Everyone gains when health and well-being become integral parts of our daily work routines. In this section:
Understanding Work Health and Wellbeing: Work health and wellbeing concentrate on enhancing work processes to safeguard workers' health and deter chronic disease risks in the workplace. The kind of work we engage in can influence the likelihood of developing injuries or illnesses. Risk factors include sedentary work, unhealthy eating, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, obesity, and mental health issues.
Factors Influencing Work Health and Wellbeing: Work organization, encompassing systems, policies, procedures, processes, physical and mental demands, work characteristics, and the organizational context, plays a vital role. The physical environment, including equipment, materials, vehicles, buildings, and structures, also contributes. Workers' physical, emotional, and mental capacities and behaviors are crucial considerations.
Building a Healthy Workplace: Integrating work health and wellbeing into existing systems, policies, and procedures ensures sustainability and relevance across the organization. Three fundamental elements in creating a healthy workplace are planning (embedding work health and wellbeing, identifying and assessing risks), implementation (managing risks through interventions and monitoring effectiveness), and evaluation (assessing the impact and making sustainable improvements).
Workplace Interventions: Workplace factors, spanning physical, cultural, and organizational aspects, support healthy lifestyle choices. Interventions should align with safety management systems, complement health and safety duties, consider work design and the environment, and adhere to good work design principles.
Worker Participation: Engaging workers in developing and implementing work health and wellbeing is essential for informed decision-making. This collaborative approach ensures a better understanding of the chosen strategy.
Benefits of Investing in Work Health: Incorporating work health and wellbeing into organizational systems and culture not only enhances workers' health but also prevents chronic disease risks in the workplace. Achieving business goals may take time, necessitating a mix of data sources to demonstrate short, medium, and long-term outcomes.
| Within a few months | Within one to two years | Within three or more years* |
|---|---|---|
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*Table adapted from WorkCover Tasmania's simple guide to Workplace Health and Wellbeing.
Chapman LS. Meta-evaluation of worksite health promotion economic return studies: 2012 update. The Art of Health Promotion 2012; 26(4).
Research reveals that prioritizing health and wellbeing at work offers numerous advantages for both individuals and the organization. Here's a breakdown of key findings:
Costs to Business:
- The financial impact of obesity alone in Australia in 2008-2009 was estimated at $37.7 billion, with $6.4 billion attributed to productivity loss.
- Obese workers face higher rates of injuries, longer claim durations, and increased medical costs.
- The annual cost of absenteeism in 2014 was $44 billion, with presenteeism estimated at $35 billion.
- Chronic conditions and mental health issues collectively cost Australian workplaces $10.9 billion annually.
Risk of Injury:
- Obese or overweight workers have a 13% higher injury risk compared to those with a healthy weight.
- Obesity increases the risk of slips, trips, falls, musculoskeletal injuries, and leads to longer recovery times.
- Smoking increases the risk of work-related injury by 38%.
- Conditions like type 2 diabetes, depression, and high job demands contribute to increased injury risks.
Productivity:
- The healthiest employees are almost three times more productive than their unhealthy counterparts.
- Workers with medium to high health risks are three times more likely to file workers' compensation claims.
- Employees with chronic diseases experience longer sickness absences and lower productivity.
- Overweight/obese workers miss more workdays due to injuries and exhibit lower overall work performance.
Return to Work:
- Prolonged work absence diminishes the likelihood of returning to work, with a 70% chance after 20 days off, dropping to 35% after 70 days.
- Long-term work absence, disability, and unemployment negatively impact physical and mental health.
Understanding these research findings can aid in constructing a compelling business case, providing data to gain management support, and establishing benchmarks against industry standards. This knowledge underscores the critical importance of prioritizing health and wellbeing for both individual well-being and organizational success.