If our people are our number one asset, their health and wellbeing should be our number one priority.
Australians on average take 90 million sick days a year. At an average of 9.5 days per employee per year, that costs the Australian industry in vicinity of 34 billion dollars per year. (Ayers Contractor Management Company). It would be naive to think that sick days can be completely eliminated, but there must be a way to reduce them. Employees taking sick days not only effects the bottom line of a business, it can have a profound effect on other employees who need to increase their own work loads to make up for the absenteeism. Increased stress and work loads on other employees can lead to a degradation of their own health and mental well-being, a feeling of resentment and in turn lead to that employee taking stress leave or looking for opportunities with another employer.
If employers take a vested interest in the health and well-being of their employees this could lead to not only less sick days taken, but a better work environment with more focus and more positivity. It shows employees that there is a genuine level of care for them and that they are not just another number. Rather than dreading the work day and looking for excuses as to why not to attend, employees may find themselves happy to be at work. This could solve problems in relation to toxic cultures at work and have an increase on productivity and a decrease in lost time.
What could a solution look like? Employers taking responsibility for the physical and mental well-being of their employees and investing in their long term health and education. A physically and mentally healthy workforce is much less likely to take sick days, so it would make sense to target these areas. Education and engagement in exercise, nutrition, sleep and mental and spiritual well-being has been shown by many companies to have a decrease in sick days and an increase in employee engagement. Leaders should set the example of what sort of work environment they wish to foster. Small changes in ways of thinking can lead to big changes in company culture. Jen Fisher, the Chief Wellness Officer for Deloiite US, says something as simple as a manager sending emails on a Saturday can have a major impact on work culture. While their intent may purely be to catch up on their own emails, they may inadvertently be pressuring staff into thinking they are expected to respond during their own family or free time. This creates a constant work pressure through an innocent action. Her solution? Communicate with staff that work time is for emails and family or free time is exactly that. Outside of that, if something requires urgent action, label it as exactly that. More time spent at work certainly does not equal more productivity.
Exercise is a great way to increase mood, blood flow and overall well-being. Regular exercise has been shown to reduce the risk of heart attack, contribute to weight management, lower blood pressure, increase bone, muscle and joint strength and in fact lowers the risk of falls. Many companies employ health professionals to educate and train their employees. This can appear in the shape of bootcamps, memberships to gyms or subsided gym fees. For the technology inclined companies, many have equipped their staff with step trackers and apps. They regularly hold step competitions and have giveaways and prizes on a weekly or monthly basis. In saying that, many employees are not comfortable with employers having access to their personal data and so there is no, one size fits all approach here. Different employees may be drawn to different means of physical engagement. Some employees will be intrinsically motivated, that is self driven and exercising for their own well-being. Other employees may be extrinsically driven, focused on reward or acclamation. Through long term education it is hoped that employees would see the benefit of exercising for their own good will and not merely rewards based.
Nutrition can be a difficult subject to tackle. With so much conflicting data and fad diets, many get caught up in short term, quick fix options. There is no such thing. Nutrition is a long game and the best way forward here is an evidence based approach. The easy approach for many workers in the city is to walk down the street to a range of cafes and take away options. Many food items appear healthy but are in fact very calorie dense and can contribute rapidly to our daily required energy intake. Employers can engage sports and accredited dietitians to provide great education to corporate companies through a range of face to face and educational presentations, through one on one appointments and through a variety of apps and resources. Employees can learn about energy balances, smart decisions when dining out, quick hacks for home and ways to maintain a healthy immune system and good gut health. This is one of the best ways to maintain a healthy and consistent lifestyle. Asana Tech company offers staff three culinary meals per day from their in house kitchen that collects produce from local and organic markets. While this may be a bit of a stretch for most companies perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to look at their ‘Why?’.
Mindfulness or mental and spiritual well-being is a crucial and often overlooked part of life. Poor mental health is on the rise and has a huge impact on businesses and productivity. Statistics show one in five people will be effected by mental health issues throughout their lives and it accounts for over seven percent ($4.7 Billion) of the Australian Government health spending (Department of Health Website). More alarmingly it is estimated that mental health costs industry $11 billion annually (PwC report compiled for Australian Government in 2014). This is in the form of absenteeism, presenteeism and compensation claims. Great initiatives like mental health week see close attention paid for the duration of the week but what happens outside of that. Employers should educate themselves on mental health issues such as anxiety and depression and have an understanding of how to manage employees in the work place that come to them with these issues. Leaders can share their own stress coping mechanisms and even their own struggles if they are comfortable with that. Mental health should be an open and ongoing conversation and should be strategised so employees know how to recognise signs in themselves and others and having coping mechanisms available. This could be access to mental health professionals, flexible work arrangements, quiet work spaces to take a time out and well designed offices with shared areas. Employees should be educated on signs of stress and coping mechanisms such as breathing and grounding. There are many great apps that have short meditations, talks, breathing exercises and courses for dealing with specific stresses. Work places may look to engage key note speakers or have a regular mindfulness coach.
A glance at multiple studies shows that on average each dollar spent on employee wellness would see a return of between two and four dollars in the shape of increased engagement and productivity and a decrease in absenteeism. (health.gov 2017) (passport health 2020). Medical costs decreased and employee well-being increased would be a win win situation for any work place. The statistics are very clear, and it should become a priority of all leaders to promote a healthy and engaged work place from the top down. Positive leaders inspire positive workplaces.
Author: Jai Hoffman
Jai Hoffman is a Strength and Conditioning coach at Perform 360. Jai spent seven years in the Australian Army and led teams through high risk training activities and a deployment in the Middle East. Jai is a corporate key note speaker and mindfulness coach.
About Perform 360: Perform 360 is an industry leading Strength and Conditioning and Health and Wellness facility on Brisbane’s North Side. They offer a range of face to face and online coaching options. Perform 360’s team offers a wealth of experience in exercise and wellness education, nutrition and mental well-being. They offer a range of corporate education packages that can be tailored to your individual environment and needs.