Musculoskeletal problems are extremely common in modern workplaces, where sedentary work practices have become almost the norm. Prolonged sitting, tiring or uncomfortable positions, and long and non-standard working hours can all be contributory to worker injuries or illness.
Employers can improve the wellbeing of their workers, as well as their bottom line through productivity improvements and reductions in absenteeism and rehabilitation, by encouraging healthy behaviours in their workforce.
Workplace health promotion programs are also being encouraged by safety regulators as another way to improve workplace safety.
Some of the issues to consider in developing a workplace health promotion program for your organisation might include:
- Identify the risk factors for your employees (for example, poor work organisation, static work conditions, culture of drug or alcohol abuse, difficulty for workers to eat healthy meals or take exercise breaks)
- Make an organisational commitment to improving risk factors that impact on the health of the workforce and make sure managerial support is active and visible
- Develop useful information and strategies, communicate these and continuously promote the process of improving healthy behaviours
- Ensure employee involvement in the process of identifying risks and mitigation strategies
- Review and redevelop the work tasks and processes implicated in the identified risk factors
- Implement practices and facilities that make healthy choices the easiest choices.
Please contact QRMC for more information.
