Background

The workplace is not only a place where the workforce spends most of its time. It directly influences the physical, mental and social well-being of employees and indirectly impacts on their families and the community. With over three million people in the workforce, the workplace is an ideal setting to engage people in healthy lifestyles.

Overseas experience has shown that effective workplace health promotion reduces absenteeism, sickness payments and compensation. A healthy workplace not only boosts staff morale, it also enhances staff wellbeing, raises productivity and helps establish a positive image for the organisation. A healthy workplace promotes a win-win situation for both employers and employees.

The Department of Health (DH) launched the 'Health@work.hk Pilot Project' in 2010 to call on employers and employees to join hands to create a working environment that supports, guides, motivates and encourages everyone to live in better health. The first phase of the Pilot Project completed smoothly with very positive response from users and favourable outcome. Besides, it has also provided a workable model of workforce health promotion (WHP) for introduction to the local business community.

To enable the WHP project to be introduced to a greater number of organisations for the benefit of a larger workforce, DH launched the second phase of the 'Health@work.hk Project' in 2012. Phase two of the Project has also been completed successfully with a recognition ceremony held on 16 December 2015. Employees from all participating organisations have benefited from various health promotion initiatives.

In order to develop healthy workplace promotion campaign in the wider community, The Department of Health and the Occupational Safety and Health Council is launching the “Joyful@Healthy Workplace” Campaign in August 2016. A series of activities are being organised to assist employers and employees to create healthy and joyful working environment. The campaign focuses on three areas, “mental well-being”, “ healthy eating” and “ regular physical activity”.