Disciplinary Investigations in UK Workplaces Pose a Public-Health Threat

The Faculty of Public Health (FPH) warns that poorly executed disciplinary investigations are a workforce-wide hazard comparable to smoking or an unhealthy diet. Employers in the United Kingdom conduct roughly 1.7 million disciplinary cases each year, generating an estimated £28.5 billion in costs through dismissals, resignations and related sickness absence, according to Acas research. The FPH argues that the harm extends beyond the individuals directly involved, eroding trust, morale and retention, and thereby creating population-level health impacts. A recent coroner’s hearing highlighted the human cost: 26-year-old Treasury personal assistant Chloe Moffat, who was denied support during a disciplinary meeting, took her own life the day after the proceeding. The Treasury has responded by revising its disciplinary procedures.

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A pilot “last-resort” approach introduced by Aneurin Bevan University Health Board in NHS Wales cut the number of formal investigations by 71 percent, prevented more than 3,000 staff sick days and saved at least £700,000 annually. The FPH recommends that employers treat formal investigations as a last resort, guided by the principle of “avoidable employee harm.” Acas chief executive Niall Mackenzie notes that early informal resolution is less costly and stressful, while TUC general secretary Paul Nowak stresses that trade-union involvement can defuse conflicts before they reach formal stages.

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Prof Tracy Daszkiewicz, president of the FPH, urged ministers, employers and unions to discuss ways to mitigate the unintended harm caused by disciplinary investigations, emphasizing that the issue is a national workforce problem with clear public-health implications. Acas endorsed the FPH report, aligning it with its own advice that informal resolution should be the default. The TUC welcomed the findings, calling badly handled processes “bad for business and workers” and urging early union representation for staff.

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• “This is more than an organisational concern: it is a UK workforce issue with clear public health implications. The consequences ripple outward: damage to individual wellbeing, loss of trust in systems, avoidable sickness absence and the undermining of staff morale and retention. Taken together, these effects represent population-level harm.” — Prof Tracy Daszkiewicz, President, Faculty of Public Health

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• “Disciplinary processes are often applied in ways that prioritise procedure over people, failing to account for the environmental, psychological and organisational dimensions of harm. This mechanistic application is what causes damage.” — Prof Tracy Daszkiewicz, President, Faculty of Public Health

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• “[The FPH report] reflects our own good practice advice on how early informal workplace resolution is less costly and stressful for employers and workers.” — Niall Mackenzie, Chief Executive, Acas

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• “Trying to resolve matters informally first will usually be the best approach and benefit everyone involved. Going straight to a formal procedure should not be the default option for handling concerns at work.” — Niall Mackenzie, Chief Executive, Acas

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• “Every day, trade unions help resolve issues in the workplace and prevent problems from escalating to formal procedures.” — Paul Nowak, General Secretary, TUC

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