EXERCISE YOUR COMPANY HEALTH POLICIES THIS NEW YEAR

With studies revealing that 63% of people favor increased exercise and healthy eating as their  priority this New Year (Angels Den, 2015), Dr. Alan Black, Director of occupational health providers, Blackwell Associates, explains how employers can assist workers in achieving their health goals.

“It goes without saying that employees are the most prized asset of any organisation. That’s why responsible business leaders will not only recognise that a safe and healthy workplace makes perfectly sound commercial sense, but moral sense too and here’s why:

Healthy employees - healthy business.

Several studies have shown that the bottom line of companies that proactively encourage healthy living within the workplace has drastically benefited. 

By motivating employees to adopt a healthier lifestyle, organisations will not only witness a rise in productivity levels by up to 38% (Workplace Research Foundation) but an improvement in engagement and customer service also, whilst reducing absenteeism, staff turn over and levels of stress.

When you take into account that the average worker is absent from work for 8.4 days a year - costing a business up to £598 per employee - an unhealthy workforce is not only an inefficient one, but costly too.  

With that said, here are some measures businesses can put in place to ensure employees achieve their New Year health goals one resolution at a time:

Resolution 1: Exercise more often

Adults should aim to exercise at least 30 minutes a day through activities such as walking, cycling or running. By doing so, you reduce your risk of a number of life threatening illnesses, such as coronary heart disease, stroke, obesity, hypertension, colorectal cancer, stress, and osteoarthritis.

However, despite the overwhelming health benefits, as much as 7 out of 10 people in Northern Ireland are still not physically active enough (Health Promotion Agency). 

Back pain is the most common cause of absence from work in the UK, with an estimated 16 million people affected each year, while mental ill-health such as work related stress, depression and anxiety, is the second most common contributor. 

Needless to say, both ailments and many others can be greatly improved or eradicated through the simple and cost-effective method of  workplace physical activity programmes.

It is recommended that an organisational-wide approach towards supporting employees should therefore be taken and can be implemented by:

• Encouraging employees to walk, cycle or jog to work by offering secure cycle parking, developing a route plan, or signing up to government schemes such as Cycle to Work. 
• Introducing flexitime to facilitate physical activity, such as longer lunch breaks.
• Joining a corporate membership scheme with local gyms and encouraging staff to join.
• Encouraging participation in fundraising events such as sponsored walks and/or marathons.

Resolution 2: Eat Healthier

Obesity can result in a wide range of chronic illnesses, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, mental health problems and low self-esteem.

These illnesses can affect employees’ productivity and often cause longterm sickness absence, costing the local economy more than a million pounds a day and an astounding £277 million to Northern Irish employers each year. (Safefood).

However there are many simple, inexpensive ways for employers to help staff manage their weight, with basic support including healthier alternatives in workplace canteens and vending machines.

Also useful are health screens or check-ups with occupational health experts to measure employees’  basic vital signs, such as blood pressure, body mass index (BMI) and heart rate.

Establishing education programmes to raise employees’ awareness about health and well-being - while demystifying nutritional advice - should also be considered as an invaluable tool to help staff members achieve their own personal health ambitions. 

A survey commissioned by the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses suggests that workplace weight-management programs play a vital role in helping employees achieve weight loss, with nearly half of respondents reporting success in reaching and maintaining their long-term goals.

Employees cited workplace support groups, occupational health guidance and healthier food selections in company cafeterias as contributing factors in their weight loss success.

Ways to support healthy in the workplace include:

• Sufficient information and guidelines on nutritional content for food sold within the premises.
• Active participation in local healthy eating campaigns such as World Health Day on 7 April.
• Supplying more fruit and healthy snacks in the staff kitchen for breakfast and tea breaks.
• Running information sessions for employees on healthy eating within the workplace.

In addition, an occupational health provider can also provide professional advice and support to businesses wanting to reduce levels of workplace sickness through health and well-being policies.”

The team at Blackwell Associates Limited are well positioned to provide expert occupational health services and advice. For more information, please contact the team on +44 28 9065 6131 or visit: www.blackwellassociates.co.uk

Keep up to date with the latest developments in Blackwell Associates by following @BwellAssociates on Twitter or www.facebook.com/BlackwellAssociatesLtd

CARDIOVASCULAR CONCERNS

With stress and musculoskeletal disorders often highlighted as some of the most common problems to affect employees in the workplace, it’s important not to ignore other illnesses. Dr Alan Black, Managing Director of Blackwell Associates, outlines what you need to know about another occupational threat: cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) refers to the narrowing or blocking of blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain (angina), or stroke. 

Figures from Chest Heart and Stroke NI (CHSNI) show that last year 5,723 deaths were due to a combination of these conditions, which equates to 16 deaths per day. To put it another way, 68% of all deaths in NI are caused by one of three illnesses: cancer, respiratory diseases, and CVD.

While causing a substantial amount of deaths, it also goes without saying that there are thousands of people living with such conditions on a daily basis and this is where employers need to take note.

Risk factors for CVD are many, where age, gender, family history, ethnic origin, lifestyle choices, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes, can all play a part. 

And with the festive season almost upon us, these risk factors may be heightened in workplaces across the province.

For many shift workers, their unsociable working hours may be increased in the run up to Christmas as orders are accelerated to meet with year end deadlines.  In addition, the long dark nights and colder weather often deters people from undertaking their usual exercise and healthy eating routines, thus increasing the risk of triggering a CVD related condition.

This means that employers may wish to consider implementation of a workplace wellbeing plan to provide lifestyle information to staff to help reduce the likelihood of CVD conditions occurring - or becoming worse.

However, it’s important to note that offering employees health information is not enough to spur healthy lifestyle changes alone. 

Your occupational health provider can work with you to develop a comprehensive health promotion program that includes sustained risk reduction counselling for employees and environmental interventions. Together these prove to be the most effective approach to support healthy lifestyles and prevent CVD. 

A successful cardiovascular health program includes intervention plans that take into account organisational risk factors. It is essential to assist high-risk individuals, such as those with high blood pressure, so they become healthier and more productive employees. This will also result in substantial savings to the company’s bottom line as potential absenteeism costs may be avoided. 

In addition, plans can be put in place to safeguard the future health of those employees who have existing cardiovascular health problems and those who may be diagnosed as a result of any health assessments. 

It is important to note that most people can return to work following diagnosis of CVD, depending on the stability of the condition, control of symptoms and the type of work undertaken. Work itself can be important to general health and wellbeing and can play a significant part of the recovery process.

Your occupational health provider will be able to advise on any workplace adjustments that may be necessary, such as reduced hours, a change in workload, or suggest workplace amendments to help those who have received medical attention due to CVD (such s a pacemaker).

With all things considered, more businesses need to recognise that poor health leads to lower productivity and higher health insurance costs. 

As such, an increasing amount of companies are finding that the promotion of health, education, physical activity, and preventive measures in the workplace is beneficial both to the business and the individual employee. 

When it comes to navigating the implications of a wide range of health problems, the team at Blackwell Associates is highly experienced and well positioned to provide support and guidance to both companies and employees.. 

Call 028 9065 6131 to speak to a member of the team, or emailenquiries@blackwellassociates.co.uk.

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