There is a growing body of research which reveals that companies that promote and protect workers' health are among the most successful and competitive and also enjoy better rates of employee retention.
Employees are at their most motivated and creative when they know what needs to be done and are in an environment that supports their health and wellbeing. That means more than a ‘safe’ work environment - it also means encouraging employees to participate in all aspects of health, safety and environmental issues, as well as, responding positively to their opinions, views and concerns.
Benefits for Employers
Promoting employee health is a smart business move. Employers who invest in their workers’ physical and mental health reap a range of profit-boosting benefits. The benefits of actively encouraging worker health are:
- Reducing undue sick leave and disability
- Lowering medical costs
- Lowering training costs associated with high turnover
- Increasing long-term productivity
- Increasing quality of products and services
Also worth considering are:
- The costs of prevention versus the costs resulting from workplace accidents
- Financial consequences of legal violations of health, safety and occupational rules
- Workers’ health as an important business advantage.
Health Promotion at Work
The workplace is increasingly seen as the perfect place for health promotion and preventive health activities – not only to prevent occupational injury and disability but also to assess and improve people's overall health. Some examples of existing workplace health programs include:
- Free health screening
- One-to-one health advice
- Education about healthy eating, physical activity, smoking cessation and other health-promoting behaviours
- Physiotherapy, at-work massage, chiropody and ergonomic improvements
- Complementary therapies
- Rehabilitation programs for back pain and other musculoskeletal disorders
- Employee counseling/assistance programs
- Absence-from-work support and training for managers
Resources
Health and Work Productivity Portal - CIRPD is developing a website with the aim of increasing science-based resources for employers, workers, workplace safety specialists, researchers, health professionals and human resource professionals.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health - Information from NIOSH on Work/Life Balance.
Health, Work and Well-being - An information initiative by Department for Work and Pensions in the United Kingdom.
Healthcare Workforce Portal - An informational site aimed at the healthcare workforce.
ACEOM Health and Productivity Management Center (HPM) - Workplace-related educational courses, webinars, and toolkits.
How to Choose Well - An Employer's Guide - A downloadable PDF guide for employers to help their employees choose healthier lifestyles.