What’s Working in Australian Workplace Health

Workplace health has evolved more in the past decade than in the prior century. Here's what's had an impact.

Australia’s workplace health landscape over the past decade is a story of progress resulting from insight, innovation and forced changes. As these changes settle and understanding at all levels matures, Australia has the opportunity to embed innovative and effective strategies to use the workplace to improve the health of workers.

Regulatory Framework Results Are Positive

Australians benefit from comprehensive workplace health and safety and workers’ compensation legislation that clearly outlines duties for employers and workers. Model workplace health and safety legislation was released in 2011 and has been implemented in most states and territories, with Victoria being the only jurisdiction not to implement the model WHS laws.

There has been a 19% decrease in workplace fatalities since 2013. Australia’s work-related injury rate is 3.5%. This is significantly below the global rate of 12.1% - and comparable to similarly developed countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.

Safe Work Australia released the Model Code of Practice: Managing psychosocial hazards at work in August 2022. The CoP aims to help employers meet their duty to eliminate or minimise psychosocial risks so far as is reasonably practicable.

Australia’s workplace health and safety legislation is having a positive effect. As the legislation and its understanding have matured since implementation in 2011, focus has progressively switched to prevention to ensure risks are eliminated or minimised. There are exciting opportunities for preventive health initiatives that reduce workplace injury and illness risks.

Hybrid Working Is Here To Stay

Work location arrangements changed in March 2020 as most workers were directed to work from home intermittently for up to two years. This led to employers and workers having to adapt to new working methods, and many changed their approach to flexible working arrangements permanently. Most workers have returned to the office in some capacity, albeit less than pre-COVID levels.

The benefits for workers include reduced commute, fewer distractions, less work-related costs (e.g. lunches) and improved wellbeing. Employers also see benefits including productivity, worker happiness, job satisfaction, and reduced overhead costs (e.g. office space).

Hybrid working is becoming an expectation, not a benefit. In 2023, the Community and Public Sector Union secured an uncapped number of days working from home and a bias towards yes, for the individual flexibility agreements of Australian Public Service employees.

Hybrid working can benefit work from improved work-related happiness and job satisfaction, alongside redeployment of time and effort from commuting or some forms of unproductive time at work (e.g. getting pulled into conversations because you are there) into physical activity and other self-care.

The transition to hybrid working arrangements for many knowledge workers was already underway before 2020; COVID accelerated the adoption and proved that output could be maintained.

Workplace Influenza Vaccination Programs

Many Australian workplaces provide the seasonal influenza vaccination to their workers. The workplace covers the cost of the immunisation either at a local pharmacy or in the workplace.

The workplace vaccination program highlights the benefits of using the workplace as a touchpoint for worker health. An employer does not have a legislative requirement to provide the influenza vaccination to their workers, as exposure to influenza is not necessarily work-related. However, reduced output from workers unwell with influenza while at work (presenteeism) and on leave (absenteeism) negatively impact the employer.

Workplace vaccination programs are a cost-effective preventive health initiative that benefits worker health and employer outcomes. The uptake of these programs in Australia supports expansion to other preventive health initiatives in the workplace such as chronic disease screening and education on modifiable risk factors.

Emerging: Digital Workplace Health Platforms

Workplace Health and Safety used to be the domain of clipboards, short-sleeve collared shirts and checklists (so many checklists). Now, there is a range of organisations taking worker health into modern times to create innovative solutions for compliance, behaviour change and worker support.

Safety Culture helps organisations manage their work health and safety systems to meet standards and support continual improvement. Sonder provides employee assistance programs including mental health, medical and critical incident support. The value investors see in these innovative Australian workplace health companies is reflected in Safety Culture’s $2.5 billion and Sonder’s $150+ million valuations.

Workplace health platforms that benefit the health of Australian workers and help employers meet their legislative duties will continue to evolve. This will be partly driven by innovative organisations seeking more effective tools, alongside the retirement of legacy software solutions.

Conclusion

Australia’s workplace health progress demonstrates that comprehensive legislation, innovation and flexible work arrangements are positively impacting worker health. While there is much work remaining, there is a solid foundation that can be built upon to tackle persistent issues around stress, work-life balance and equitable access to health initiatives.