Case Study of a Healthy Workplace Initiative

With increasing demands of modern life reducing society’s standards of health and wellbeing, individuals have fallen victim to competing demands at work and home. This lifestyle has subsequently resulted in profound detrimental effects on health and wellbeing at individual, workplace and community levels. This direct effect has been reflected through workplace injury and disease, estimated at over 7 billion dollars per year in Australia (LaMontagne et al., 2006). A study aimed at identifying the health profile of Australian workers (Medibank Private and Econtech, 2005) has revealed that 62% of Australian workers are overweight, 50% are totally inactive and almost half have poor diets. Additionally, over half the Australian workforce is overwhelmed and stressed, and 56% are in a medium to high risk range for factors associated with smoking and excessive drinking.