A healthy workforce is the key to a healthy company
The annual CBI/Pfizer "Absence and workplace health survey" has calculated that the UK economy lost 190 million working days to absence in 2010, with each employee taking 6.5 days off sick on average.
This equates to a cost of £17 billion, including more than £2.7 billion from 30.4 million days of non-genuine sickness absence.
A healthy workforce, it is increasingly acknowledged, is the key to a healthy company. Here are some of the most successful examples of corporate wellness initiatives amongst some of Britain's largest employers...
- Encouraging exercise and fitness amongst staff is also relieving the burdens of absenteeism at businesses like Molson Coors (UK). The brewing company regularly invites their employees to take part in physically challenging charity fundraising events such as its 17 mile ‘Coors Mencap Meander’. Not only does this benefit the health and wellbeing of those taking part, it also allows companies to give something back to their communities and preferred charities.
- Technology giant, IBM, actually offers financial incentives for employees to perform regular physical activity. Their scheme is supported through an online circuit training programme which promotes physical activity in the home. Each year, the company assesses its employees through the completion of an online health questionnaire and provides them with a bespoke report which identifies health risks and suggests areas for improvement.
- This type of approach also exists at Unilever. The consumer products manufacturer provides a range of benefits to employees from on-site blood pressure checks to access to state-of-the-art teleconferencing facilities that allow staff to work more flexibly – technology which the company claims has improved the work-life balance of over 40,000 employees.
- The Coca-Cola Company runs several schemes including complimentary gym passes and free fruit to encourage employees to stay fit and healthy. It also offers staff flexible working hours to ensure they find a good work-life balance – a benefit which plays an important role in reducing absenteeism as it allows people to manage their workloads more effectively, thus minimising stress levels. After having introduced several initiatives, including a popular ‘cycle to work’ scheme, the company entered the Great Place To Work Institute UK’s rankings for the first time at 26th.
- Promoting mental wellbeing through initiatives which help maintain a happy and motivated workforce can also play a significant role in combating absenteeism. McDonalds, set up an apprenticeship programme which gives its UK-based employees the opportunity to achieve a nationally recognised qualification in hospitality while they earn. Having received up to 3000 applications per day since launching in early 2009, the scheme has proven successful in building confidence and competence amongst its employees while ensuring they’re armed with a qualification that could significantly improve their career prospects in later life.
- Cadbury’s has a long tradition of concern for employee welfare. The company runs a ‘Fit for Life’ scheme which has been so successful it has inspired a range of grass-roots employee-led initiatives. Started in 2006, the scheme has seen over 40% of UK employees take advantage of free health checks and a variety of physical activities including aerobics and yoga. The company also organises health fairs, and has trialled popular therapies such as acupressure, reflexology and massage.
- Improving staff morale can have a significant effect on employee wellbeing. Electronics specialist, Richer Sounds, is exploiting that link with a ‘bring your pet to work’ scheme which hopes to reduce stress and anxiety amongst its employees.
- The Kellogg’s annual sports day is one of the most anticipated events in its employees’ social calendar. The school-style sports day attracts teams from across the organisation to compete in a variety of fun events where the focus is on having a good time and meeting and socialising with new people.
- Food manufacturer Kraft is another company that takes a serious look at employee health and wellbeing. Amongst an array of creative schemes, the company has recently started providing healthy cooking demonstrations to help employees learn new ways of cooking healthily.
- In light of a study by Kleenex in 2009 which revealed that hay-fever costs UK business around £7.1 billion every year in lost productivity, many companies are now being seen to provide staff prone to the complaint with advice and treatment to help minimise the disruption caused during the summer months.
