World’s Top Healthy Workplaces and New Study on Investors Assessment of Workplace Health

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World’s Top Healthy Workplaces Announced

Global Healthy Workplace Awards Summit, American University, Washington DC, 7th June

This year’s top employers for having a healthy workplace programme were announced at the 4th Global Healthy Workplace Summit which took place at American University, Washington DC on 7th June.
The winners were:

Vitality Group, USA – small and medium-sized enterprises
Monash University, Australia – large enterprises
Unilever, UK/Netherlands – multinational enterprises

The runners up were:

Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, USA – small and medium-sized enterprises
Hospital Alemão Oswaldo Cruz, Brazil – large enterprises
Johnson & Johnson, Brazil – large enterprises
United Technologies Aerospace Systems, USA – multinational enterprises

The winning programs underline how comprehensive and integrated approaches to workplace health (including occupational health, psychosocial risk management, wellness and the role of enterprises in communities) can lead to desired business outcomes, such as enhanced productivity, reduced absenteeism and improved employee morale and motivation.

The gathering of business leaders and investors is a further illustration of the growing importance being given to the affect health and wellness has on business productivity. The Summit heard the latest trends in workplace health and wellbeing with stress being a major concern.

Wolf Kirsten, Co-Director of Global Centre for Healthy Workplaces said; “Stress and mental wellbeing is at the top of employer’s agenda on a global scale. It has a direct impact on the output and performance of business organisations. On a positive side, there is growing evidence that Chief Executives are taking it seriously and our Awards programme is designed to enable employers to share better practice in tackling such issues.”

American University’s health studies professor, Robert Karch said “The way people work is undergoing a rapid change. From technology to the design of the place of work is constantly evolving and will continue to do so. This Summit comes at a critical time in assessing these developments and what it means for health and wellbeing. It is a great honor to host this Summit and see from the very best programs the world has to offer.”

A selection of mobile social media photos taken over the two days (6th & 7th) at the World Bank and American University, Washington DC. Click here to viewa full selection of official photos will be made available next week.

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New Study Announced on Investors Assessment of Workplace Health

Roundtable Global Alliance for Healthy Workplaces, World Bank, Washington DC, 6th June

Washington DC played host to the most important gathering of employers around the world determined to put health and wellbeing at the top of the agenda for investors. The two day event of 100 business leaders representing over 40 countries is the 4th such gathering organised by the Global Centre for Healthy Workplaces in partnership with FIESC/SESI and the American University.

Held over two days, 6th and 7th June, the participants, meeting initially at a Global Alliance roundtable hosted by the World Bank prior to a wider gathering hosted at the American University, issued the ‘Washington Statement’ firmly placing the focus of workplace wellbeing on delivering improvements in productivity.

The Washington Statement said that a concrete outcome is that the hosts undertake to commission a study into the relevance and implications for investors of healthy workplace programs with the aim of presenting a report.

Co-director of the Global Centre of Healthy Workplaces, Tommy Hutchinson, said “Investors are increasingly raising employee health and wellbeing as an underlying factor in determining the performance of their businesses. We know for instance, from previous studies which we have conducted with Buck Consulting that stress is the number one concern raised by employers. What we now want to do is examine more closely how investors measure this and the value they put on health and wellbeing.”

The study will be led by Dr. Derek Yach, Chief Health Officer, Vitality. He said, “Leading policy makers and business leaders recognize the value of effective workplace health programs in addressing healthcare costs, workplace productivity and morale. This study will gain insights from influential groups like investors and asset managers that we believe will lead to increased support for workplace health programs in ways that have previously been successful in establishing stronger workplace environmental programs.”

FIESC’s President and Global Ambassador for Healthy Workplaces, Glauco José Côrte, added, “The Brazilian economy is going through a particularly difficult periods. We do not view health and wellbeing as a drag on productivity. On the contrary, a healthy workforce is absolutely vital in achieving sustained performance and growth”. For SESI’s Superintendent, Fabrizio Machado Pereira, “this is why we place such importance on sharing of information on best practice and raising the overall aspirations of all employers.”

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One comment on “World’s Top Healthy Workplaces and New Study on Investors Assessment of Workplace Health

  1. The winning programs underline how comprehensive and integrated approaches to workplace health (including occupational health, psychosocial risk management, wellness and the role of enterprises in communities) can lead to desired business outcomes, such as enhanced productivity, reduced absenteeism and improved employee morale and motivation.

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