Workplace Key To Improving Health - Poots

The workplace is a key environment in which to encourage healthy attitudes and habits within the Northern Ireland populace, according to Health Minister Edwin Poots.

Minister Poots made the comments as he addressed the Business in the Community Annual Conference at the Island Civic Centre in Lisburn, County Antrim.

He said: "Research evidence has demonstrated that work is generally good for both physical and mental health and wellbeing. However, if the work is not healthy, safe or if it does not offer the individual some influence over how work is done and a sense of self-worth, it can lead to ill-health and absenteeism.

"This can be detrimental to the business community as a whole, especially in this tough economic climate.

"For many of us, the workplace is where we spend much of our waking adult life. The geography, the people and indeed the work itself, can all have a huge impact - both positive and negative - on our physical and mental health and wellbeing.

"In turn, this can have an impact on our home life, family and eventually our demands on the health service."

The Minister referred to a 2011 report by PricewaterhouseCoopers which showed that absenteeism is costing British businesses up to £32bn every year.

It also showed UK workers annually have an average of 10 days unscheduled absence, which was around twice that of employees in the US and Asia-Pacific region.

Minister Poots continued: "It is therefore important to highlight that although much headway has been made by businesses in tackling poor mental health, obesity in the workplace and the impact of good health on the economy, more needs to be done."

Northern Ireland’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Michael McBride, added: "There is much to be done to improve the health of our people and I am confident that our workplaces will continue to help address many of our preventable health risks such as obesity, with as many as 2 in 3 adults obese or overweight, smoking - currently 25% of our population smoke, the ongoing issue of binge drinking and the 2% of our young people who drink every day."

(IT)