004. August 2021

THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTH AT WORK ACCORDING TO THE EUROPEAN UNION

Becoming a healthy company is much more than a fad for employers who want to improve their business image. Workplace health promotion (WHP) is a concept that involves the participation not only of the company and management but also of the employees, the authorities and society in general.

Through health promotion in the workplace, occupational health and safety measures are extended to the well-being of employees in their workplace. Workplace health and wellness promotion programmes focus on achieving healthy companies by promoting healthy eating and exercise. In addition, they are complemented by other measures such as the prevention of stress, violence, alcohol and drug abuse, among others.

The benefits of investing in HST to become a healthy company reach both the worker and the employer. Consequently, they reach the whole of society. Such is the importance of health at work that the National Institute for Safety, Health and Welfare at Work, which is part of the Ministry of Employment and Social Security, has launched the “Healthy Companies” project to recognise the efforts of companies to improve the health and welfare of their workers through the Healthy Company Certificate.

The Healthy Company Certificate implies, in addition to legal compliance in occupational risk prevention, that the company maintains a comprehensive approach to everything related to the management of workers’ health. Therefore, health promotion at work is based on actions in which employees and employers are involved voluntarily.

WHAT IS ACHIEVED BY BEING A HEALTHY COMPANY?

As we have already said, health promotion in the workplace benefits employers and employees in equal parts. Healthy companies gain many advantages:

• Improving the health of workers reduces sick leave due to illness or accident,
• It reduces absenteeism and increases productivity,
• A good working environment promotes employee motivation and participation,
• Reduced staff turnover,
• It is easier to retain talent,
• It improves the company’s corporate image in the eyes of society,
• Lower health and insurance costs,
• Improved quality of life for citizens in general.

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work recommends that before implementing a health promotion programme in the workplace, occupational risks should be managed, and an environmentally healthy workplace should be created. Moreover, employees should be actively involved in the programmes. In order to get the employee to improve their lifestyle, the recommendation is to encourage as much as possible without forcing. Understanding that this is in their interest is the key to a successful programme.