New findings on workplace health and productivity

70% of workers do not engage in enough physical activity, according to findings from Victoria’s WorkHealth checks. This is concerning for businesses, because poor employee health and wellbeing can lead to a significant drop in worker productivity.

New research by VicHealth also shows that prolonged sitting at work is just as bad for worker’s health as not doing enough exercise. While office workers are typically thought of as having the most sedentary jobs, many blue collar workers also sit for up to 12 hours a day, such as transport and machinery workers.

Warren Faneco, Exercise Physiologist at Ballarat Community Health, gives the following tips to workers in sedentary jobs:
• Regular movement is key, no matter what job you have.
• Whenever you have the chance, stand up, even if just for a moment.
• Try to walk, move around or stretch during your break.
• Even while sitting at work, try to keep moving, for example by moving your ankles in circles.
• Try to do at least 30 minutes of exercise on as many days as possible.
• Use every opportunity for incidental activity, for example, take the stairs instead of the lift.

Worker health can also have a huge influence on business performance and the overall economy. Medibank estimates that in 2009-2010, presenteeism cost the Australian economy $34.1 billion. Presenteeism is lost productivity from workers who are performing at sub optimal levels because of poor health and illness.

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Sources: Vecci, WorkSafe Victoria and Medibank