenge isn’t simply understanding a health condition. It’s understanding how that condition interacts with a specific job and workplace.
That’s why we take a biopsychosocial approach, considering the individual, their health, their role and their working environment together. Our reports focus on what someone can do, how barriers can be overcome and what support is realistic within the workplace.
We also include a self-management section, encouraging employees to take an active role in managing their health alongside any workplace adjustments.
4. “Our referral form doesn’t let us ask what we actually need to know”
Every employee situation is different, yet many organisations told us their referral process feels constrained by rigid forms and standard questions. The consequence is that important context can be lost before the assessment even begins.
Alongside our core referral questions, we ask customers to provide contextual information that helps bring the situation to life. Referrers can also upload supporting documentation, ensuring clinicians have a fuller picture from the outset.
That richer understanding leads to more relevant assessments and more meaningful recommendations.
5. “Getting answers after the report is a struggle”
For many organisations, receiving the report isn’t the end of the process – it’s the start of the next conversation. Delegates frequently told us that follow-up questions can take days to answer as requests move between customer service teams, clinicians and account managers. When decisions need to be made quickly, that delay creates frustration and uncertainty.
We deliberately structure clinician workloads to allow time for follow-up support and report queries. By giving clinicians the capacity to respond, organisations can receive answers quickly rather than waiting for lengthy escalation processes. We believe that a report should provide clarity and not create more questions.
6. “We want a partner and not a provider”
Finally, one of the most common frustrations we heard was how difficult it can be to get support from an occupational health provider. Many delegates told us they didn’t have a dedicated account manager and couldn’t get the help they need when issues arose.
Occupational health should be more than a transactional service. Organisations need a partner who helps them navigate complex cases, make the most of available services and get answers quickly when they need them.
At Innovate, we have dedicated account managers who are on hand to help and support throughout our partnership. We are excited to be launching a client portal Desk365 in July 2026.
Through a single portal, customers can access advice, technical and clinical support in one place, helping queries reach the right people faster while giving organisations greater visibility and control.
The message from Festival of Work was clear
Organisations are looking for occupational health providers that are easier to work with, quicker to respond and more focused on practical outcomes for employees and employers.
They want reports that work in the real world. They want support when they need it. They want faster access to clinicians. And increasingly, they want specialist services that reflect the evolving needs of today’s workforce.
The conversations we had at Festival of Work reinforced why we’re continuing to challenge traditional approaches to occupational health. Because when workplace health services are built around people, partnerships and practical outcomes, everybody benefits.