12 Nov The difference better employee health makes to your business
How important is employee health to your company? When it comes to workplace health; what it means, how it affects your employees and how the health of your people affects your organisation. We are very well placed to answer these questions and delve further into this topic.
According to the World Health Organization (2019), “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” In other words, your health is about much more than physical ailments — it’s about emotional and social wellbeing too.
Although there can be genetic plays at hand with some elements of health, there are also large factors around lifestyle choice that affect our health. Wellbeing is a choice and every person can choose to exercise regularly, eat a balanced diet, stop smoking or see a therapist when their mental state needs some assistance.
At times people can lose sight, we are in control of our mind, body and health. Although none of us will be in ‘perfect’ health, making a conscious effort to improve our wellbeing can make us feel better. Working towards feeling better, leads to saving more money on healthcare costs down the line.
Why better health benefits your business
Investing in education around health and wellbeing, starting with simple lifestyle changes is the best way to start seeing results. The lower your employees’ health risks, the better they will feel and the more engaged they will be at work. The positive shift of better health has greater results for you as a business. Healthy employees use less sick leave, resulting in increased productivity. In addition to this, the lower the numbers of at-risk employees, the more stable your healthcare costs will become.
Employee health and wellbeing programs are designed to focus on preventative care. These programs are implemented primarily to save policy holders and employers money in the long run, on top of keeping employees happy and engaged, and being an employer of choice. A successful health and wellbeing program should have a strategy and means of measurement.
The general basis of employee health and wellbeing programs are tailored to provide regular check-ups, triaging those at risk to prescribed consultations and medications where necessary, promoting vaccinations and education around preventative care. The correct health and wellbeing program can help completely prevent or manage health problems before they become extraordinarily expensive.
How to create a culture of change
When investing in employee health it is important to have a clear strategy. Clearly defining your measurable metrics will assist with your health program analysis. The common question in business is if you cannot justify your investment, was it a success and worth further investment in the future? Define your metrics, tracking the results and success at all points in time.
SiSU Health Group provides exceptional companywide employee health measures through the SiSU Health Station, ongoing plans and programs and Employee Health Reporting. Providing the health measurements and tracking of health risks per person, presenting the costs to your business over time. To alleviate the health strains on your business, speak to us today about how to engage your staff in their health and improve the health and wellbeing of your organisation.
References
World Health Organisations, 2019, ‘What is the WHO definition of health?’, World Health Organisation – Frequently Asked Questions, Available from: https://www.who.int/about/who-we-are/frequently-asked-questions