Work health business case template

How to use this template

1. Read step one of the Work Health Planning Guide: Management commitment.2. Enter information from the Work Health Scanning Tool into this business case

template as indicated.3. Present your business case to senior management for endorsement.

Note: This template can be branded, changed or manipulated to cater for the individual needs of your workplace.

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Work health business caseWorkplace <<Insert workplace name>>

Date <<Insert date>>

PurposeThis business case identifies the potential benefits of addressing workplace health and wellbeing within our workplace. It outlines proposed recommendations to establish an effective workplace wellness program.

Key drivers Enter information from the ‘key drivers’ section of your Work Health Scan, along

with any other supporting evidence, to outline how a workplace wellness program will align with your workplace’s key drivers.

Use information from the ‘workforce characteristics’ section of the Work Health Scan to identify factors within the demographic profile of workers in your workplace that may influence health and wellbeing - e.g. % of males; % of older workers.

Insert any relevant facts and figures about the health risks of workers in your workplace. This might include health information collected in health risk appraisals, worker surveys, focus groups, and/or HR reports. If this information is not available, the WHSQ website has health profiles for a number of industries.

Provide an overview of the expected benefits to the workplace that may be achieved by improving health and wellbeing.

Example:Chronic diseases have been identified as a major cause of lost work time in the working population, often leading to disability or early retirement.

Common risk factors that contribute to chronic disease include smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, poor nutrition, physical inactivity, obesity, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.

The workplace can be an effective setting for targeting these risk factors and preventing chronic disease. A comprehensive workplace wellness program focuses on:

Healthy People: encouraging workers to adopt health lifestyles (e.g. education, awareness and activities)

Healthy Places: creating a healthy, supportive workplace environment (e.g. facilities, policies and culture)

Recent research has shown a range of benefits and cost savings resulting from workplace wellness initiatives, including:

Lower absenteeism: Workers engaging in unhealthy lifestyle behaviours took 18 days annual sick leave compared with two days annual sick leave for those workers with healthier lifestyles.

Greater productivity: Healthy employees are three times more productive than their unhealthy counterparts.

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Reduced musculoskeletal injuries: Managing work-related stressors can lead to a lower likelihood of injury to certain areas of the body.

Better worker engagement: Workplaces focusing on worker health have found workers to be five times more likely to be engaged.

Lower staff turnover: Workplaces that actively promote health and wellbeing can be four times less likely to lose experienced staff within the next year.

Return-on-investment: Comprehensive programs have been shown to lead to an estimated saving of $5.81 for every $1 invested by a workplace.

An effective workplace wellness program should be viewed as a long-term investment and it is important to be realistic about the expected timeframes to realise these benefits:

Within a few months: Within one to two years: Within three to five years:

improved worker engagement

improved team cohesiveness

improve health behaviours of workers.

improved health status of workers

corporate image/social responsibility

improved productivity

indirect cost savings (job satisfaction, skills retention).

reduced absenteeism

reduced workplace injuries

reduced workers’ compensation costs.

Relationship to organisational vision and strategy Provide an overview of how addressing worker health and wellbeing relates to the

vision, mission, business plan, policies or other strategic priorities of the workplace.

Use information from the ‘relationship to the workplace’s vision and strategy’ section of the Work Health Scan.

Example:This workplace has clearly outlined its commitment to workplace health and wellbeing in the 5-year Strategic Plan. A key priority of the Strategic Plan is to “Support our workforce” through a range of activities, including the maintenance of a working environment that promotes the health and wellbeing of all staff.

Furthermore, the Workplace Health, Safety and Wellbeing Policy outlines responsibilities across different levels of the workplace to proactively manage health and safety, promote optimal wellbeing, and contribute to workforce productivity.

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Recommendations Use the Work Health Planning Guide and data collected in the Work Health Scan,

to identify the next steps required to implement an effective workplace wellness program.

Outline these steps as recommendations in the section below to present to management for their endorsement.

Example:It is recommended that the senior management team endorse the proposed approach below, which identifies the key steps required to implement an effective wellness program within the workplace:

The Human Resources Branch/Occupational Health and Safety Branch will:

1. identify and consult with key stakeholders2. determine existing resources and/or identify potential resources required3. assess the needs and interests of workers4. conduct an audit of how the work environment (e.g. policies, facilities)

supports health and wellbeing, and identify potential opportunities5. develop an action plan based on workplace priorities and worker needs

and interests6. present the proposed action plan for management endorsement.

Proposed by: Endorsed by:

Signature:

Date:

Name:

Position:

Signature:

Date:

Name:

Position:

© Queensland Government 2015

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