13/10/2015 | Prevention

Hard at work in the fight against cancer

a close-up of worried looking office worker scratching the back of his head

When we think of the reasons for employee absenteeism, we often think of back pain, wrist strain or stress leave. Yet while musculoskeletal (MSK) and anxiety-related conditions account for a significant proportion of absences, we tend to forget the heavy toll that cancer takes on the workplace.

According to the New Zealand government, work-related diseases are responsible for an estimated 516 to 804 lives lost per year and as many as 20,000 new disease occurrences. Of these, work-related cancer plays a considerable role[i]. In addition, cancer carries a significant economic burden with far-reaching implications. One UK estimate puts yearly cancer costs at £5.5 billion in lost productivity due to the time off needed for both patients and their caregivers[ii]. Moreover, new findings[iii] reveal that nearly one third of employee long-term illness claims in the UK over a one-year period between August 2014 and July 2015 were due Read more
19/05/2015 | Health care plans

Unlocking the power of employee communication

people sitting around image of unlocked padlock, symbolizing employee communication

The right combination of employee benefits can help to recruit and retain staff, proactively manage the costs of running a scheme and help reduce absence rates. It can also position a company as a caring employer with a strong emphasis on employee wellbeing and make the workplace a more desirable, enjoyable environment to be in.

by Dave Marcus, Key Client Manager at Best Doctors UK While some staff benefits are more tangible, such as a gym or restaurant, others are less so. For example, an employee assistance programme (EAP) can help staff with financial, legal and health concerns and can be accessed via the phone or even through face-to-face counselling. An EAP is a fantastic benefit but if staff don’t know that it exists or how to access it out of working hours, how can it reach its full potential? It is often these less obvious benefits that actually provide the most value to both the Read more
17/03/2015 | Uncategorized @nz

A healthy approach to absenteeism

Workplace absenteeism has important consequences for a company. In this week’s post we examine the issue and its solutions from both an employee and an employer perspective.

Sick days cost New Zealand businesses $1.26 billion per year[i] and employee absenteeism has important consequences that extend far beyond the financial impact. At company level, chronic or accumulated absenteeism can lead to decreased productivity and performance, as well as increased stress and overwork for co-workers or managers coping with the resulting backlog of work. This in turn can contribute to low company morale and strained employee relations. Yet when it comes to addressing absenteeism responsibility lies as much with the employer as it does with the employee. Turning to social media and technology With such important consequences for their company and employees, Read more