Workplace Wellness Programs Discussed at World Health Assembly
The 61st annual World Health Assembly is taking place this week in Geneva, Switzerland and at this assembly; the World Health Organization (WHO) is presenting its report titled “Preventing Non-communicable Diseases (NCD) in the Workplace through Diet and Physical Activity.”
The report calls for Workplace Wellness Programs to be promoted and implemented worldwide.
Importance of Workplace Wellness Programs
The report states that Non-Communicable Disease related deaths have surpassed transferable disease related deaths and have become the leading global killers. Examples of Non-Communicable Disease’s are heart disease, diabetes and stroke. In 2005, 60% of worldwide projected deaths were caused by non-communicable diseases. They are predicting that this health trend will continue through at least 2030.
Diet, caloric intake, lack of physical activity and tobacco use are the major risk factors in the cause of Non-Communicable Disease’s. Now more than ever, the understanding of the importance of health and wellness is crucial.
Workplace Wellness Programs are Effective Tools
The report states that Workplace Wellness Programs are found to be effective in improving health-related risk factors, such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes. The report also states that Workplace Wellness Programs will enhance the health of staff members, enhance the organization image, enhance worker morale, reduce worker absences and sick leave, increase worker productivity, and reduce organization medical care expenses.
Workplace Wellness Programs Monitoring
Finally, the report mentions that to have a successful Workplace Wellness Program, monitoring and evaluation through Health Risk Assessments / Health Risk Appraisals and health outcomes are critical and should be included in the Workplace Wellness Program implementation. The evaluations ensure that the Workplace Wellness Program developed meets the proper needs of the staff members. Workers should be reevaluated on an on-going basis to make sure the Workplace Wellness Program is still working, or to see if there are any adjustments that need to be made.
