Business

Health and Wellbeing

‘If you can keep yourself physically fit and mentally alert, and have time to relax, then you will perform better than people who work every minute of the day and never manage to break away from work.”  - Sir Richard Branson

The health and wellbeing of employees is crucial to the success of any business. Successful wellness programmes result in reduced absenteeism and staff turnover and lead to greater morale and workplace engagement, which in turn drives productivity. Even a small ongoing investment can pay big dividends – the benefits are significant.

We offer a range of workplace Health and Wellbeing programmes from health screening and health awareness days to seminars and complete corporate wellbeing programmes.

What is the financial benefit to employers of investing in employee health?

  • 175m working days are lost each year due to sickness.
  • Average is 8.5 days sickness per employee, which is 3.4% of working time lost. (CBI)
  • Most organisations only account for direct costs of sickness
  • If indirect costs are included (e.g. productivity loss when vacancy is unfilled, training costs and  importantly – presenteeism (employees physically present in work but less productive due to mental health issues or a physical illness), it is estimated that employers are spending 9% of their annual wage bill on absence (Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health 2008).

What are the non-financial benefits of investing in employee health?

  • Improved employee motivation and engagement
  • Improved employee satisfaction
  • Improved quality of life for employees and families
  • Positive company profile – Helps attract and keep quality staff

Simple lifestyle change can have a profound effect on health Coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes account for half of deaths worldwide each year – they are caused by three lifestyle risk factors: Diet

  • 2/3 of men and  1/2 of women are overweight.
  • Only 25% of adults eat  5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
  • Eating these reduces the risk of:
    • cardiovascular disease by 28%
    • type 2 diabetes by 24%
    • significant reduction in gastrointestinal and other cancers

Exercise

  • 69% of adults don’t reach recommended levels of physical activity (30 mins x 5 days per week)
  • Those reaching the recommended activity levels have:
    • 1/2 the risk of dying from coronary heart disease
    • 27% lower risk of stroke
    • 33-50% lower risk of Type 2 Diabetes
    • 40-50% lower risk of colon cancer and reduced risk of other cancers

Smoking

  • 5 Million people die prematurely from tobacco use each year