By Mint Kang

HEALTH is more important than wealth. It is a long-term investment, one that yields not only monetary but physical, mental and emotional returns. Yet while most people will gladly embark on financial ventures - as recent economic events have shown - far fewer people set out to voluntarily and deliberately invest in their own health.

Companies are beginning to heed the value of their employees' health, however, and many have taken steps to make investments of their own. Often, their focus is driven by the recognition that the well-being of the company itself rests upon the well-being of each individual staff member. DHL Express Singapore country manager Herbert Vongpusanachai sums this up: 'We believe productivity hinges on people feeling well.'

But recognition is only the first step. As early as 2003, DHL acknowledged that work culture and practices would be crucial contributing factors to supporting workplace health. To effectively reach employees on the bottom rung, awareness of health and adoption of a healthy lifestyle had to be not only supported from the top, but integrated into the company's culture such that it could gain its own momentum.

This is particularly necessary at large organisations - companies in the logistics industry, for instance, have multiple offices, complex organisational structures and many different levels of employment inside and outside the office, all of which pose difficulties in the communication and implementation of changes.

Healthy choices at DHL

Disseminating the message of healthy living is no mean feat in a multinational company with more than 600 employees spread across six facilities in Singapore alone.

On this large scale, just the first step of increasing awareness requires the complete involvement of company resources - beginning with DHL's internal communications infrastructure, which has been the vehicle for promoting its workplace health programme since 2004. Whether through e-mail, bulletin boards, roadshows organised by the company or face-to-face instruction from supervisors, everyone hears about it eventually, right down to the drivers and couriers.

Utilising the existing communications chain is just the tip of the iceberg. The time and resources necessary for DHL's workplace health programme have been incorporated into the company's daily operations since 2004, when the programme was established. 'We have to understand that there's time for work and time for healthy living,' says Herbert Vongpusanachai, DHL Express Singapore's country manager.

Indeed, the time for healthy living is limited only by employees' own willingness to set it aside. For instance, the in-house gym at DHL's main office and its accompanying facilities are open throughout the day, with employees encouraged to work out whenever they are free - inside as well as outside working hours.

As a company that specialises in moving and freight, with a large number of employees engaged in heavy physical activity, providing healthy living and improved wellness for employees at all levels is by necessity a key part of DHL's work-life policy. This policy centres on an internal programme known as Project Teamwork, or Project T for short, which involves representatives from each department forming a team annually to organise health and recreational activities. Rotating the team members - a different team is inaugurated each year - ensures inclusiveness and fresh ideas, with every staff member getting a chance to contribute.

As a result of the constant influx of new ideas, Project T's focus has moved increasingly towards the promotion of healthy living. Between 2006 and 2008, a variety of campaigns to raise health awareness were rolled out, beginning with the basic steps of health screening - making screenings available, sometimes with subsidies from the Health Promotion Board but very often at the company's expense - and educating employees on the necessity of monitoring their own health, again using existing communication channels.

Follow-up activities were included, such as arranging counselling sessions for those found to have health problems such as high cholesterol, and getting them to take steps to improve their condition.

And in 2008, an entire month was set aside to promote a healthy lifestyle - between July and August, healthy eating was emphasised, health talks were held and staff were encouraged to take up sports or gym memberships.

To promote a healthy diet, canteen vendors were asked to serve food with more vegetables and less oil during this period, and fruit and fruit juices were handed out to every single employee, from couriers to office staff.

Organised by Project T on a monthly basis, these campaigns cover more than just health. They extend to work-life balance, team building and sports. Soccer is a highly popular sport among DHL employees, for instance, and Project T promotes a cross-business Asia Cup that encourages team spirit, friendly competition and fitness.

Mr Vongpusanachai says of these healthy living campaigns: 'We kickstart it through promotion and education, and hope that it will roll out into their lifestyle.' Which it has done. Gradually but definitely, people are becoming more aware of their own health and how they can take steps to improve it. Although health screening is not compulsory, for instance, more and more employees across all levels are attending the annual sessions.

The increased awareness of health has begun to have an effect on the bottom line. Between 2005 and 2006, DHL's average sick leave ratio dropped from 0.40 to 0.29 - seemingly small numbers, but a dramatic fall in the context of its 600 employees. The number of people with high cholesterol also dropped sharply between 2006 and 2007, from 9.8 to 6.5 per cent.

And for further proof that health and fitness are taking hold, one need only look at DHL's in-house gym, usage of which has been steadily increasing. Its popularity during peak hours - morning, lunchtime and evening - has increased to the point where more equipment had to be added in 2008 to accommodate everyone who wants to work out.

The success of DHL's efforts to increase the awareness and acceptance of health among its employees merited a silver at the 2008 Singapore HEALTH Awards for the second year in a row. This recognition is, to Project T members and their backers in senior management, a sign that they are heading in the right direction.

Although the budget for health and work-life initiatives is necessarily a high one, DHL's management considers it a worthwhile investment. 'The cost is less significant than the overall wellness that we create within the workplace,' says Mr Vongpusanachai. And while overall wellness may not be a quantifiable measurement, it is a return that no company should miss out on.

This is the second of a three-part weekly series brought to you by the Health Promotion Board.Where to find help

THE Health Promotion Board offers a wide range of support and resources to help managers enhance their companies' workplace health programmes, including:

• The Workplace Health & Sports Promotion Grant of up to $10,000;
• The Singapore HEALTH Award (Helping Employees Achieve Life-Time Health) - a national award given to companies with commendable health promotion programmes;
• Consultancy to adopt an integrated and holistic approach towards promoting health;
• Club HEALTH, a peer support network for HEALTH Award winning companies;
• Training courses and seminars on WHP and other health topics directed at HR professionals and workplace health facilitators;
• A resource portal, www.hpb.gov.sg/healthatwork to help meet organisations' WHP needs. Companies can also e-mail HPB_Health_At_Work@hpb.gov.sg or call 6435 3704 for more information and assistance;
• Pre-designed workplace programmes targeted at specific health areas such as physical activity, healthy eating, mental wellness and smoking cessation.

This article was first published in The Business Times on January 14, 2009.