HEALTHY WORKPLACE
PRODUCTIVE WORKFORCE
The workplace is where most people spend most of their waking hours. That’s why
it’s so important to collaborate with employers to encourage activity during the
workday, says Lauretta Stace.
N
ew Year’s resolutions, and
the attendant focus on living
a healthier lifestyle after the
excesses of the Christmas season, will
have resulted in the past couple of
months being the most active – or well-
intentioned – that many Australians will
experience this year.
During this period we are inundated
with a plethora of advertisements for
the latest magic pills, diets and shortcuts
to reduce our population’s growing
waistlines. Fortunately, we also see
many people taking the more sensible
decision to join a gym or engage the
services of an exercise professional.
But with more than nine million
Australians
either
sedentary
or
participating in low levels of exercise,
it would seem we’re only scratching
surface.
This is a major concern when you
consider that physical inactivity is
the fourth leading cause of death
worldwide 1 and the economic cost in
Australia is estimated to be $13.8 billion 2
– the majority of this attributed to lost
productivity in the workplace.
Of particular concern is the fact that
although physical activity (including
walking) is the second most important
factor in disease prevention in Australia
after quitting smoking 3 , and is easier
than quitting smoking, the number of
Australians who are physically inactive is
far greater than the number of smokers
– and the gap is widening!
Fitness Australia’s strategy for targeting
physical inactivity is a three-staged
approach involving collaborations to
build evidence, facilitate and promote
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the benefits of physical activity. This
includes working with:
` ` health organisations to build
evidence and promote the link
between physical activity and
overall health
` ` governments to offer solutions
through policy and targeted
funding; and
` ` employers to support a healthy
workplace through encouraging
physical activity by their employees.
As an industry we can’t ignore the fact
that many Australians find it difficult to
fit anything else into their day. Outside
of home, the workplace is where most
people spend most time. That’s why
working with employers to encourage
activity during working hours is so
important.
As I have said on previous occasions,
good health is fundamental to Australia’s
social and economic wellbeing – and
the fitness industry plays a critical role
in helping people achieve good health.
Healthy workplaces can help make
businesses more productive and
employees more engaged. Studies
show that by implementing healthier
workplace policies, employers benefit
from improved performance and
productivity, a reduction in absenteeism
and sick leave, and improved morale,
satisfaction and motivation.
As an industry we are able to offer
employers assistance in introducing a
variety of cost-effective initiatives to
suit their workplaces. These initiatives
include team challenges, group training
sessions, individual adult pre-screening
tests and discounted fitness facility
memberships.
Fitness Australia is of the view that
governments can also do their bit
through implementing policy that
promotes physical activity in the
workplace by expanding the current tax
benefits that apply to services provided
within the workplace (which are almost
exclusively provided by the big end of
town) to include fitness and exercise
services delivered by any registered
gym or exercise professional.
If you are interested in discussing Fitness
Australia’s advocacy, and in working to
create healthy workplaces, call 1300 211 311.
REFERENCES
1. World Health Organisation http://www.
who.int/topics/physical_activity/
2. Medibank Private Limited, The cost
of physical inactivity. October 2008
3. Wesley Corporate Health, Future@
Work Health Report, 2006
Lauretta Stace
Lauretta is a leading advocate for the health and fitness industry in Australia. Since
becoming the CEO of Fitness Australia in 2006 she has embarked upon a systematic
and strategic journey to raise the profile of the fitness industry, help integrate it
within the health sector and ensure that it is recognised for its important role in
helping millions of people improve their health and wellbeing.