Our health and our wellness is one of the most talked about topics in Ireland today, writes Eoin O’Neill, Sales Director, Aviva Health.

We are fast becoming a more health-focused nation and, as a result, HR directors and businesses of all sizes are placing a higher priority on employee wellbeing. When asked in a recent survey by Aviva Health, 53% of HR directors said they will place a higher emphasis on improving the wellbeing of their employees this year.

Research has shown employees have also taken increased responsibility for their own health with 73% of HR directors noticing the change in attitudes and behaviours towards leading a healthy lifestyle. This health-focused trend is directly influencing plans by employers to improve their organisations’ formal employee wellness programmes.

Aviva Health sales director, Eoin O’Neill

CHANGING ATTITUDES TO HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

In March 2015, the country’s first National Workplace Wellbeing Day was launched, with the aim of improving employee health through promoting better nutrition and physical activity. At the time of the launch, research found that two-thirds (65%) of employees recognised the need to consume healthier food and drink but just 15% said their employers provided healthy food choices in company canteens or vending machines. Only one-third of employees take the recommended weekly level of exercise for a healthy lifestyle, and four in ten office bound workers said they are not physically active at all during their working day.

HEALTHY WORKPLACE INITIATIVE

Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar, has also embraced the link between the workplace and our health, launching the Healthy Workplace initiative to improve the health of 288,560 public servants (15% of the workforce). In the policy outlined by the minister, public sector employers will encourage Active Travel to encourage commuting by foot, bicycle or car sharing, as well as offering healthy eating options in staff canteens, set up walking or exercise groups, promote better mental health and promote walking or cycling to work. There is a fantastic opportunity for the private sector HR leaders to follow suit and implement similar work-based health initiatives.

DIVIDENDS FOR EMPLOYERS

Fostering a culture that facilitates employees to remain both mentally and physically healthy can pay significant dividends for employers. Low levels of absenteeism within an organisation leads to higher productivity. The high cost of absenteeism is well-known, with estimates by Ibec that it costs Irish businesses as much as €1.5 billion a year, the equivalent of €818 for each employee. Another drain that businesses incur due to illness is ‘Presenteeism’ i.e. attending work while under the weather. In a study conducted by Aviva Health it was found that employers believed that this had the potential to impact productivity, where healthier employees were up to 28% more productive.

AVIVA HEALTH’S WELLNESS PROGRAMME

The World Health Organisation supports greater action by workplaces in addressing this problem, recognising that physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality, and that proactive steps need to be taken to address this. Aviva Health’s Wellness Programme adopts a preventative approach to employee health, supporting companies to promote health and wellbeing through a broad range of initiatives. Benefits of the programme include health checks, wellness workshops and health awareness programmes, all in association with our expert partners.

PREVENTATIVE BENEFITS

To complement the Aviva Health Wellness Programme, we also have excellent preventative-based benefits, including Back Up, an early intervention programme for neck and back pain management; health screenings contribution; 24-hour nurse-on-call; a confidential Employee Assistance Programme; and Babylon Health, an innovative GP video consultation service through your smartphone, all depending on your company’s health insurance cover.

If you would like your team to receive the same level of care and expertise,
find out more about our innovative range of corporate plans.

Visit avivahealth.ie or call our Corporate Support Team on 1890 721 721.

Aviva Health Insurance Ireland Limited is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland