27 BACK TO NAVIGATION 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Health checks Ergonomics Flu vaccinations Work based physical fitness Gym memberships and classes Internal wellness activities Sporting events Massages Health, skin & eye checks Inhouse fitness & welness info 2018 AusLSA Member Performance Overall the commitment to providing support for physical fitness and wellbeing initiatives was widespread and included a variety of different approaches to programs and initiatives. Ninety percent of firms reported having an active physical wellbeing policy or strategy. All members had allocated the responsibility to implement their policy to director or manager within the firm even those without a policy in place. In forty-one percent of firms this was a Partner and in seventy-two percent of firms a manager or director also played a role in the management or delivery of the programs. Just under half of all firms also involved workplace based committees to help build a broader participation and ownership in their program implementation. Firms tended to implement initiatives that focussed on preventative health by educating staff, providing health screenings or to improving health and fitness to increase resilience. The most common physical wellness initiative was from specific ergonomic equipment, assessments and training with all respondents providing them. Firms also provided some medical support including flu shots being provided by all but two firms and health checks being provided by eighty percent of firms. Workplace physical fitness programs including gym memberships, mat style and HIIT classes were also popular, being provided by ninety percent of firms. Challenges and Opportunities The promotion of positive, healthy lifestyles and initiatives which both encourage and support these lifestyles are recognised as fundamental to reducing a range of chronic health conditions as well as making people generally more happy and productive. The role of prevention of and the early recognition and treatment of illnesses is key to reducing disease and injury and needs greater appreciation. To address major health concerns, we must increasingly focus on the underlying causes - both within the workplace and outside. While the benefits of improving the health of a workforce are generally undisputed, established measurement methodologies to qualify these benefits are rare. This lack of management information can limit the ability to account for typical ROI based decisions and lead to work place opportunities to improve physical well-being going unfunded and the benefits being unrealised. In the short term senior leaders need to increase their understanding of overall relationships between health and productivity and costs so they can provide the necessary leadershipship. In the medium term however the ongoing and sustainable investment relies on a commitment to measurement of program impacts and the setting of objectives and targets around these metrics. Some of the accepted strategies to promote and increase participation in health and wellbeing initiatives include: • providing sufficient time away from work duties to allow participation • building interest by effectively promoting the benefits and opportunities that the programs offer • defining purpose, create and communicate clearly defined goals • committing program funding to allow for higher quality and impact initiatives • demonstrating commitment and leadership though the participation and support of leaders throughout the organisation. INITIATIVES Number of firms