Innovative Ideas for Health and Wellness in Australian Businesses

Workplace health and wellness for Australian employees can sometimes be overlooked in the hectic day to day activities of any small business or medium sized enterprise.

And when managers and owners look into ways to improve the work life balance and work lives of their employees, it is easy to find broad non-specific statements like “make workplace health and safety a priority” and fewer, concrete, practical solutions.

That is what this article aims to provide, with some easy to implement, practical tips to improve the health, wellness, productivity, and ultimately, happiness of your staff.

Vary Your “Drinks”

Many Australian businesses have a great tradition of going out for drinks at the end of the week or at the end of each month. There is great value in this, as it allows employees to socialize outside the work environment, learn more about each other, and interact more informally with their managers.

But it is also something of a tradition that these informal catch ups must involve alcohol and take place at a local bar or pub. Consider varying your routine and taking in other activities like barefoot bowls, bowling or trivia nights. These activities allow partners and families to get involved as well.

Share Stories

The passion that people have for their hobbies is great, and often, they are more than happy to share that passion by talking about it. There are many ways to encourage employees to share their healthy habits and fitness passions, especially with so many embracing running, cross-fit, cycling, and touch football as well as more unconventional activities.

A regular column in the internal newsletter is a good way to get these stories out there, and can encourage interest from other staff members in participating themselves.

Use Technology

Technology allows businesses to communicate better, schedule more effectively and serve their customers better. It can also help employees achieve better health and well-being outcomes.

For example, the negative effects of long periods of sitting for office workers are becoming better understood, and showing that the worst effects can be addressed by regular breaks and movement.

A technological “nudge” in the right direction is software like Workpace, which is installed on computers. At regular intervals, the software gives the user messages reminding them to take breaks, stretch and stand.

These are just some ideas to start your research into how to improve the health and well-being of the employees of your business. Ultimately, the solutions you choose will depend on what your employees want, and what kind of business you have.

If you would like to know more about business management, finance and planning for your business, we invite you to give our friendly and professional team here at Scott Partners a call and schedule an appointment. We can help you plan and manage your business better, and work smarter, not harder for better results.