ACT Healthy Workers Program
Commonwealth Safety Management Forum
22 February 2012
Merryn Hare
Director, Health Promotion Branch
Population Health Division
ACT Government Health Directorate
Presentation will cover
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Origins of workplace health promotion
Best practice workplace health promotion
Benefits of workplace health
Policy context for ACT program
ACT formative work
Available programs and future directions
Call for feedback from Forum participants
Why healthy workplaces?
• Workplaces are recognised nationally and
internationally (WHO) as an important setting
to address the rising levels of chronic disease
• Approximately one third of adult life is spent at
work
• Employers can influence behaviour by
providing a supportive environment to improve
healthy lifestyle behaviours
Key elements of best practice
workplace health promotion
Leadership
• Promote active leadership of senior management
in health and wellbeing initiatives
Culture
• Align health and wellbeing goals with business
strategy and OH&S
• Create a supportive environment and culture
focused on health and wellbeing
Key elements of best practice cont.
People
• Target interventions based on unique characteristics
of employee population
• Offer incentives to encourage participation and better
outcomes
• Use targeted and ongoing mass communication
Process
• Establish an evaluation and monitoring program to
measure change, outcomes and financial impact
• Collaborate with external parties through public-private
partnerships
Benefits to employers of investing in
workplace health
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Increased productivity
Increased staff morale, job satisfaction,
motivation
Decreased workplace stress
Reduced sick leave and absenteeism
Increased ability to attract/retain employees
Improved corporate citizenship and image
Fewer workers compensation claims
Decreased insurance premiums
Walking at lunchtime
Policy context
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Govt push to reduce chronic disease risk
factors through workplaces
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ACT Healthy Future – Preventative Health
Program (workplace health $: 2009-12)
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COAG NPA on Preventive Health (NPAPH)
(HW initiative $: 2011-2015)
Overarching program directions and
objectives
Aim: to reduce the risk of chronic disease for individuals
of working age currently in paid employment in the ACT,
by supporting positive healthy lifestyle behaviour change
through the workplace setting, including:
• increasing physical activity levels;
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healthier eating behaviours;
smoking reduction/cessation;
reduction of harmful alcohol consumption;
maintenance of healthy weight; and
improved stress management.
Healthy taste tests
ACT HW program development
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Stakeholder workshop – Nov 2009
Established Advisory Group – Feb 2010
Workplace Health Promotion Needs
Analysis (PwC) – completed Feb 2011
E-newsletter to keep stakeholders informed
ACT Healthy@Work Pilot in five sites – Sept
2010 to Oct 2011 +18 month evaluation
Capacity building grants for providers – 9
successful organisations
Needs analysis – ACT workforce
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Approx 220,500 workers in the ACT
employed by over 11,000 employers
58% of ACT workers employed by large
organisations (>200 workers), compared to
21% nationally.
41% of ACT workers employed in the public
sector, compared to 14% nationally
http://health.act.gov.au/health-services/populationhealth/health-promotion-branch/healthy-workers/
ACT workforce cont.
 31% of ACT employers classified in the
Property & Business Services industry,
compared to 20% nationally
 47% of ACT workers in white collar
occupations, compared to 34% nationally
 18% of ACT workers in blue collar
occupations, compared to 32% nationally
ACT worker lifestyle risk factors
 56% overweight/obese (compared to 60%
nationally)
 93% inadequate veg consumption (92% nat)
 48% inadequate fruit consumption (51% nat)
 65% inadequate physical activity (70% nat)
ACT worker lifestyle risk factors
 20% smokers (22% nat)
 48% consume alcohol on a single occasion at
harmful levels (compared to 47% nationally)
 32% report moderate to high levels of
psychological distress (31% nat)
Blue collar lifestyle risk factors
Of blue collar ACT workers:
 43% smoke (20% ACT)
 58% have inadequate fruit intake (48% ACT)
 34% have a lifetime risk for alcohol (23% ACT)
 84% report at least 2 unhealthy behaviours
(70% ACT)
Targeting specific health and
wellbeing needs in the ACT
 large public sector workforce
 small and medium enterprise employers –
equitable approach
 workforce segments – blue collar workers
poor risk profile + almost half are white collar
 modifiable lifestyle risk factors – high
prevalence
ACT Healthy@Work Pilot
13 month pilot in five diverse ACT workplaces.
Strategies to address:
 individual lifestyle and behavioural
factors of employees
 workplace capacity and
readiness to be health promoting environments.
Tools for use in workplaces have also been tested
e.g. employee survey and audit tool.
Implementation phase completed in October 2011
Pilot evaluation
Process evaluation report (Dec 2011) – findings:
 Employees feel employers care more about
their health and wellbeing – 76%, up from 52%
 Increases in health knowledge, with some
reported behaviour change
 Management identified benefits to work
cultures, with expected reduced staff turnover
Early outcomes evaluation report due late March
HW Implementation Plan - general
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Workplace Health Support and Facilitation
Service – WorkSafe ACT
Supporting resources: website, guides,
tools, policy templates – for all workplaces
Training for workplace health coordinators
(Comcare)
Mentoring/leadership program
Financial incentives/
support for high risk workplaces
Active travel
HW Implementation Plan cont.
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Social Marketing
Engagement strategy for ACT public sector
ACT public sector policy work
Service Evaluation
Health of the ACT Survey – additional
questions on workplace health
Achieve a work/life balance
National soft infrastructure
 Joint Statement of Commitment - Promoting
Good Health at Work
 Healthy Workers Quality Framework
- Principles for Promoting Good Health at Work
- Healthy Lifestyle Provider Registration
- Healthy Lifestyle Program Registration
 Healthy Workers web portal
 National Awards Program
Useful links and apps
• Swap It: http://swapit.gov.au/resources/downloads
• iPhone app that rates nearly 20,000 supermarket items
with red, orange or green ratings for their fat, sugar and
salt content: http://www.smh.com.au/digitallife/smartphone-apps/phone-app-gives-consumers-greenlight-on-food-buys-20120117-1q4sy.html#ixzz1jmeZYb9n
• NHS website for couch to 5k:
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/couch-to-5k.aspx
• ACT Workplace Health and Wellbeing e-newsletter:
http://health.act.gov.au/health-services/populationhealth/health-promotion-branch/healthy-workers/
Your feedback
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Who is doing what?
How are programs informed?
Any innovative approaches?
Challenges/barriers?
Data collection?
Interest in sharing learnings?
Interest in joining WorkSafe ACT network?
Mentoring? Case studies?
Thank you
Questions?
merryn.hare@act.gov.au
02 6205 1107