THE belief that healthy employees are likely to be more productive, and therefore improve a business’s bottom line, is a major driver behind the prevalence of corporate wellness strategies in the workplace.
Half of the respondents to a recent Medibank survey said they were offered some kind of workplace health program.
It’s not a new concept, but according to HBF manager of corporate development Tracie Dawson it’s becoming a more important part of many businesses’ corporate culture.
HBF has been a leader in the corporate wellness space with its Run for a Reason event, and it is currently sponsoring Ms Dawson and a team of three other women in their attempt to complete a 1,000-kilometre cycle race.
The team is the first all-female team to enter Kari’s Tour de Freedom challenge in which they will ride an average of 200km per day for six days from Esperance to Perth - raising money for the drug rehabilitation program. Teen Challenge.
The challenge is named after former Broad Construction boss, the late Kari Runimukainen, who was among the founders of the event.
Ms Dawson told WA Business News HBF’s flexible approach to working hours had been integral in enabling her and her teammates to train.
But she said the dedication to employee wellness spearheaded by HBF was becoming more common among other businesses.
“Things like quit-smoking programs, for example, are things that a lot of employers are running because they want that smoke-free environment,” Ms Dawson said.
“It’s all very much hooked into the improvements to the bottom line in terms of people not injuring themselves at work or not taking sick days.”
Ms Dawson said corporate wellness strategies were often adopted as team building exercises - such as the Run for a Reason event, which brought team members together for a common cause - but the health side had become a more important factor.
The Medibank survey of 5,000 people across 13 industries found 85 per cent thought they should be offered such programs in the workplace.
However wellness was not just physical health; more companies had begun taking part in workshops on stress management and improving the work-life balance, Ms Dawson said.
“A lot of companies are managing on less staff and people are expected to do more, and again there’s the whole thing of stuff that may be happening at home and people bringing it to work,” Ms Dawson told WA Business News.
Ms Dawson said the opportunity to take part in the cycle challenge, which started last Tuesday, had been of great benefit for her and her teammates.
“For me it’s about physical health but for Kate and Di it’s about the mental health; being able to get on the bike and leave work behind and actually go off, clear their head, and feel better.”