The Business of Health

Any successful business or business owner will tell you this… If it wasn’t for people then there would be no such thing as a business. This is essential when you think of it; no matter what industry you may work in, it is imperative to realise that people are needed to drive any business. This is from both points of view, that of the customer; the willing participant to spend their hard-earned cash on your product or service and that of the employee.

So; what’s my point? Well, let’s face facts and admit that businesses are there to make money. That’s pretty black and white as far as I can see it. However, the well-being of employees is something that is often overlooked and can eventually result in bad business practices that can eventually filter down to your customers.

If you look at one of the world’s biggest companies such as Google for example; when you look at their offices you can see that they care about their employees and have made an environment that helps their employees enjoy their jobs more. Then there is the PR angle from this; it looks like an aspirational place to work and employees seem to enjoy their jobs at such a company.

Health is a vitally important when it comes to your employees; as all great leaders know, respect works both ways. This also factors in an issue of trust. Even the best employee who is ill and feels like they are expected to return to work without a full recovery can come back to work in a different state of mind, and feel like they were not personally cared for. This is as well as emotional well-being too, companies should consider outside factors too such as emotional distress, psychological issues and bereavement.

This is as well as taking into consideration changes in circumstances. What happens if there is an illness due to work? What if it is something more serious and could end up in a permanent disability due to things such as an accident or medical negligence? These are real things that need to be taken into consideration and could happen to anyone including a business owner.

Now I am not for one minute talking about the office or shift worker who constantly phones in sick with feeble excuses on a regular basis only to be seen on Facebook under a heavy influence of alcohol with their arms around their friends. I’m talking about genuine illness and making sure that as a workforce if someone is genuinely ill that they are treated with the respect they deserve and given ample time to recover so when they come back to work then can feel like nothing has changed since they left and they are welcomed back as a valued member of the team.

The benefits are endless, if a worker is comfortable and healthy their position then this will increase in productivity resulting in better results for the company, and ultimately the clients or shareholders who are investing money in what is on offer from the business.

Again, from an outsider’s point of view and PR perspective, if a business is showing that they care about their staff and colleagues then a great company culture is created and can be seen as a caring company that people will want to get involved with. This is both customer and staff alike.

Employers who don’t take an interest in their employee’s heath run the risk of creating workplace with a lackadaisical attitude towards both work and resulting in poor job satisfaction. By making sure that staff can take of time when needed, you can actually reduce the amount of absent time that staff can take. A good HR or Health and Safety department usually address these issues to make sure you’re happy in your job ensuring in increased productivity and a more engaged workforce.

via Business 2 Community http://www.business2community.com/health-wellness/business-health-0598691?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=business-health