You’ve got the OHS policy and safety risk management processes in place, but are you sure you’ve covered all the gaps? For instance, is your organisation prepared for cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death and disease burden in Australia?

Picture this scenario: what if Mark, the CEO’s most trusted senior employee, had a cardiac arrest today? The stressful nature of his job has led him to develop some poor lifestyle behaviours like smoking and poor diet, and naturally this hasn’t helped. Besides, he hasn’t been sleeping well and rarely takes breaks at work. 

In the happy instance that Mark’s going to survive and recover, he’s still going to be absent from work for a while, or might choose not to return. Meanwhile, the CEO has just lost a key member of staff, someone who is very difficult to replace. For a good period of time, there is a ripple effect throughout the company, leading to more stressed workers. This could happen anywhere, any time, and it’s a hidden impact that is not easy to measure.  

And you know that a budget for new preventative tactics could reduce the risks.

CVD and the Burden it Causes in the Financial Sector

Heart health issues represent a high percentage of Australian deaths and poor health outcomes every year.  That naturally shows itself in the workplace, creating a substantial economic burden on the industry through both lost productivity and absenteeism.

●  On average, Australian employees take 8.8 unscheduled days off per year, 2  with an increase of 9.7 absence days levels in banking, finance & insurance; 

●  An unexpected employee absence costs a business approximately $578 per employee per absent day, with the annual cost of absenteeism to the Australian economy an estimated $44 billion per year — the average 4 cost of absenteeism per day having risen from $308 in 2013;

●  According to a 2010 study5 by Medibank and PwC Australia, the cost of presenteeism in Australia is estimated at almost $26 billion.

Compared to other diseases, CVD is relatively ignored — yet it is largely preventable.   Alongside the traditional safety, compliance, and management of physical hazards, new health awareness and wellbeing policies are being considered by innovative companies. If you can convince your organisation to take the right preventative measures, you could also be having a positive impact on business performance. 

By championing innovative programs you’re not only saving lives and improving the quality of life of your team, but you’re also keeping the numbers-focused Executives happy — which can only mean a more fulfilling job done. 

If you don’t know where to start in convincing your managers to allocate a budget for heart health awareness programs and facilitating CVD risk assessments, start with the numbers. 

Download our Fact Sheet CVD Key Facts & Statistics in Australia today and begin your empowering journey.