Ireland’s National Workplace Wellbeing Day
Friday April 8th 2016 is Ireland's second National Workplace Wellbeing Day. I’ve written previously about Promoting Workplace Wellness and about how both employers and employees can play their part in creating a positive work environment so I’m delighted to help spread the word about this event as ultimately this day represents everything that this blog is about: Promoting health and wellbeing to sedentary workers.
Last year hundreds of companies, large and small across every sector, participated in Ireland’s first National Workplace Wellbeing Day. The goal of the day is to help improve employee health through promoting better nutrition and physical activity in the workplace. Even more organisations are getting on board this year. Is your workplace taking part?
The Nutrition and Health Foundation are organising National Workplace Wellbeing Day and they have provided some pretty startling findings in the run up to this year’s event, such as the fact that only one in every three employees takes the recommended level of exercise for a healthy lifestyle each week or that just 15 percent of employees said they had healthy food choices at work! It’s time for employers and employees to give health and wellbeing the focus it deserves at the workplace.
A healthier workforce benefits both employers AND employees. For example:
- Healthy employees tend to be happier and more productive employees
- Company expenses lowered due to better performing workers, lower absenteeism, and reduced health care costs
- Improved wellbeing and job satisfaction = raised retention rates
- Employees more able to complete job responsibilities and have more energy and vigor to give to family and friends (improved morale)
- Camaraderie amongst co-workers (team spirit)
On April 8th, employers are being asked to put a special focus on wellbeing through promoting existing and new initiatives available in their workplace as well as hosting special events for staff, such as the Lunchtime Mile. The Lunchtime Mile is a one mile cycle, jog, run, walk or swim for employees that employers are being encouraged to facilitate in the vicinity of their workplace. The mile is only one initiative, there are plenty more that the creative mind can devise but if you are struggling for healthy ideas to promote at work then take a look here.
So what are you waiting for? If you have the authority to sign your business up then get to it straight away and start preparing for the day. If you’re an employee and you’re wondering why your organisation isn’t taking part then start asking the senior management team WHY NOT? Here’s the sign up page.
Spread the word, take part and have fun. Let me know how you get on in the comment section below!
Yours in health,
P.S I love talking about wellness so feel free to drop me a line to discuss any of the above. Contact me directly: brian@officeworkerhealth.com
The Low Down
Brian Crooke is a wellness consultant specialising in the design, improvement and auditing of wellness initiatives for Irish businesses. He is the founder of Office Worker Health, a platform dedicated to promoting health and wellbeing to the working population.
Join the Office Worker Health community on LinkedIn.
Don’t miss out on updates or announcements by signing up to the newsletter below.