While a good workplace health and wellbeing program will focus on creating an environment that fosters a safe, respectful and positive workplace, the program can also provide opportunities for workers to address their personal health.

Personal health conditions such as asthma, arthritis, cancer and heart disease are common among working populations, so implementing targeted strategies to prevent onset of disease, illness or injury and promote early detection can reduce their negative impacts. Completing recommended health checks and keeping up with recommended immunisations can play a significant role in workers long-term health, helping to delay (or even avoid) the onset of conditions that can drastically affect their vitality, wellbeing, and time away from the workplace.

The adage that prevention is better than the cure, is never more true than for our health.

Effective health and wellbeing prevention is a shared responsibility between workers and employers. The workplace has an obligation to protect the worker from harm as much as reasonably practicable, and there is legislation on health monitoring used to detect changes in a worker’s health because of exposure to certain substances.

As an example, to protect workers from occupational sun exposure the workplace would provide protection strategies such as including restriction of time in peak UV, suitable protective clothing, sunscreen and portable shade. In addition, preventive strategies make their health and wellbeing program more robust by including health screening, such as skin checks for early skin cancer detection.

Actions you can take to encourage preventive health care

Healthy polices, practice and culture — create a workplace culture that puts people’s health first

• Include the preventive health care checks and immunisations that your workplace supports in policies and procedures.
• Provide wellbeing leave or allow workers flexitime to attend appointments with health professionals for preventive care.
• If your workplace undertakes pre-employment health assessment checks, take the opportunity to use the results to inform your workplace health and wellbeing program.
• Implement a comprehensive sun protection program, including policy and education about detecting skin cancer early through skin checks for employees (where relevant).
• Use a risk management approach and comply with health monitoring requirements if workers are exposed to hazardous chemicals.
• Make sure you consult workers and that diversity and inclusion principles are applied to groups with particular health needs in your workforce.

Healthy place — create a workplace environment that supports preventive health care

• Use posters to promote national cancer screening programs, such as Breast Screen, bowel cancer screening, and cervical cancer screening.
• Minimise the risk of noise, vibration, and exposure to hazardous substances and injuries.
• Provide personal protective equipment (PPE) and clothing to protect workers from physical, chemical, or biological exposure.
• Make reasonable accommodations, such as making the workplace accessible and providing ergonomic workstations or equipment to help workers fulfill their duties at work.

Healthy people — support workers with prevention and early detection

• Offer workers access to confidential personal health assessments.
• Ask health professionals to come and speak about the importance of early cancer detection and prevention of health conditions.
• Encourage workers to use the Better Health Coaching Service – a free telephone coaching service to support healthy lifestyle change.
• Provide clear, evidence-based information that demonstrates the importance of immunisation and offer onsite vaccinations.
• Host a general wellness challenge over several weeks that focuses on health promoting behaviors (e.g. stress management techniques, increased fruit and vegetable intake, new exercise ideas).
• Create a staff health newsletter or lending library, including health journals, quality nutrition and fitness books or magazines, and information on personal health goal setting.
• Educate workers about the importance of early detection and encourage them to consult a doctor if they notice changes.
• Promote digital platforms that workers can access for evidence-based and trusted health information and advice from experts (e.g. Health Direct).¹

More resources to help you take action

Preventive healthcare resource referral guide (DOCX, 480.1 KB)

SA Health has great information on recommended health checks. Search for 'recommended health checks'.

Safe Work Australia provides information on health monitoring to workers if there is a significant risk to worker’s health because of hazardous chemical exposure.

¹ Australian Government, National Preventive Health Strategy 2021-2030, Australian Government, accessed October 2022