A groundbreaking workplace wellness programme initiated at Zincor in 2007 includes measures aimed at protecting employees and employers alike against the negative effects of stress and lifestyle. This managed workplace wellness care approach enables Zincor to:

• Integrate workplace health and wellness into its overall risk management to predict, analyse and control risks proactively
• Understand, predict and track organisational behaviour, performance, efficiency and development
• Quantify workplace health and wellness risks to correctly assess needs at Zincor
• Improve performance of individuals, teams/divisions and the organisation, through correct and appropriate interventions.

Risk surveys were conducted at all levels in the company and participation was voluntary. Commendably, 71% of the workforce participated. Feedback was given for the company, by business unit and by department. In addition, two staff members were trained on a workplace wellness counsellor’s course and gave personal feedback to employees who participated in the assessments. Feedback from employees was overwhelmingly positive, and these Zincor counsellors still see many employees each month to follow up on key issues arising from the feedback and provide wellness training and education. Referrals were also made where necessary to professionals in the health field.

Implementation of this wellness programme has enabled Zincor to proactively intervene in mitigating risk due to wellness issues. Ongoing wellness activities include:

• Weekly wellness clinics for hypertension and diabetes, a monthly cholesterol clinic
• Monthly health and wellness newsletter
• Managing absenteeism
• Drug and alcohol awareness training
• HIV/Aids awareness was included in induction, peer educator programmes and targeted to children of employees.

Achievements

• Collaboration between the human resources and health teams to ensure that wellness-related issues receive immediate attention
• Zincor was able to identify and intervene on issues/problems experienced by most workers.

Positive remarks from some employees about this workplace intervention:

• “I thank Zincor for giving its employees windows of opportunities like this to improve”
• “It was extremely accurate because it perfectly described how I felt….”
• “I personally think that this (programme) is helpful in the workplace.”
• “Yes I could implement a more positive attitude about life and about myself”
• “Thank you for your support, it is good to know that there are still people who care.”