Well, well...

Corporate heath and wellbeing is frequently focused around diet and exercise. It is these features which fuel the trend towards corporate fitness classes, fruit at work and tips on low-fat lunches. While these aspects are integral to our health, they focus solely on healthy actions rather than healthy employees. We are not robots, but people subject to emotions, desires, wants and needs. Both workplace wellbeing and healthy habits in the home require the creation of a culture which values and supports healthy behaviours.

Sick days due to stress contribute a significant 40% percent to absenteeism and poor productivity. A workplace culture which places value not only on food and movement, but on the emotions of employees cultivates a less stressful work environment. While corporate health can describe anything from a healthy eating poster to a 12 month wellbeing plan, an effective program requires a wholistic approach to employee wellness. At Cultivate Sanitarium, we know wellbeing is more than simply imparting knowledge. To truly become an employer of choice, the workplace needs to create an atmosphere, graded over time which supports employee wellbeing.

A company which nurtures corporate wellness is aware of the power of employee productivity and the necessity for employee engagement in producing a profitable, functional company. Investing in a wholistic approach, from health checks and stress support to online health portals empowers employees to not only value their health, but appreciate the steps taken to provide them with a healthy workplace.

On average, every Australian employee takes around 9.87 sick days each year, which results in a $30 billion cost to our economy. While 75% is attributed to actual sickness, a large proportion of employees indicate stress and the need for "time-out" as an adequate reason for absenteeism. A workplace culture which does not support health and wellbeing can result in poor productivity and may explain the 67% of Australians who perceive paid absence as an entitlement for overworking or having a job which impinges upon their health.

The enormous costs of poor corporate health indicate Australian employees frequently feel overworked and unwell. Transforming employee perception of work as a site of stress to a site of support boosts not only morale, but cultivates an environment in which employees are more energized, enthusiastic and dedicated to their work.

For more information on how you or your company can invest in a corporate health program, contact the team at Cultivate Sanitarium.