Corporate Wellness
MENTAL health has overtaken physical injury as the cause of the longest absences from work.
About 55 per cent of people who suffer stress or other mental conditions on the job are taking five or more sick days off in a row, figures from the Bureau of Statistics' publication Australian Social Trends, June 2011 show.
Safe Work Australia paints a more drastic picture, with figures showing that workers with a job-related mental disorder take an average of 10.8 weeks off a year.
Health experts say workplace bullying and harassment, as well as heavy workloads, are behind the rise in stress claims and the drain on productivity.
The surge in the number of employees taking time off for mental health disorders and filing stress claims is one of the greatest workplace crises facing the nation, stress expert Professor Maureen Dollard said.
Professor Dollard, director of the Centre for Applied Psychological Research at the University of South Australia, said a study by the centre - to be released this year - shows that workers with mild levels of depression take twice as many sick days off as their colleagues. The study of 3000 workers found about 20 per cent suffered mild levels of depression.
Employees were under pressure from the ''relentless drive'' towards productivity increases, Professor Dollard said.
''It's all about the quantity of work, rather than the quality of it.
''It's taking its toll. It's dehumanising. Managers are after short-term productivity gains and don't really value the worker any more.''
Reprinted from the Age Newspaper July 31, 2011 - Jim O'Rourke
About 55 per cent of people who suffer stress or other mental conditions on the job are taking five or more sick days off in a row, figures from the Bureau of Statistics' publication Australian Social Trends, June 2011 show.
Safe Work Australia paints a more drastic picture, with figures showing that workers with a job-related mental disorder take an average of 10.8 weeks off a year.
Health experts say workplace bullying and harassment, as well as heavy workloads, are behind the rise in stress claims and the drain on productivity.
The surge in the number of employees taking time off for mental health disorders and filing stress claims is one of the greatest workplace crises facing the nation, stress expert Professor Maureen Dollard said.
Professor Dollard, director of the Centre for Applied Psychological Research at the University of South Australia, said a study by the centre - to be released this year - shows that workers with mild levels of depression take twice as many sick days off as their colleagues. The study of 3000 workers found about 20 per cent suffered mild levels of depression.
Employees were under pressure from the ''relentless drive'' towards productivity increases, Professor Dollard said.
''It's all about the quantity of work, rather than the quality of it.
''It's taking its toll. It's dehumanising. Managers are after short-term productivity gains and don't really value the worker any more.''
Reprinted from the Age Newspaper July 31, 2011 - Jim O'Rourke
4th Annual Corporate Wellness Conference
The theme of this year’s conference is "Creating a Healthy Culture through innovative Engagement Methods.” The biggest challenge facing employers and health plans is not just getting employees to believe in their employers wellness program, but in getting employee’s actively “engaged” in their health and wellness. Our focus will be on best practices and case studies of innovative and successful “engagement” methods and activities that employers are using to get employees actively participating and taking charge of their health.
This year our event is co-located with the Employer Healthcare Congress, one of the largest Employee Benefits and Healthcare events in the world and it is taking place Beachfront only a few miles away from Miami’s famous South Beach and Fort Lauderdale Beach. Step out of sessions or the exhibition hall and take a walk on the beach…
Click here to visit the site for more information
This year our event is co-located with the Employer Healthcare Congress, one of the largest Employee Benefits and Healthcare events in the world and it is taking place Beachfront only a few miles away from Miami’s famous South Beach and Fort Lauderdale Beach. Step out of sessions or the exhibition hall and take a walk on the beach…
Click here to visit the site for more information
