Today, on 7 April we celebrate World Health Day, organised by the World Health Organization (WHO), to stimulate conversations, debate and awareness around global healthcare.
This year’s theme centres on the link between the health of our planet and the health of humans, animals, plants – all living creatures. WHO’s campaign is promoting messages and activities that showcase how individual choices and social behaviours impact our environment.
CLIMATE CRISIS IS A HEALTH CRISIS
On this World Health Day, WHO is calling on everyone to come together and recognise the importance of our planet, for the sake of our health and that of the generations to come. Corporations and employers must also do their part because the climate crisis is a health crisis, which ultimately impacts employers too. The latest facts from WHO reveal that:
- Burning fossil fuels causes air pollution, which kills 13 people every minute due to lung cancer, heart disease and stroke.
- Over 90% of people breathe unhealthy air resulting from burning of fossil fuels. Air pollution impacts our health and the health of the planet.
- Nine out of 10 people breathe polluted air, which kills 7 million people every year.
- Frequent floods and extreme rainfall resulting from climate change cause drownings, injuries, heart attacks, trauma and infectious diseases.
- Frequent droughts and wildfires caused by climate change result in suffocation, burns, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, trauma, and mental health problems.
- Rising temperatures due to climate change cause headaches, confusion, tiredness and vomiting. Extreme heat can cause organ failure and even death.
EMPLOYEE MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING
Additionally, climate change is having stronger and longer-lasting impacts on people’s mental health and psychosocial well-being. So, each year on this day, WHO encourages individuals, policymakers and the media to discuss and promote the benefits of addressing the health needs of their communities.
Many health experts worldwide, along with WHO, believe organisations have a huge role to play to support staff wellbeing. For businesses, the day is an opportunity to reflect on how they are supporting their staff’s wellbeing; especially given that more workers now expect more support from their employers, and is increasingly key to retention. Here are links to a few articles on the very topic:
- Staff want more support from employers as wellbeing continues to decline, according to new study.
- Employee burnout, pay and stalled careers driving the great resignation, reveals report.
- PTSD, Depression and addiction soar sharply for male staff.
- 80% of HR professionals report surge in staff burnout, study shows.
- Wellbeing support is ‘top priority’ for 60% of Job Seekers, confirm new findings.
Check out the workplace health, wellbeing and safety section on fairplaytalks.com for more resources and articles.
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