Building workforce resilience

Helping you protect your people and manage workforce risks effectively

Mitigate workforce risks, enhance business resilience

A resilient organisation anticipates and navigates people-related challenges. It can respond and adapt to them, even turning them into opportunities.

Managing People Risk means protecting your workforce and business from challenges like employee health, talent shortages, compliance issues, and rising costs. A strong strategy balances reducing risks with creating a healthy, productive workplace.

At Howden, we help businesses take a proactive approach—using data, targeted solutions, and smart insurance strategies to build resilience, stay compliant, and support employee wellbeing.

Why prioritise people risk?

A healthy, engaged and productive workforce is the lifeblood of any business, driving positive outcomes both now and in the future. This means there are people-related risks you can’t afford to ignore.

These don’t just affect your staff and workplace culture; they can harm business performance and overall resilience. This could be through, for example, a shortage of well-trained, motivated employees; higher insurance premiums due to people-related claims; or increased costs from high staff turnover. To ensure resilience and continuity, it’s crucial to prioritise these risks in a proactive, systematic way.

A Holistic Approach to People Risk

People Risk sits at the intersection of Insurance, Business Risk, and Health & Wellbeing, all of which are interconnected and impact workforce resilience. Addressing these areas collectively enables organisations to better manage costs, enhance employee wellbeing, and create a safer, more productive work environment.

Insurance helps businesses transfer and mitigate risks.
Business Risk considers how organisations operate and how employees perform.
Health & Wellbeing focusses on employees' physical and mental health and their ability to work effectively.

To build a truly resilient workforce, HR and risk professionals must take a holistic approach, collaborating across functions to anticipate, prepare for, and mitigate risks in alignment with organisational culture and goals. This ongoing process ensures businesses remain agile, sustainable, and prepared for future challenges.

What are your people risks?

How well does your organisation manage risks related to employee health and wellbeing? Developing and nurturing a thriving workforce that reaches its potential starts with a complete approach to employee mental, physical and financial health.

Unaddressed stress, burnout, or mental health challenges can lead to increased claims, higher insurance premiums, and potential liability.
Proactively supporting wellbeing helps mitigate these risks and strengthens workforce resilience.

Is your workplace culture fostering collaboration, trust, and inclusivity? Attracting and retaining top talent in a dynamic job market needs responsive strategies that cater to diverse skills and generational needs.

Open communication, valuing diverse perspectives, and supporting strong leadership help create a positive environment.
Fostering a positive culture can help minimise liability and align with your risk management programme.

Is your workforce equipped to handle digital risks and cyber threats? Protect employee and customer data, and give your people tools and skills to safely adapt to new technologies and disruptions.

Providing the right tools, training, and security measures can protect your people and your business.
Building cyber resilience ensures continuity in an increasingly digital workplace.

Are you prepared for environmental challenges that could impact employee safety and business operations? People increasingly want to work for companies with operations that don’t come at the expense of society or the environment.

Extreme weather events, pollution, and climate-related risks can lead to business interruptions and insurance claims
Integrating sustainability into your risk management approach can enhance resilience and reduce long-term exposure.

Understanding People Risk in Your Industry

Every industry faces unique workforce challenges—whether it’s regulatory complexities in legal, talent retention pressures in professional services, or safety concerns in aviation. Understanding these specific risks is crucial, not just for protecting employees, but for ensuring business continuity, compliance, and financial stability.

A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work. Organisations that tailor their risk management strategies to their industry’s realities can reduce costs, improve employee wellbeing, and build long-term resilience. Identifying and addressing industry-specific risks proactively helps businesses stay competitive, agile, and prepared for the future.

How we can help

Turning People Risk into Opportunity. At Howden, we work with you identify, assess, and mitigate People Risk through a structured approach that transforms challenges into opportunities for growth and resilience. We’ll get to know your needs and goals and recommend customised strategies ready to support your organisation’s priorities – the ones that are critical to you.

Our approach focusses on three key stages:

1. Engage: Understanding Your People Risk Landscape

We begin by working closely with organisations to identify their unique People Risk challenges.
Through tailored assessments and data-driven insights, we provide a clear picture of workforce vulnerabilities and opportunities.

2. Analyse: Benchmarking and Insights

Using industry-leading data analytics, we benchmark your organisation’s risk profile against peers and industry standards.
Our insights help highlight areas for improvement and develop actionable strategies to mitigate risks effectively.

3. Solve: Implementing Tailored Solutions

We collaborate with businesses to design and implement customised strategies that align with their goals.
From proactive interventions to ongoing support, we provide solutions that enhance resilience, wellbeing, and overall business performance.

Want to take the first step?

Understand how people-related challenges are affecting your organisation. Whether you’re focused on protecting your workforce, improving culture, or aligning strategies for greater resilience, we can support you in navigating these complexities.