It’s Employee Wellness Week in South Africa from 1 to 5 July. South Africans are encouraged to participate in wellness within their workplace.
How important is wellness at work?
Extremely! A physically, mentally, and emotionally well employee is a productive employee. A healthy work atmosphere also enables positive morale and job satisfaction.
With an estimated 56% of women and 29% of men being overweight and obese in South Africa, corporate wellness should be a top priority at all organisations. Further alarming facts show that 1 in 3 men and 1 in 4 women in South Africa will develop a heart condition before the age of 60. Heart disease and strokes are the biggest non-infectious killers in our country while heart attacks and strokes are two of the major health complications which cause premature deaths in people with diabetes.
Did you know that up to 80% of these are due to our lifestyles and behaviour? Which means that 80% of premature deaths can be prevented through lifestyle changes.
Employee Wellness Week
The focus of this week is on wellness in the workplace and encouraging all personnel to follow a healthy lifestyle, even at work. Investing in employees’ health through Employee Wellness Programmes (EWP) is increasingly being recognised as a value-add for both the company and its people.
Companies are benefiting through reduced absenteeism, improved productivity and lower medical costs. Individual benefits are risk reduction in heart disease and strokes, and other occupational conditions, such as stress related illnesses, knowing your numbers and what puts you at risk.
Employees are the backbone of any organisation and if they are in top shape mentally, emotionally as well as physically, it benefits both the organisation and the employees to reach goal of productivity.
Improve your health at work
- Step up! Opt for the stairs instead of the elevator – it’s a great way to get in shape.
- Experience yoga, it helps with focus, flexibility, and posture.
- Stay hydrated! Drink at least eight glasses of water a day.
- Snack well! Choose to snack on fruit or yoghurt during your work day instead of sweets and chocolates.
- Laugh! Don’t allow work to become mundane. Take time to share a joke with a colleague or laugh at an email. Laughter is a great stress reliever.
