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Health Fitness and Wellbeing Seminar Results

47. 2021 - March 3MY

John Miller conducted a series of corporate health seminars for the organisation.

64 participants (33 men and 31 women) completed the Health, Fitness and Wellbeing profile.

The results are presented in graphic format, with commentary.

Health Climate Survey

The Health Climate Survey 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.

It provides organisations with a good snap shot of the health of its staff.

On this profile a good score is a low score.

	Symptom	None		Not much			A fair bit			A lot
1.	Headaches including migraines	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
2.	Lack of energy and vitality	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
3.	Candida - jock itch, thrush, tinea ...	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
4.	Poor sleep. If on tablets score 10	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
5.	Snoring &/or sleep apnoea. Score 10 if using a mask	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
6.	Crook back, stiff neck, sore shoulders, dicky knee RSI ...	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
7.	Frequent colds, flu, sinus	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
8.	Unsettled stomach, reflux (Score 10 if on medication)	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
9.	Overweight - 1 point for every 2Kg	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
10.	Irritable bowel, constipation	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
11.	Asthma	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
12.	Low level of aerobic fitness	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
13.	Chest pain, palpitations	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
14.	Rashes, itchiness, skin outbreaks, psoriasis ...	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
15.	Mouth ulcers, cold sores	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
16.	Elevated blood pressure. Score 0 on pills	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
17.	Elevated blood cholesterol. Score o if on pills	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
18.	Elevated blood glucose. Score 0 if on medication	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
19.	Shakes, nervous ticks, mannerisms	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
20.	Grinding teeth	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
21.	Alcoholic drinks per day (2 pts/drink)	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
22.	Smoking. (1 pt/cigarette/day)	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
23.	Caffeine (1 pt/cup per day)	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
24.	Anxious about life, insecure, apprehensive	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
25.	Sad or depressed (On medication, score 0)	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
26.	In wrong job for now	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
27.	Under-appreciated at work	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
28.	Have poor work/life balance	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
29.	Unhappy with family life	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
30.	Unhappy with financial status	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

Score

The score of a normal, fit and healthy human being is less than 20. Higher scores are symptomatic of dysfunction (usually personally generated) of one or more body systems. People with low levels of fitness and high levels of stress usually score well over 100.

For people with a score of more than 60, the ‘background noise’ of their life is becoming louder and louder. 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 below 40. This was not the case with this group.

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.

This profile is described as fair average quality amongst the groups we survey. The average score was 60. Anyone scoring more than 80 is putting up with a lot of 'background noise'.

Health Climate Survey Analysis

Based on scores received in the Health, Fitness and Wellbeing profile we've ranked the scores and highlighted those items that recorded 20% and over.

Symptoms/ issues / concerns	% of people scoring over 5	No. of people scoring 10
Poor sleep	52	2
Overweight	44	12
Low level of fitness	39	1
Smoking	37
Anxious	34	2
Unhappy family life	30	1
Stressed financial status	30	4
Under appreciated at work	28	4
Lack of Energy	27	2
Musculo-skeletal dysfunction	27	4
High alcohol intake	20	3
Caffeine	19	4
Depressed	19	6
Snoring, sleep apnoea	17	1
Elevated cholesterol	17	9
Grinding teeth	17	2
Itchy, rashes, psoriasis	16
Reflux, unsettled stomach	13
Shortness of breath from asthma	13	1
Elevated blood pressure	13	4
Work-life balance	13	4
Headaches	11	1
Elevated glucose	11	5
Frequent colds, flu, sinus	9	1
Chest pain, palpitations	8
Shakes, nervous mannerisms	8	1
Wrong job	6	1
Candida	5
Mouth ulcers	3
Irritable bowel, constipation etc	2

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

It's unusual that poor sleep is at the top of the list. Poor sleep goes hand in hand with a lack of regular aerobic fitness activity. People aren't physically tired when they go to bed. Plus it can be a sign of anxiety.

28 staff (44%) said they were more than 10Kg over weight I'd say (just by looking) that at least 20 were more than 20Kg over weight.

Being overweight goes with being under fit (39%).

Unhappy family life and stressed financial situation were higher than usual.

On the Health Climate Survey the 'under appreciation at work' is higher than normal and quite out of step with the very low score for 'being in the wrong job'. These scores are usually about the same percentage.

On the other hand the Career Satisfaction Profile (CSP) tells the opposite. The results on the CSP were some of the best we've ever seen. Best, I think to rely on the CSP,

24 people (37%) indicated they smoked, 12 heavily and some not much at all. This is an alarming statistic that needs to be addressed. The overall Australian average is 14%.

Musculo-skeletal Risk factor Profile

Our musculo-skeletal risk factor profile looked at a range of parameters including mobility, strength and flexibility and whether people are training to keep themselves strong and flexible. The musculo-skeletal risk factor profile is comprised of a mix of 9 objective and 3 subjective assessments.

- Current musculo-skeletal condition

- Closeness to ideal weight

- leg strength

- Abdominal strength test

- Upper body strength test

- Flexibility

- Ability to sit up straight with legs crossed

- Shoulder function

- Strength training behaviour

- Flexibility training behaviour.

A score of 70% is attainable by those who have a regular and systematic training program. Those scoring less than 70 are not doing sufficient in the way of strength and flexibility exercises. They are therefore exposing themselves to a high risk of musculo-skeletal dysfunction. (It would be bizarre for a workplace to offer to pay the rehabilitation costs of people who were not keeping themselves strong enough or flexible enough to do their job without succumbing to musculo-skeletal dysfunction, wouldn't it?)


	Not a particularly good result. 46% of people are experiencing some pain and discomfort. In a corporate setting we'd recommend that those scoring less the 6 need to be required attend a prehab/rehab program, for their own benefit and that of the organisation.	30% of people were 15Kg or more overweight. I think a couple of people might have under estimated how over-weight they are!

	Leg strength was good.	Overall, not a bad result. 4 people couldn't do one situp.

	Patchy, 50% of people failing the arm and upper body strength test. A good predictor of risk of lower back pain is the ability to do pressups.	23% of people couldn't touch their toes. Lower back pain goes with poor hamstring flexibility.

	Around 25% of people couldn't sit up straight with legs crossed and hands clasped behind their back, without falling over. A major cause of lower back pain is tight buttock muscles.	In the main, shoulder function was good. It's redeemable with the right set of exercises.

Its always the case, few people have a regular strength and flexibility program. The group needs to put in train a regular and systematic training program, on site, that includes 1. specialist prehab and rehab sessions for those at serious risk and those already dysfunctional and on compo 2. daily strength and flexibility sessions in the workplace for everyone.

Average score: 58. Not particularly good. This graph show why people are experiencing pain. Too many people are not doing the things they need to do to keep their musculo-skeletal system in good shape. There is a strong case of the group to implement an obligatory strength and flexibility program for those who scored less than 60 in this profile.

Stress Risk Profile

Participants completed a simple stress and relaxation profile designed to assist them in making an assessment of how they were affected by stress. It is based on the habits of unstressed people.

If you do what unstressed people do you are less at risk of becoming stressed. I’m yet to see someone who said they were highly stressed or depressed who got a high score on this profile. A good score is over 70.

- How would you rate your current stress level

- Do you get a good night’s sleep?

- Do you take your holidays?

- Are you keeping yourself fit and healthy?

- Is there balance in your life?

- Do you take time off at lunch time?

- How many hours a week do you work?

- Are you good at giving back to your Self?

- Do you meditate?

- Are you happy with your family (and romantic) life?

The matter of stress always needs to be addressed by organisations as part of a personal development thrust, and aimed at all staff. If stress management type programs are to be conducted, all staff need to be involved, otherwise those at most risk and those who are currently most stressed (and too wrapped up in their own busyness) will not attend.

For those who spend long hours at work, I often wonder whether the behaviour is externally or internally driven. I suspect the latter. No body on their death bed ever said 'I wish I'd spent more time at the office.'

A few people are struggling with their family life. This is another fertile area for personal development and counselling programs. It's hard to concentrate at work when your home life is in turmoil

SCORING GUIDELINES

Excellent, scoring 8 or more

Good, scoring 7 or more

Fair, scoring 5 or 6

Poor, scoring less than 5

‘Pass mark’ on all parameters 7/10.

A good score is a high score. A poor score is a low score.


	Roughly 20% are having difficulty managing stress.	This is a mediocre result. The first casualty of anxiety and low levels of fitness is sleep. Find out the cause of the problem. Exercise more, drink less alcohol.

	Paul Pearsal in his book Superimmunity' said you need a 21 day away from home holiday every year.	A poor result, except for the fourth group.

	Good for some, patchy for others	Too many people don't take time off to switch off and get outside in the fresh air.

	With a few exceptions, this is a good result. No one on their death bed ever said 'I wish I'd spent more time at the office.'	Too many people are too busy to look after and nurture their Self.

	Throughout the community, very few people meditate. The reasons to do so are compelling.

Average score: 57. This is an average sort of a score. People could do more to look after their Self. I recommend that people scoring less that 50 spend time with a counsellor or life coach, or go to a personal development weekend to get themselves centred and grounded on looking after their Self - start doing the things unstressed people do to avoid becoming stressed.

Career Satisfaction Profile

The parameters in the profile relate to a mix of factors influences by the participant, management and their colleagues.

- How close are you to doing the job you’d really like to be doing?

- Are you in the right job for now?

- Is work giving you life or sucking life out of you?

- Are you focused on your career options?

- Do you get good feedback from your manager?

- Do you receive an appropriate financial reward?

- Do you feel you and your work are valued and appreciated?

- Do you work for an organisation that cares about people?

- Do you enjoy the company of the people you work with?

- What’s the level of morale like in your work group?

Normally, when results on the overall career profile are less than 70/100, people agree that they’re not in the right job. Certainly those scoring less than 60 have sufficient issues relating to career management as to seriously consider going somewhere else.

SCORING GUIDELINES

Excellent, scoring 8 or more

Good, scoring 7 or more

Fair, scoring 5 or 6

Poor, scoring less than 5

‘Pass mark’ on all parameters 7/10.

A good score is a high score. A poor score is a low score.

There are quite a few people too far away from the job they'd love to so. Some don't even know what it is!

Excellent. best we've ever seen

A good result. Work is probably about as stressful as you want it to be. Walk away. Make appointments for your Self that allow you to get on with your work unhindered by interruptions.

Pretty good, in fact, encouraging.

With 1 exception, this is an EXCELLENT

With a few exceptions, these people are very satisfied with what they sell themselves for.

This is a good result. Everyone should get over 7.

This is an EXCELLENT result.

This is an excellent result. People like working with each other. We rarely see scores like this.

Morale is good. It's generally the case that our morale is good when my morale is good.

Average score: 82. This is the highest scores we've ever seen.

The Buddha and Confucius both said 'Find the job you'd love to do and you won't have to do another days work in your life.'

Recommendations

Measure risk and Manage Risk

There is an epidemic of personally-generated musculo-skeletal dysfunction in our workplaces.

Most organisations neither measure the risk nor manage it.

Their workers compensation insurer doesn't measure the risk either. They don't rate premiums against individual risk.

We recommend the Organisation take seriously and monitor carefully the incidence of personally-generated musculo-skeletal dysfunction and put in place an organisation-wide strategy to improve strength, flexibility and mobility. By far and away a high proportion of people do not have a strength and flexibility program. As a result they are getting weaker and tighter by the week, thereby exposing themselves and the organisation to risk.

A high proportion of people said they would willingly agree to take part in a daily exercise program to improve their musculo-skeletal health.

A high proportion of people said they'd take part in a prehab program.

When push comes to shove and people become dysfunctional, it will be the Organisation that ends up paying the high cost of an avoidable musculo-skeletal complaint. In our opinion musculo-skeletal dysfunction caused by lack of a regular and systematic strength and flexibility program cannot be classified as an injury.

Responsibility for musculo-skeletal dysfunction needs to be sheeted home to individual employees, though it’s unlikely to happen without the establishment of a culture within the Organisation that supports, values and understands the importance of staff keeping themselves strong and flexible.

We recommend a range of strength and flexibility classes that are readily available Australia-wide:

-	Posture and Flexibility
-	Yoga
-	Crookback Clinic
-	Tai Chi
-	Pontius Pilates

The Organisation would place itself in the forefront of OH&S practice if it took the musculo-skeletal risk seriously and moved heaven and earth to educate all staff about this risk and obligated them to take part in a regular strength and flexibility program.

Maybe The Organisation and its worker's compensation insurer could invest in a pilot program to increase staff strength and flexibility! The lack of strength and flexibility training coupled with poor abdominal strength, upper body strength, flexibility and shoulder function is a cause for concern and needs the attention of individual staff and managers.

Prehab and rehab classes

We strongly recommend that the people who are in current poor musculo-skeletal condition and who lack abdominal strength, upper body strength, flexibility, shoulder function and functional mobility, in particular those who - who failed to attain the bronze award - be obligated to attend regular, in-house strength and flexibility classes. The pressure on the organisation's workers' compensation costs is such that to do otherwise would, in our opinion be to abrogate a responsibility for the prudent management of the organisation's finances.

Stress and career management

There are some people who we would encourage to go to the Employee Assistance Program, to get some guidance and direction in managing the personal lives, their stress and their careers.

Miller Health

In association with Integrated Health Systems

7 Salvado Place Stirling ACT 2611

(02) 6288 7703