Http://www.getmoving.tas.gov.au/hws/organisations/78/surveys/78

Survey Results for University of Tasmania - Workplaces make an important contribution to the Health promoting workplaces have policies and practices that ensure their workplace environment supports the uptake and maintenance of healthy behaviours around smoking, alcohol, nutrition, physical activity and emotional well-being. A healthy, happy and motivated workforce will have benefits for the employer and employees. Ideas for how to make your workplace healthier: Build organisational commitment to a health promoting workplace by engaging management and employees in the design and implementation of programs. Clarify the issues by researching the current situation in your workplace - the results from this survey are one vital step. Engaging employees in discussions that generate and build ideas will build support and ensure the relevance of the initiatives to the people and environment in your workplace. Plan a health and wellbeing program that builds on the gathered information and shared understandings with clear objectives about what you are trying to achieve. If the planning is done well then the programs and activities are much more likely to achieve these outcomes. Select actions that are based on what you have found out about your workplace, and that have been shown Check that the changes you have introduced are making the differences you were setting out to achieve. Use this new knowledge to make changes to your ongoing efforts to make the workplace healthier and happier. There are many resources to support management and staff in designing programs that have been shown to be effective in creating healthier work environments. One excellent example is the Premiers Physical Activity Council resource kit, Get Moving at Work. It is available from www.getmoving.tas.gov.au. http://www.getmoving.tas.gov.au/hws/organisations/78/surveys/78?survey[force]=true Supporting smokers to quit will have benefits for your workplace. On average, non-smokers have higher than average work performance, higher productivity, less Ideas for how to make your workplace healthier: Ideas for how to make your workplace healthier: As an employer you can make changes in the workplace environment to support non-smoking and quitting. Quitting is much easier if it is supported by the workplace environment, managers and co-workers.
All indoor and outdoor areas, including vehicles, should be smoke-free. There are legislative requirements for all indoor workplaces to be smoke-free, including vehicles when a non-smoker is in the Non-smokers and smokers should have access to the same number of breaks from their work. Smoke-areas mean non-smokers are not being exposed to passive smoke, and people attempting to quit are less likely to be tempted by other people’s smoking. Support smokers to make a smoking cessation plan, set a quit date and gather support from the people Quitline (phone 137848 and www.quittas.org.au can help individuals and organisations with information, support and coaching. Quit Tasmania conduct Fresh Start courses for workplaces (approx $88 per person). They can also supply Quit Packs and other resources for display in tearooms and other areas of the workplace. Some workplaces provide smokers with free or subsidised access to treatments that have been shown to increase quit rates, for example nicotine replacement therapies such as patches and prescribed medications such as bupropion (Zyban) or varenicline (Champix). Successful y quitting smoking can take many attempts, so ensure that your workplace culture supports people who keep on trying to quit, however many attempts it takes. http://www.getmoving.tas.gov.au/hws/organisations/78/surveys/78?survey[force]=true Workplaces have an important role in supporting staff Making healthy eating choices available at work will boost staff morale, job satisfaction and productivity. Healthy meal and snack breaks are a chance for staff to Ideas for how to make your workplace healthier: Workplaces provide a range of opportunities to encourge and support healthy eating. An excellent guide to help with making changes in workplaces is eatwell@work available at eatwell.tas.gov.au. Provide a separate and comfortable area for meal breaks, including a refrigerator and microwave, to encourage staff to bring healthy meals and snacks Replace unhealthy food in vending machines, snackboxes and fund raising activities with healthy and nutritious items. Use healthy catering guidelines for workplace canteens so that a range of healthier options including fruit and vegetables are more available and affordable than poor Use healthy catering guidelines for workplace meetings and other events. These guidelines will provide information about the use of healthier food options such as sandwiches and fruit instead of fried and other Talk to local food outlets about providing healthier http://www.getmoving.tas.gov.au/hws/organisations/78/surveys/78?survey[force]=true It is important for individual workers to maintain their hydration, particularly in workplaces where dehydration is more likely because of heat and/or physical exertion.
Drinking water throughout the day is the healthiest and cheapest way to maintain fluid intake. Ideas for how to make your workplace healthier: It is important to provide easy access to drinking waterin the workplace. Water is the healthiest way of maintaining hydration. It is freely available and avoids problems related to the high caffeine and high kilojoule intake which may be associated with coffee, tea, and many sugary drinks. Tap water is preferable as coolers are not fluoridated and can be a hygiene hazard. If you use beverage vending machines make sure they include water. http://www.getmoving.tas.gov.au/hws/organisations/78/surveys/78?survey[force]=true The pattern of alcohol consumption by your workforce affects workplace productivity, safety and performance as well as the health and wellbeing of the individual Harm is related to the amount and frequency of alcohol You can influence the alcohol consumption of staff by making changes in your workplace culture. Ideas for how to make your workplace healthier: Ideas for how to make your workplace healthier: Display information about safer drinking and the alcohol content of various drinks, along with information about where workers can get support and treatment if they are wanting to change their drinking patterns. Provide non-alcoholic drinks at work functions. Organise social and other team building functions that do not include alcohol – for example physical activity challenges. Support referral for medical and psychological interventions for workers identified with alcohol relatedproblems. http://www.getmoving.tas.gov.au/hws/organisations/78/surveys/78?survey[force]=true Workplace promotion of active living wil improve morale, job satisfaction and productivity. Physcial activity is very effective in reducing the effects of Ideas for how to make your workplace healthier: Workplaces provide a range of opportunities to encourge and support healthy and active lifestyles. Bike racks, showers and changing facilities promote Clean, safe and accessible stairwells encourage the use of stairs by individual workers and as part of workplace Group activities and events such as walking programs, fit ball classes, aerobics, Tai Chi, dance classes, sports teams and fun days increase physical activity and Stretching breaks can be promoted by the use of paid or volunteer leaders or embedding computer based Flexible work hours that support work/life balance can make it easier for people to include physical activities into their daily life. http://www.getmoving.tas.gov.au/hws/organisations/78/surveys/78?survey[force]=true Good emotional and psychological health enhances the ability of people to enjoy life and to effectively deal Work related stress can be a cause of ill-health, lack of commitment to work, poorer work performance and higher staff turnover levels. It could also affect the image and reputation of your organisation. Ideas for how to make your workplace healthier: These survey results are one step in finding out about the psychological well-being of your workforce. Examining sick leave and staff turnover and talking with key people in the workplace will provide more Promoting discussion in the workplace will increase understanding of the causes of stress in the workplace and help to identify ways to make improvements. Addressing bullying behaviour will improve workplace stress. Many workplaces provide access to counselling support for their employees. Work is a significant part of many people's lives and their wellbeing will benefit from being part of an organisational culture that promotes a balance betweenwork and personal relationships, family, friends, recreation and personal health. Supporting employees to eat well and be physically active will help them maximise their health and wellbeing. Disclaimer: The content displayed on these pages is for information and educational purposes only. It does not replace, nor should it be considered an alternative to, a medical consultation. It is provided with the understanding that the Crown in Right of Tasmania represented by the Department of Economic Development and Tourism and the Premiers Physical Activity Council or it's contributors are not engaged in offering medical services or advice. In case of illness or injury, individuals should consult their own doctor or health professional. http://www.getmoving.tas.gov.au/hws/organisations/78/surveys/78?survey[force]=true

Source: http://www.activelaunceston.com.au/files/Health%20and%20Wellbeing%20online%20survey%20results%20UTAS%2009.pdf