A new workplace initiative is being launched to get civil servants more active.
Irish Health Minister Leo Varadkar has announced a new initiative to get public sector workers healthier.
The public sector employs hundreds of thousands of people, so Varadkar says that tackling sickness and absenteeism is common sense.
It’s well established that a healthy workforce is a happier one with low levels of sick leave and greater productivity.
So this approach makes pure business sense too for the public and private sectors. We are putting this on a statutory basis to send a clear message that we mean business in improving the nation’s health.
Under the scheme, employers across the public sector will develop “healthy workplace” policies to support the health and well-being of their employees.
The proposed Health and Wellbeing (Workplace Wellbeing) Bill signed off at cabinet recently will require public service employers to develop a ‘healthy workplace’ policy to promote the physical, mental and social wellbeing of employees.
The measures will be voluntary and each workplace will be able to come up with their own initiatives.
These could include travel programmes, exercise clubs or smoking cessation programmes.
Many private companies have similar schemes, but Varadkar says they can still play a big part in the health of the nation.
We want to learn from them about what has worked. There will also be opportunities for companies which haven’t developed their own policies just yet. That’s why we are setting up new ways to engage with both public and private sector employers to promote healthy workplaces.
Petaurum Solutions Comment
A really interesting development and one that supports the view in both the public and private sectors alike that providing a well designed wellbeing strategy is an investment in performance rather than a cost to the business. At Petaurum Solutions all our employee benefits are focussed on supporting employees wellbeing, be it Physical, Mental or Financial. We partner with best in class providers to ensure all our products meet any required guidelines and are managed correctly to deliver the right outcomes for you. Why do we do this? To allow you, the employer, to put in place a range of strategies and interventions without the fear of breaching any codes of ethics or rules as the report above eludes to and to support you in providing additional support for your employees.
If you would like to know more about unlocking your employees’ performance through focussing on their wellbeing, contact us we would love to speak to you.
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