How To Target A Healthy Work Culture

The recent report by Bupa on Workplace Health in Australia found that organisations in Australia are taking are more proactive approach towards establishing a CULTURE of workplace health.

The report found that 78% of organisations are realising that a proactive approach to HEALTH can complement and amplify efforts to embed SAFETY into the fabric of an organisations systems, processes and values.

This ideology is consistent with the Work, Health and Safety framework espoused by the Comcare.

Respondents to the Bupa survey confirmed that creating an environment encouraging employees to INTERACT and CARE about each other at a social level creates an atmosphere where individuals are more likely to be aware and supportive of each other’s health and safety.

Examples of the type of activities organisations indicated they are using to stimulate these heightened relationships are as simple as enhanced social activities or more coordinated team walking, fitness, nutrition, sugar or alcohol reduction challenges.

Significantly, 47% of respondents now include families of employees in social activities and 26% of organisations are now starting to extend health initiatives to also include family members.

The most common employee / family health benefits offered were better access to health insurance as well as support in reducing significant health risks such as smoking, alcohol and drug use.

It was also recognised by many best practice organisations that the support, motivation and capability of senior managers to support BOTH health and safety objectives of their organisations is a significant DIFFERENTIATING factor in moving from simply compliance to the potential of work health to DRIVE improved organisation performance and productivity.

The Work Health in Australia report reinforces that a HEALTHY CULTURE and a HEALTHY WORKPLACE are entwined and the provision of facilities (eg food preparation kitchens, showers, bicycle storage & personal lockers) are able to connect information, resources and behavioural changes in fitness, nutrition and reduction in chronic risk factors.

These findings support the base logic that investing in workplace health is more beneficial than providing remediation AFTER individuals develop pain, injury or disease that otherwise could have been prevented.

Creating a healthy work culture not only reinforces the loyalty and engagement of individuals towards an Employer who genuinely cares about the holistic welfare of their Employees, but in many cases can stimulate individuals to take a more proactive approach to health management both inside and outside the workplace.

These employees will be healthier, less likely to require time off work, more energetic and overall more productive.

The benefits are multi dimensional by (a) creating a heightened individual focus towards health, (b) teams that genuinely care more about each other’s welfare and (c) an organisation able to obtain a motivated, more capable and ultimately more productive workforce.

As with any target, it simply requires an aspiration, energy and focus.