Tag: absenteeism

As winter approaches, many businesses face a familiar challenge. Colds, flu and other respiratory infections increase among employees during this period. These illnesses spread easily in shared indoor spaces. As a result, businesses experience more sick days, disrupted operations and reduced productivity. This situation also places additional strain on already stretched teams. This absenteeism costs South African businesses billions annually.

In business, figurative sticks and stones may break no bones. Yet, a few kind words can make a big difference. Profit is the lifeblood of business, and influencing employee behaviour is central to profitability. However, not all profitable behaviour change is positive.

World Day for Safety and Health at Work, celebrated on 28 April brings to attention the need for creating safe spaces in the workplace which include mental health and wellbeing. According to the South African Federation for Mental Health, about 13% of South African employees live with a diagnosed mental health condition. Interestingly, more than a third of working South Africans experience excessive daily stress. 

The business-critical challenge of 75% of executives contemplating resignation highlights a harsh reality - mental health struggles are a significant concern for business founders, entrepreneurs and executives alike. So, what needs to change? The answer lies in mindfulness in the workplace - a proactive approach to nurturing resilience, focus and well-being in high-pressure environments.

We live in a time when attracting and retaining top talent across a multi-generational, increasingly mobile workforce is massively challenging. It is a global phenomenon that is critical to the success and sustainability of every business, but notably so in South Africa’s business process outsourcing (BPO) industry which is increasingly the country’s top export to international markets.

As disability or incapacity consultants, we are exposed to many individuals with physical and mental conditions, which impede their quality of life. In most cases, it is often an accumulation of factors that lead to an individual being plagued by illness.

In a South African context, ‘dignity’ is a word that is often supercharged, laden with meaning and emotion. Given our dark history where apartheid stripped whole groups of people of their dignity – and because of the prevailing gap between rich and poor, with South Africa having the highest Gini coefficient in the world – we not only have to believe in dignity, we must also strive to uphold it across all aspects of society.

Ever since the pandemic, ‘organisational wellbeing’ has gone from a quirky idea that many thought was a bit of fluff, to a business imperative. Now more than ever, companies are seeing the value in having a coherent employee wellness strategy.

Globally, there has been a significant uptick in the prevalence of depression and anxiety post the COVID-19 pandemic. In South Africa, it is estimated that one in six people suffer from anxiety, depression, or substance abuse and more than half of the population is possibly dealing with some kind of post-traumatic stress disorder. Another study estimated that a third of people suffer from a mental illness and of that figure, 75% won’t receive any treatment.

In the modern era of corporate travel, companies are investing heavily in ensuring the well-being of their employees on the move. From ergonomic travel tools to nutritious meals on the go, the focus has shifted from merely reaching a destination to ensuring the holistic wellbeing of the traveller. But as businesses lean heavily into this trend, a pertinent question emerges: Are we taking it too far?