So said Mahatma Ghandi. And it’s true. Particularly when it comes to your business.
Did you know that more than 60 per cent of Australian adults are in an unhealthy weight range and approximately one-third of all working-age Australians have at least one chronic disease. These figures are distressing. More distressing still is the fact that figures from the NSW Government show that a whopping 96 per cent of working-age Australians have at least one risk factor for chronic diseases and 72 per cent have multiple factors.*
With figures like these it’s easy to see why encouraging a healthy workplace is so important. It’s a fact – healthy workers have fewer sick days, are more motivated and report higher rates of job satisfaction.
Get healthy at work
The Emjay team heard first hand about the benefits of a healthy workplace at a recent event.
The Bottom Line Breaky – held as part of the NSW Government’s Get Healthy at Work campaign – was a great opportunity for our team to learn more about how SMEs can lift their bottom line by implementing a workplace health program.
There are lots of benefits for employees, including:
- An increase in health awareness and knowledge
- An increase in physical health and mental wellbeing
- Improved morale, job satisfaction and motivation
- Improved opportunities for a healthier lifestyle
- A greater capacity to enjoy life both in and outside the workplace.
And there are even more benefits for employers, such as:
- Improved work performance and productivity
- Reduced absenteeism and sick leave
- Decreased incidence of attending work when sick
- Decreased frequency and cost of workers compensation
- Improved staff morale, satisfaction and motivation
- Higher employee retention rates
- Increased return on investment for training and development
- Improved employee engagement and employee relationships
With all these benefits, it’s easy to see why promoting and supporting a healthy workplace is a no brainer. But how?
Resources and support
The Get Healthy at Work program makes it easy for you to identify the biggest health issues facing your workplace and makes changes for the better. And best of all – it’s free!
The Get Healthy at Work website has all the tools, templates and resources you need to develop an action plan. The website also tells you how to take advantage of the opportunity for free health checks for your employees. Best of all, the website has an easy-to-use calculator to work out how much your business can save by implementing some simple changes.
And don’t forget that a workplace health program can form part of the risk management plan for your business. High absentee levels, loss of key employees and an unhappy workforce all have the potential to seriously impact your business. So make sure you’re prepared – talk to your risk management advisor about how an effective workplace health program can benefit your overall risk management strategy.
Emjay Insurance Brokers provides insurance and risk management advice and solutions to businesses of all sizes. They make it easy for you to access the advice and services you need to ensure your business is protected. Contact us today to discuss your business health and your needs on (02) 9796 0400.
* Source: NSW Government Get Healthy At Work
