*By Ary Silveira Bueno and Dr. Renato Romani
Talking about changing culture within a company is always a challenge. Now, promoting this change with a focus on people's health is an even greater challenge.
After all, what is the relationship between a company's revenue and the average weight of people? Between EBITDA and cholesterol levels? None!
So why take care of people's health if, theoretically, it is not the company's responsibility? What is its legal duty?
Occupational Health exists to support this demand, ensuring safe and adequate working conditions.
The issues of culture, health and financial results are important, but they are not the only ones. Added to these are the awareness that the company must have regarding the role it must play in society.
One CEO unscrupulous and directors focused exclusively on financial results, may even generate profit in the short term, but they create an environment of fear and extreme pressure.
In the scenario above, people/professionals do not collaborate in a sustainable way and the company's sustainability is not sustained. What we end up with in the medium and long term is a worn out, unmotivated and sick team. Goodbye to health and much less to health promotion.
The relationship between health and organizational performance is more than proven.
A study by the McKinsey Health Institute revealed that only 491,000 employees globally consider themselves to be in good physical, social, mental and spiritual health. Furthermore, one in five employees reports symptoms of burnout, a state of physical and emotional exhaustion directly linked to reduced productivity and increased turnover.
Companies that ignore these factors end up paying a high price, whether in the form of absenteeism, lower engagement and/or higher turnover rates.
There is an illusion that it is possible to make money at the expense of people's health and then simply “buy” health when necessary.
Given this scenario, there are basically two options:
- The company maintains a high-pressure environment, seeking people who accept this condition and are willing to accept the impact on their health; or
- The company changes its culture, promoting an environment in which people can grow sustainably, aligned with its purpose and that of the company.
Professional development involves not only building a good resume and improving technical knowledge, but also valuing and promoting health and, consequently, quality of life. And here we have the new platform PERFORM from MicroPower, for managing people development and learning.
Health is one thing! From moments of rest to physical exercise, everything contributes to well-being and, consequently, to people's productivity and engagement.
This isn’t just motivational speech. There’s research that suggests a positive correlation between employee satisfaction and organizational performance. A University of California study found that happy people are, on average, 311 times more productive, three times more creative, and make 371 times more sales than their less satisfied colleagues.
Additionally, Gallup research has revealed that companies with happy employees report 50% fewer workplace accidents, suggesting that well-being contributes to a safer, more efficient and effective environment.
While exact numbers may vary between studies, the general trend indicates that investing in employee well-being and satisfaction brings significant benefits to companies, including increases in productivity, creativity and job security.
Taking care of employees' health can even be considered a matter of legal compliance — offering a quality of life program is a commitment to social responsibility and the sustainable development of the company, the community and society in general.
Nice in theory, but what about in practice in Brazil?
In practice, the uncertain economic and political scenario puts even more pressure on Brazilian workers. The rising cost of living, the stress of everyday life in big cities, with transportation problems, violence, floods and others, make it harder to prioritize health. Health promotion, then, is even more distant.
Faced with this reality, how can a person even think about a meditation program, sessions? quick massageand so many others, with the tension of everyday life?
To promote health in a coherent and consistent manner, it is necessary to understand and respect the real needs of the body and mind. More than offering isolated benefits, companies must invest in education, health promotion and awareness, helping people to see health as the “key” to happiness and success, both personal and professional, but in this order, as in the book: The Harvard Way of Being Happy.
Cultural change involves raising awareness and encouraging a paradigm shift towards a new awareness of the relationship between companies and people, or better yet, between people and the company.
Founder and Director of ASPR
Vice-President of the Brazil Digital Institute
Chairman of the Board of Sineco – National Ecosystem System of Digital Brazil
Physician | Entrepreneur | AI in Obesity & HealthTech
Founder & CEO of EW2Health, innovating in weight loss personalization with AI and Predictive Behavioral Analytics (PBA) to improve adherence and outcomes in obesity treatment.
Notice: The opinion expressed in this article is the responsibility of its authors and not of ABES – Brazilian Association of Software Companies
EN 
PT 
