The authors evaluated the implementation of Health at Work, a national programme of work which has begun to open up the workplace health agenda as an organisational and leadership development agenda. Through their research and evaluation strategy they established that: workplace health interventions can make a positive difference to workforce health; leadership style and management culture can have a positive effect on workplace health; leaders and managers who do not support the Health at Work team are bad for the NHS workforce; stress is code for over-work, lack of support at times of change, ignoring real needs and abuse; investment in support for individuals wishing to change their lifestyles is appreciated as a means of valuing staff; and while sickness absence systems can be improved, the causes of staff sickness are not addressed by this systems' improvement.