The way we work and live is quickly changing. We spend more and more time sitting still, staring at computer screens at work or televisions at home, and unsurprisingly our workforce's physical and mental health is declining as a result.
Those with private health insurance are being bumped up elective surgery lists in public hospitals, ahead of publicly funded patients, a new report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) shows.
The report also details a number of trends that suggest having a private health insurance policy means better, quicker healthcare - even in public facilities. What does this mean for the average Australian?
Wise men say that the most important thing you have in life is your health. That's why it's so shocking that Australian Prudential Regulation Authority data shows only 47 per cent of Australians have health insurance policies that cover general hospital treatment.
Healthcare affordability should be near the top of any government's priorities. Yet for so long federal budgets haven't focused enough on health insurance and other essentials that bring the cost of care down for everyday Australians.
Common sense says that if a workplace is a miserable place to be, that company is not going to get far. On the other hand, if you manage to provide a workplace that ticks all the boxes for your workers, the opposite is true - you'll almost certainly be poised for great success.
Businesses searching for methods of improving their bottom line and solving their problems need only improve the health of their employees. Time and time again, research has proved that doing so has countless benefits and yet it's rarely the priority.
The following problems are just a few that you could solve as a result of adopting a tailor-made corporate health insurance plan and increasing your focus on employee health.
'Employee wellness program' is something of a buzz-phrase at the moment. Research from the World Health Organisation and countless other authorities says that when effectively implemented, the right approach could cause productivity to skyrocket. However, information on how to implement your own employee wellness program can be hard to come by.
The Australian Government has announced that it will abolish the controversial 457 visa and replaced it with a scheme claiming to be more reflective of the current climate. The new visa will be known as "Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa. Both sides of the fence have reacted strongly. Some have praised the changes as a step forward in protecting Australian workers and others have called it a populist change aimed at pleasing a growing right wing agenda.
The average Australian employee leads an increasingly busy life - longer hours and more demanding work make sure of that. This often manifests in increasing levels of stress and health problems, which negatively affect employees' work attendance and productivity.
In bygone years, employment was a straightforward exchange of company money for employee time and expertise. In 2017, the arrangement has become more abstract and complex and companies must carefully navigate relationships with their employees in order to succeed.
