By Mint Kang

AMID the financial crisis hurting the economy, you would think spending on health would rank low on any company's list of priorities. But figures for the recent Singapore HEALTH Awards tell a different story.

The awards were conceived by the Health Promotion Board (HPB) in 1999 to recognise organisations that go out of their way to promote a healthy workplace.

In the nine years since, there has been a steady increase in the number of companies applying for an award and receiving one. And a hefty proportion of recipients are first-timers, suggesting that despite the economic downturn, organisations are buying into the idea of workplace health.

The reason is simple: Healthier workers are more productive. And because the relationship between health and productivity remains unchanged regardless of interest rates or credit crunches, health spending should be considered a constant of any company's human resource strategy - come boom or bust.

So how does a company create an award-winning workplace health programme?

HPB has smoothed the way through a plethora of services and subsidised programmes (like the Workplace Health and Sports Promotion Grant) aimed at kick-starting new programmes and enhancing existing ones. But seminars, workshops and even money will only go so far, and the most successful programmes are invariably driven by a human factor.

This three-part feature looks at the role people play in creating a healthier workplace - and how influential individuals direct an organisation's policy and culture. Today, we look at two companies in the hospitality industry whose health programmes have achieved notable success.