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GOVERNMENT funding is up for grabs for businesses that promote a healthy lifestyle for their employees.
Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie (pictured) says the Working for Wellness Program will provide $1.4 million in grants, for innovative health and wellbeing ideas.
“Healthy employees are three times more productive at work than their colleagues, helping to boost the economy, while smoking, excessive drinking, poor diet and excess body weight have clear links to absenteeism low morale and increased workers’ compensation premiums.
“Obesity alone is thought to cost Australian businesses around $6.4 billion every year through the loss of productivity.
“These grants are about encouraging healthy habits and have funded more than 500 workplaces, giving around 33,000 workers the opportunity to improve their health and wellbeing,” he says.
Bleijie says past examples include nutritionists visiting construction sites, truck depots holding physical challenges and teachers participating in on-campus fitness classes.
“All industry sectors are eligible, but there is a special focus on those where workers are most at risk, including transport and storage, construction, agriculture, fisheries and forestry and mining and resources in rural and remote Queensland.”
Applications are due on April 7.
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