AEN SA Inc. is leading the change agenda across the group training sector to create an environment and culture that promotes healthy lifestyle behaviours. Our goal is to build “healthy group training organisations, healthy apprentices and healthy host businesses”.
AEN SA was funded to roll out the SA Health Healthy Workers Healthy Futures Initiative from 2015 – 2018. During this time, our Members became more aware of how to support and improve apprentice health and wellbeing and how to help the business where apprentices are hosted. This webpage provides key information, resources, links and case studies of the initiative. If you have further questions please contact the office on 8346 2227.
Healthy Workers = Healthy Business
Healthy employees are more productive, take fewer sick days and enjoy work just to name a few of the benefits. Help your business and your employees be healthier and happier – start developing a workplace wellbeing program today.
The Healthy Workers Healthy Futures Initiative encourages all workplaces to create working environments that support employees to:
- increase physical activity and reduce sitting time
- improve nutrition
- decrease rates of smoking
- reduce harmful alcohol consumption.
AEN SA Inc. is leading the change agenda across the group training sector to create an environment and culture that promotes healthy lifestyle behaviors. Our goal is to build “healthy group training organisations, healthy apprentices and healthy host businesses”.
Workplace Health & Wellbeing Topics
Healthy eating in the workplace
What we eat will often play a major role in our health, our mood, and our ability to work and play. Good eating can improve our ability to maintain energy and concentration while at work, but what we at also has an impact on our long-term health.
Click here for ideas about how to improve healthy eating in the workplace.
Quick Link Resources
- Maintain a Healthy Weight in the Healthy Workers Healthy Futures Toolkit
- What to do and where to find support
- Healthy Eating: SA Health
- Eat for Health: Australian Government
- Eat Well: Australian Government Healthy Workers Portal
- Healthy Eating Local Polices and Programs: Flinders University
- Nutrition poster for print
- Nutrition DL brochure for print
Alcohol consumption in the workplace
While alcohol often plays a big part in our culture, our celebrations and our entertaining, it can also have a variety of negative effects costing the Australian economy $6 billion annually. While it is an individuals decision to drink alcohol, its misuse can sometimes be linked back to the workplace and work practices. Workplaces can take a proactive approach to promoting healthy attitudes towards responsible alcohol consumption.
Click here for ideas about how to address alcohol in the workplace.
Quick Link Resources
Mental health and wellbeing in the workplace
Our mental health impacts our over wellbeing and quality of life. Mental health conditions cost Australian employers $10.9 billion each yer through absenteeism, reduced productivity and compensation claims. It is estimated that one in every seven workdays lost to mental health is related to work issues such as stress in the workplace. Workplaces can develop supportive work environments to make it easier for employees to resist stress, develop resilience, encourage help seeking behavior and create a mentally healthy workplace.
Click here for ideas about how to improve mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.
Quick Link Resources
Men's health in the workplace
Each year in Australia more than 4 men die every hour from conditions that are potentially preventable. At all ages men experience higher death rates than women for cancers, diabetes mellitus and diseases of the circulatory system, 74% of alcohol related deaths occur in men and more than two thirds of Australian men are overweight or obese. Men are less likely to seek help and have limited opportunities to get help through male-focused services and programs.
Men’s core identity is often closely associated with their job, so work and work relationships play a very important role in the lives for working men. The workplace is an ideal place to raise awareness of specific men’s health issues and to provide encouragement to look after themselves and their mates.
Men’s Health Checks
Men’s health is important and every decade is different. Foundation 49: Men’s Health focuses on promoting good health and wellbeing with a primary focus on prevention, early detection and by encouraging regular health checks. Visit Foundation 49
When was your last service? Knowing when to have your car checked is no different than keeping your body in peak condition. Spanner in the Works is a very male friendly website developed by Australian Men’s Shed that provides links to discover more about men’s health and wellbeing. Get your tune up here
Mens Mental Health
On average 1 in 8 men with have depression and 1 in 5 men will experience anxiety at some stage of their lives and men are less likely to talk about it. This increases the risk of depression or anxiety going unrecognised and untreated. Depression is a high risk k factor for suicide and in Australia 80% of suicides are by men – with an average of 5 men taking their lives every single day. Visit Beyondblue for men and get some man therapy.
Men’s Line Australia
Support for Australian men anywhere, anytime. Not only is there great information on the website but this service offers online counselling, video counselling and telephone support 24/7. It covers relationships, emotional wellbeing, self care toolkit and you can even request a call back. Visit Men’s Line Australia or call 1300789978
Quick Link Resources
Physical activity and sitting time in the workplace
It’s good to be active for our physical, social and mental wellbeing. The problem is only 47% of South Australians meet the recommended activity levels of 30 minutes or moderate exercise most days. What’s more, we’re also sitting for longer which is also bad for our health, irrespective of how much exercise a person does. There are many things workplaces can do to help their staff move more and sit less.
Click here for ideas about how to improve physical activity and reduce sitting time in the workplace.
Quick Link Resources
Smoking in the workplace
Tobacco smoking is the single greatest cause of preventable death in Australia. 17.5% of South Australians continue to smoke tobacco. There is no safe level of smoking and passively inhaling tobacco smoke can cause additional damage. Workplaces can inadvertently either make smoking easy or quitting more difficult, though their polices and practices. Creating a smoke free workplace is about proving a supportive environment in which employees can maximize their health and wellbeing.
Click Here for ideas about how to address smoking in the workplace.
Quick Link Resources
Workplace Health & Wellbeing Toolkit
The Healthy Workers Healthy Futures Toolkit is a step by step resource guide to help your workplace (small or large) in planning and putting into action a health and wellbeing program. The toolkit contains practical and straightforward information, templates and resources to get you on your way.
Click here to download the toolkit.
It breaks the process into four steps:
Health Bites
Download the Health Bites Fact Sheets (PDF) in a range of topics