HEALTH CLIMATE SURVEY RESULTS

As well as the musculo-skeletal health assessments, the Health Climate Survey is also included in the seminar 'package'. It provides people with a very good idea of how well the various systems of the body are functioning, particularly the

•      the mind

•      autonomic nervous system

•      immune system

•      digestive system

•      circulatory system

•      elimination system

•      musculo-skeletal system.

On this profile a good score is a low score.

The score of a normal, fit and healthy human being is less than 20. A score between 21 and 40, is considered to 'pretty good'. Higher scores are symptomatic of dysfunction of one or more body systems. People with low levels of fitness and high levels of stress usually score well over 80.

For people with a score of more than 80, the ‘background noise’ of their life is becoming louder and louder to the point where it becomes 'deafening'.

It is hard to concentrate on your work when body systems are dysfunctional.

We know a fit and healthy group when we see the majority of scores are below 60.

By and large, higher scores are usually a reflection of

• low levels of fitness

• an inability to deal with what life and work are serving up to people.

Remember, it is not what happens, but how we deal with what happens that determines our level of stress. 

Classification of average scores: Excellent - less than 40. Good - 41 - 50. Reasonable 51-60. Poor - over 60.

Compared with other groups, this profile is a fair result . The average score was 72. The best score we've seen is 50. The worst 86.

As already mentioned, anyone scoring more than 80 is putting up with a lot of 'background noise'.

61% of staff scored over 80 on the scale. Not good.

45% of people admitted that were in poor musculo-skeletal health - due to a lack of a regular and systematic flexibility and strength training program. Without it, tight muscles take the skeleton out of alignment and weak muscles fail to support the skeleton as it goes about its daily tasks. The net result, joint and muscle pain (which are the symptoms of skeletal misalignment and lack of strength). It's a system problem: fix the system and the parts will take care of themselves.

The epidemic of musculo-skeletal dysfunction within the organisation places the organisation's workers compensation arrangements at risk, as people submit claims 'work-related injuries' - which have, as their principal cause, personally-generated musculo-skeletal dysfunction.

It is highly recommended that all staff participate in a regular 10 minute strength and flexibility sessions.

Even better still it would be good if the local fitness centre could hold regular 'Back-in-Alignment' musculo-skeletal classes, with staff in poor condition being obliged to attend. (After all, the organisation is paying their workers compensation premiums!)

Too many people (44%) reported being over weight. Probably half of these people are more than 20Kg over weight. The cause (apart from eating too much) is sitting down all day and no regular and systematic aerobic fitness program.

42% recognised that that were unfit. the 20m run test would let them know exactly how unfit they are.

36% of people said they lacked energy and 33% said they didn't sleep well. If you want more energy, use more energy up. YOu need s good aerobic fitness training program. Same with sleep. If you want to sleep better, exercise more. You'll need less sleep and you'll sleep better.

A higher percentage than normal (17%) were people with high blood pressure, half of who were on medication. High blood pressure is a symptom of poor metabolic health - improved by a regular and systematic aerobic fitness program, a healthy diet - low in junk food, ie the Garbohydrates (yep that's 'G' not a 'C') - high in combinations of fat, flour and sugar.

13% smoked. This is close to the community average of (circa)10%. Now let's aim for zero - and save on the housekeeping!

There is a relatively high incidence of anxiety - caused by the stress of life, coupled with poor metabolic health - generated by low levels of aerobic fitness. One of the benefits of a regular and systematic aerobic fitness training program is ,'you feel better'.

An interesting observation is that, whereas 27% of people said they were in the wrong job, 27% said they were under-appreciated at work. It is frequently the case that these two scores are highly correlated. There is work here for managers to lower the level of dissatisfaction and the organisation to provide the sort of career development programs that help work out what they really want to do.

All in all, these Health Climate Survey results are a call for the organisation to do all within it's power to support a program designed to assist staff to become fitter, healthier and more appreciated.

MORE SCORES

https://millerhealth.com.au/reports/index_of_audit_reports.htm

COMPARATIVE SCORES

The good, the bad and the ugly