Employers ‘need to increase focus on health in the workplace’

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Employers ‘need to increase focus on health in the workplace’

The provision of a health and wellness programme at work, could see employers create a culture where employees become more invested in the company and more motivated to achieve their goals.

Thursday, 23 July 2015
8:50 AM GMT



Health in the workplace is a huge factor for Ireland, with stress, poor health and lack of sleep caused by work issues being widely reported. New research by gift card company One4all has also revealed that Ireland’s workforce think employers in Ireland need to increase the focus on health in the workplace.

86% of respondents in the One4all survey of 1,000 workers said that maintaining a healthy workforce is not a top priority for their boss. Almost four in ten workers (38%) say that they have regularly felt stressed because of work in the past year.

As the war for talent rages on, creating a workplace that prioritises health is a win-win for Ireland’s bosses. Attracting and motivating the very best employees is often highlighted as a top priority for business leaders.

By providing a health and wellness programme at work, employers will create a culture where employees become more invested in the company and more motivated to achieve their goals. Employees also rate wellness programmes highly and 72% of employees in the One4all research say that they would be more likely to stick with a company that cared about their health.

Almost one third of respondents (32%) would be less likely to call in sick if their employer cared about their health.

Other findings in the research show that in the recovering economy Ireland’s workers can’t switch off, with over four in ten workers regularly working through lunch. Interestingly, Ireland’s relationship with alcohol also remains prominent and only 7% of workers reported that their company celebrations did not include alcohol.

The One4all health panellist, Siobhán Byrne of BodyByrne, said: “As a trainer I see many people on a daily basis who are pleasantly surprised by the improvement in their energy levels and overall feeling of wellness just by getting in a little exercise each day. You would be amazed how much more efficient you are in work and at home with just a small amount of daily exercise, whether it be that cycle to work or midday day gym hit."

It is a proven fact that happy and healthy employees are more productive, therefore having a wellness programme in place is core to sustainable business success. The majority of Ireland’s workers (72%) would be more likely to stay with a company that cared about their health, which highlights the need to focus not only on results and targets, but to look at how things are getting done. Having a health scheme in place is a key part of attracting and retaining the best employees.



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