With poor health practices costing business more than $7 billion, Western Australian employers are being urged to consider the health of employees, with the launch of the Healthy Active Workplace policy today.
With poor health practices costing business more than $7 billion, Western Australian employers are being urged to consider the health of employees, with the launch of the Healthy Active Workplace policy today.
The state government, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA and Unions WA have united to support healthy behaviour at work through the roll-out of a framework to achieve a co-ordinated approach to a healthier, more active workforce in WA.
In signing to the policy, the three bodies agreed to endorse and support the implementation of best-practice workplace health and wellbeing programs, create guidelines on how to implement a best-practice program, implement supportive policy to strengthen action across all sectors, and offer centralised support to all agencies to develop their existing or new health and wellbeing programs.
Considering the amount of time Western Australians spend at work, CCIWA believes employers can play an important role in promoting to their staff the benefits of leading healthier and more active lifestyles.
"Good employers already recognise the importance of looking after their most precious resource - their people," CCIWA chief executive James Pearson said.
"There is a range of simple, yet effective, strategies that employers in conjunction with their staff can follow to help live better, longer and healthier lives.
"This can include helping staff who want to quit smoking, offering annual winter flu vaccinations, and supporting healthy eating and fitness programs."
Sport and Recreation Minister Terry Waldron said today's launch of the healthy workplace policy highlighted an important step towards the state government and industry working together for investing in healthy active workplace programs.
"Today's working environment can contribute to inactive lifestyles and high levels of stress, which impacts on employees' health and increases costs to the business sector through loss of productivity and absenteeism," Mr Waldron said.
"Creating a workplace culture supporting and enhancing the health and wellbeing of Western Australians is a priority to provide health, social and economic benefits across the state.
Research by the World Health Organisation shows that workplace physical activity programs can reduce sick leave by up to 30 per cent and increase productivity by more than 50 per cent.
A 2005 survey of Australian workers revealed that employees with poor health practices take up to nine times more time off work due illness compared to their healthy colleagues. The cost to business is more than $7 billion.
Within Western Australia, a 1 per cent increase in employee involvement in workplace programs would save about $4.5 million.
Healthy Active Workplaces is a key initiative of the Physical Activity Taskforce and will be delivered in partnership with the Department of Sport and Recreation, which will offer state-wide training and support in implementing health and wellbeing programs.
