Employee health and physical wellness : a comparison of health- and skill-related measures

Chronic non-communicable diseases are a growing public health concern in South Africa which significantly impacts employee wellness and workplace productivity. To address chronic non-communicable disease in the workplace, a holistic, multi-dimensional approach to wellness with an emphasis on primary and primordial prevention strategies is required. Employee wellness programmes to support employees in the workplace still lack evidence-based interventions and guidelines. The role of physical fitness and health-related assessments in the context of overall employee wellness needs to be investigated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physical fitness and health-related measures in various workplace settings in a South African context. This study developed a comprehensive physical wellness indicator that integrates both health-related fitness and skill-related fitness to provide a nuanced assessment of employee health. Employees from educational, corporate, and law enforcement institutions underwent health-risk assessments and quantitative fitness measures.<br><br>