Global Centre for Healthy Workplaces

APHRC Interview, SME Employer Workplace Health Awards Winner 2022

Posted on by Global Centre for Healthy Workplaces

APHRC

APHRC, Awards Winner Interview

What does it mean to you to be the first African employer to win a Global Healthy Workplace Award?

It was very exciting to be recognized as the first African employer to win the award in any category. Africa is often seen as “the place to support”, but this award demonstrates that good things do come from Africa.

What do you think are the particular strengths of your program?

We have strong buy-in from the top leadership about the importance of a healthy workplace, exemplified in our Executive Director-led culture shift on work-life balance; a dedicated health and safety committee that advises the leadership on health and safety issues within the workplace; and a committed human resources team that continually seeks to improve workplace safety and sense of belonging through the ‘buddy system’ when onboarding new staff. Employees involvement in designing the program makes them strong.

Where do you see the main challenges of creating a healthy workplace coming out of a global pandemic?

The shift to remote working is one of the main challenges emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic. Ensuring that staff health and wellbeing is prioritized when they are working remotely can be a challenge. We have had to develop innovative ways to stay connected as employees and provided access to virtual programs like the employee assistance program and hangouts that help create a sense of belonging in a space that allows employees to check in on other things other than work.

What advice would you give to other SMEs in Africa thinking of starting a healthy workplace program?

It is the little things that we do to enhance staff health and wellbeing that contribute to a healthy workplace. It is a joint team effort involving every employee in the organization and management. They should have a vision of what healthy workplace they want to create for the organization and work towards it. It doesn’t have to be costly.

What did you take away from the 2022 Global Healthy Workplace Summit?

There is still room for improvement. Learning from other organizations highlighted other areas in which we can make improvements, such as looking at the length of our workday. There was a lot to learn from the 2022 Global Healthy Workplace Summit, but the main takeaway was that it is important for employers to take a proactive approach to creating a healthy workplace. This means creating policies and practices that promote physical and mental health, establishing an open and inclusive work culture, and providing employees with the resources they need to help them stay healthy. Employers should also be aware of the potential health risks associated with the job and take steps to mitigate them. Finally, employers should focus on creating a safe and supportive environment and ensure that all employees feel valued and respected.

View APHRC’s profile and Awards presentation: https://www.globalhealthyworkplace.org/profile/aphrc-sme-employer-awards-finalist-2022/

Learn more about the 2022 Summit: https://www.globalhealthyworkplace.org/event/10th-global-healthy-workplace-summit-virtual-2022/

Learn more about the Awards: https://www.globalhealthyworkplace.org/awards/application/

#GoodHealthGoodBusiness #GHWAwards #WorkplaceHealth

 

Workplace Health and Safety: Why a Healthy Workplace Matters

Posted on by Global Centre for Healthy Workplaces

Awards Promo

Creating a healthy workplace should be a top priority for all businesses. Not only does it improve employee wellbeing, but it also boosts productivity and profitability. In fact, research shows that companies with healthy workplaces experience lower absenteeism rates and higher employee retention rates.

According to the World Health Organization, workplace health and safety refers to the physical, psychological, and social well-being of workers. This includes everything from preventing workplace injuries to promoting healthy lifestyle habits.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought the importance of workplace health and safety to the forefront. Businesses around the world had to quickly adapt to new safety protocols and procedures to keep their employees safe.

Even without a global health crisis, workplace injuries and illnesses are still a major concern. In the United States alone, over 5,000 workers died from work-related injuries in 2019. Additionally, millions of workers experience non-fatal workplace injuries and illnesses each year, resulting in missed work days and reduced productivity.

A healthy workplace can help prevent these incidents and promote overall employee wellbeing. This can be achieved through a variety of strategies, such as implementing ergonomic workstations, providing mental health resources, offering wellness programs, and ensuring proper safety protocols.

But beyond the immediate benefits to employees, a healthy workplace also has long-term benefits for businesses. Research shows that companies with healthy workplaces have higher profitability and are more attractive to job seekers.

So, if you’re a business owner or manager, what can you do to create a healthy workplace? Start by assessing your current workplace health and safety policies and identifying areas for improvement. Encourage open communication with your employees and listen to their feedback on what can be done to improve their work environment. Investing in workplace health and safety not only benefits your employees, but it also benefits your bottom line. So, take action now to create a healthier and more productive workplace for everyone.

Apply for the 11th Global Healthy Workplace Awards now! 

 

11th Global Healthy Workplace Awards Applications Now Open

Posted on by Global Centre for Healthy Workplaces

Are you ready to show your commitment to workplace health and safety?

The 11th Global Healthy Workplace Awards 2023 are now open for applications, providing organizations worldwide with the opportunity to showcase their safe and healthy workplaces. This is your chance to benchmark your program against the best in the world and earn global recognition.

The awards cover various areas, including health and safety in the physical work environment, psychosocial work environment (e.g. workplace culture), personal health and well-being resources, and community involvement to improve the health of workers, their families, and the community.

Whether you are a Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME), a Large Enterprise, or a Multi-national enterprise, you can apply to become the world’s best employer for occupational safety, health, and wellness. This is the perfect opportunity to share your best practices during a time when safety and health have never been more critical.

The Global Healthy Workplace Awards are assessed by a panel of experts, and if successful, you can celebrate your outstanding achievement in promoting a safe and healthy work environment that complements your business performance. All employer organizations, whether for profit or not-for-profit, local or international, are invited to apply.

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), around 2.3 million people die each year due to work-related accidents and diseases. That’s over 6000 deaths every single day. Worldwide, there are around 340 million occupational accidents and 160 million victims of work-related illnesses annually. Additionally, the cost of poor occupational health and safety practices is estimated to be around 4% of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP). These statistics highlight the crucial role that workplace health and safety play in creating a better world. So, if you are ready to join the movement towards a healthier, safer workplace, apply for the Global Healthy Workplace Awards today.

The application deadline is 31st May 2023, and finalists will be announced by late June/early July 2023. Two finalists per category will be invited to present their program at the 11th Global Healthy Workplace Summit taking place at the University of Northampton, Northamptonshire, UK.

For more information and to apply, visit: https://www.globalhealthyworkplace.org/awards/application/

Let’s make workplace health and safety a top priority!

Apply Now!

#GHWAwards

Dr. Ricardo De Marchi

Posted on by Global Centre for Healthy Workplaces

Our dear friend and colleague Dr. Ricardo De Marchi passed away on February 14.

Ricardo De Marchi was a physician, medical assistant at the Faculty of Medicine of Paris IV, France, Foreign Fellow at the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, UK, post-graduated in Health Promotion and Corporate Wellness by IAR (TX) and Stanford University (CA) with a specialization in Occupational Health, Exercise Physiology and Sports Medicine, and visiting professor in the discipline Global Health at American University (Washington DC).

Ricardo De Marchi was one of the founders of ABQV (Brazilian Association of Quality of Life), twenty-seven years ago, author of books and articles and consultant in health promotion in the workplace as well as a leading associate of the International Institute for Health Promotion (IIHP).

Ricardo was a global visionary, leader and workplace health promotion pioneer known and respected in many countries. With his medical knowledge and background Ricardo was a tireless advocate and innovator for more focus on prevention and health promotion. He also was one of the nicest, kindest, caring, and supportive individuals.

We would like to express our sincere condolences to his family and friends.

NUS Interview, Large Employer Workplace Health Awards Winner 2022

Posted on by Global Centre for Healthy Workplaces

NUS

NUS, Awards Winner Interview

What does it mean to you to be a Global Healthy Workplace Awards winner?
As the saying goes, it takes a village, and it is with the consolidated work across teams, departments, faculties and schools that the vision of a healthier workplace was able to emerge. Every small step matters and we are proud of every step we take towards a better NUS.

We are thrilled that the Global Centre for Healthy Workplaces has recognised our efforts, as one NUS, to move towards a healthier workplace. And as a large scale employer, we believe we can make a difference to the wellbeing of the many staff and students under our charge and we are committed to building an ecosystem of care around our NUS community.

We also believe that this is just the start and that in spite of the award, we have barely begun to scratch the surface of what we can do to support the mental health and wellbeing of the NUS community. It is our sincere hope that as one NUS we will continue to work together and not lose sight of a better, healthier, thriving NUS community..

What do you think are the strengths of your program?
Holistic Support
NUS believes that the responsibility to care for the health and wellbeing of our staff is not simply a HR function but one of the entire organisation. Therefore, a key strategic move was made by leadership to create dedicated wellbeing offices to synchronise university wide health promotion approaches and create accountability for different NUS stakeholders. For our NUS employees there are 2 main units that look after the wellbeing of NUS staff:

1. Wellness Unit at the University Health Centre to look after general employee physical health

2. Health and Wellbeing Unit to look after employee mental health & wellbeing

Wellbeing framework as a guiding north star
The team developed the WellNUS© framework, a holistic health and wellbeing framework that systematically maps out the different parts of a person’s wellbeing journey and identify the relevant initiatives and key stakeholders to provide support. This framework simultaneously serves as a gap analysis tool to see which areas need more work and identifies key stakeholders in charge of services.

Where do you see the main challenges of creating a healthy workplace coming out of a global pandemic?
The main challenges we see to creating a healthy workplace post pandemic for a large organisation would be:

1. Ensuring each layer within NUS is held accountable and stays committed for the whole of organisation, top down and bottoms up – which is where the guiding framework comes in

2. Ensuring that the strategy and programmes remain relevant and up to date.

What advice would you give to a multinational employer thinking of developing or advancing a global strategy?
The top management needs to be invested and walk the talk. It is okay to start small. Be agile, listen to the ground and focus on test bedding and building as you go rather than waiting for the “perfect” programme to be completed before launching.

What did you take away from the 2022 Global Healthy Workplace Summit?
Every organisation has a different take on what makes a healthy workplace and we have so much to learn from each other. And together, organisations big and small, can make a difference for their employees.

View NUS’ profile and Awards presentation:
https://www.globalhealthyworkplace.org/profile/national-university-of-singapore-large-employer-awards-finalist-2022/

Learn more about the 2022 Summit: https://www.globalhealthyworkplace.org/event/10th-global-healthy-workplace-summit-virtual-2022/

Learn more about the Awards: https://www.globalhealthyworkplace.org/awards/application/

#GoodHealthGoodBusiness #GHWAwards #WorkplaceHealth