Workplace wellbeing is not just another corporate fad,
it is the future of preventative healthcare.
The huge push towards ensuring safe and supportive work environments that actually enhance people’s wellbeing, rather than harming it, is one of the most significant and important shifts we have seen in recent times.
Whilst life expectancy is going up in this country (primarily due to advancements in medicine and a declining infant mortality rate) it’s no secret that the collective health and wellbeing of the Australian public is declining, and the work that we do is one of the primary contributors.
Our work tasks, schedules and environments dictate the majority of where and how we spend our days, and whether we feel we have the time or capacity to care for ourselves as well the organisations we work for.
It stands to reason, then, that if we can adjust the way we work to impact our wellbeing in a positive way, then our health and wellbeing will improve as a matter of course and not require major interventions but small, incremental shifts in order to continue to improve.
This is the ultimate goal of workplace wellbeing and why it is so important to get this right, because if we can improve the collective health and wellbeing of the working population, we can drastically improve almost every facet of the country as a whole.
Healthier staff means less absenteeism, less turnover, less injuries, less sickness, and less burnout and breakdown.
For individuals, this means lower stress, less healthcare costs, less burden on family and colleagues, and a longer, higher quality life.
For companies, this means lower costs, higher productivity, and improved culture and goodwill, which translates into higher profits.
For the country as a whole, this means lower healthcare costs, lower burden of disease, and a more productive and robust workforce, which translates to a stronger economy and more money that can be directed towards innovation and a brighter future.
By going to the source of where many people obtain and exacerbate their health and wellbeing issues (their workplace) and ensuring that these environments are not only not detrimental, but beneficial, we eliminate a major source of health and wellbeing disruption.
If we can simultaneously enhance the wellbeing skillsets of those same people, we have not only minimised the negative effects on their health and wellbeing but maximised the positive effects at the same time, completely reversing the downward trend we’re experiencing in collective wellbeing.
This is a work in progress but one that is gaining momentum rapidly, and one with the power to impact much more than just the bottom line of the companies that embrace it.
Workplace wellbeing is not a fad.
It is the future of healthcare and the future of a strong economy in this country, both of which benefit every single one of us, and they could use all the help they can get.
For more info on this and to look at how you can get the ball rolling at your company, get in touch here or send us an email at [email protected].
Question
Will the cheapest option make an impact or will it require a little more to move the needle and see a return?