Given this, companies are increasingly aware of how important it is to invest in the occupational health of their employees.

So, if you are an employer, or employee of a medium or large company, logically you have heard of this term.

But do you really know what occupational health and health is, its importance and how to promote it in the workplace?

If you don’t know very well, that’s exactly what we’re going to talk about on this page!

Good reading!

What is health for you?

Health is considered the balance  that exists within a person, it is their quality of life , being close to the people you love, is achieving your dreams.

In addition, it is the state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, both in your personal and professional life.

Another important point is that health is also the absence of disease, it is the state of full functioning of the human organism, the lack of pain.

This shows that it is the basis for the maintenance of all aspects of life, for without it we cannot accomplish anything in the other aspects of our life.

So take good care of your health!

What is the concept of health according to the literature?

There is no exact definition of what health is . In this matter, social and emotional factors in which the individual is inserted are involved, going far beyond the biomedical, clinical or epidemiological framework.

Therefore, this concept is unique and also variable from person to person. Therefore, it is important to recognize the meaning for each individual in order to ensure good adherence to primary health care.

There are several concepts disseminated around the world. They all have in common the absence of disease.

In the East , it is understood that the health-disease process is associated with the vital forces that exist in the body. When there is harmony between them, it translates into health, while the opposite manifests itself against disease.

Furthermore, it is a right of all citizens and a duty of the State.

“Health is a right of all and a duty of the State, guaranteed through social and economic policies aimed at reducing the risk of disease and other aggravations and at universal and equal access to actions and services for their promotion, protection and recovery”.

In other words, health is so important that it is constitutionally protected and guaranteed.

What is the expanded concept of health?

Now, let’s talk about the concept of health in a broader way.

This expanded concept is part of the advances achieved at the 8th National Health Conference in 1986.

In the published proceedings of that event, this expanded concept of health is considered the result of several different but complementary aspects.

Among the points mentioned in the document, we can mention the conditions of:

• Food;
• Housing;
• Education;
• Income;
• Environment;
• Job;
• Transport;
• Leisure;
• Freedom;
• Access to health services;

Such a definition is very important for the public administration to outline the policies that guided the actions involving health.

In addition, such aspects can be used as a ruler to measure whether or not a population is considered healthy.

What is health according to the WHO definition?

A concept of health that is widely known is the one that says that “health is the absence of disease”.

However, many people believe that health goes far beyond this simple understanding.

For example, the World Health Organization (WHO) gives a much broader definition.

Thus, for the WHO, health is:

“A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease.”

With such a definition , we can see that it is not only necessary not to have diseases to be healthy, it is essential to be well in various aspects of life.

What are the types of health?

Now, let’s talk a little about some types of health, check it out!

Social

Social health refers to maintaining existing healthy relationships with family, friends, co-workers and the community at large.

This is because we are social beings and therefore we need to receive support, recognition and esteem from others.

Therefore, support networks are extremely necessary to keep the other dimensions of health balanced.

Physical

Physical health is the main dimension of human well-being, as it represents a fully functioning body, without any type of disease, well nourished and active.

In order for us to reach a physically healthy state, it is necessary to have a balanced diet , to practice physical activities, to sleep at least eight hours, among other basic medical recommendations.

According to the latest National Health Survey, carried out in 2013 by the IBGE and the Ministry of Health, only 37.3% of Brazilians consume the recommended portions of fruits and vegetables, while 22.5% practice the recommended level of activity. physical.

A study released by Fiesp in 2018 points out that eight out of ten Brazilians are striving to improve their diet and opting for healthier products.

Another study, now released by the WHO in 2018, shows that 53.3% of women and 40.4% of men are still sedentary in the country.

This shows that there is still a long way to go before physical health is a priority for Brazilians.

Mental

Mental health is synonymous with emotional quality of life , that is, it is the balance between our emotions and feelings in the face of challenges, conflicts, changes and other events that happen in our life.

Being mentally healthy means that we are good with ourselves and with other people, in addition to being able to accept all adversities and knowing how to deal with good and bad emotions, always recognizing our limits.

According to data released by the Pan American Health Organization in 2019, Brazil has the highest rates of disability caused by depression (9.3%) and anxiety (7.5%) in the American continent.

This shows that it is extremely necessary.

Where and with whom should information on aspects of health be sought?

When we talk about Indicators  and aspects of Health in Brazil, it is necessary to know a little about the Interagency Health Information Network (RIPSA).

It was created through implementation by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in 1995 and aims to disseminate information on the situation and trends in health in Latin American countries.

In Brazil, RIPSA was created by a working group with representatives from the Ministry of Health, PAHO and other information institutions (IBGE, ABRASCO, IPEA, FMUSP), which was formalized through a ministerial decree in 1996.

RIPSA, within what is health, aims to:

• Establish all databases and information produced in the country;
• Articulate the participation of institutions for the production and analysis of data;
• Implement mechanisms to support the production of data and information;
• Promote exchanges between public administration information subsystems;
• Contribute to studies and understanding of the Brazilian health situation;
• Foster mechanisms that promote the use of information in decision-making processes in the SUS.

The Indicators available for consultation on the internet by RIPSA  are:

• Demographics;
• Socioeconomic;
• Mortality;
• morbidity;
• Risk and Protection Factors;
• Resources;
• Roof.

However, it is possible to obtain data related to what is health in other places, among these we can mention:

• The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), and;
• The State Data Analysis System (SEAD).

Both are institutions that provide the population with all the information that RIPSA also provides.

Nowadays, due to existing technological resources, it is very easy to find the description of an indicator, its applicability, its data source as well as its limitations.

The important thing is to choose the one that best fits your objective.

Important issues to be aware of when it comes to health

This topic is also extremely important, because now we are going to talk a little about some important issues that should be observed in relation to health.

Check out!

Accessibility

Regarding access to medical care, health inequalities were observed between developed and developing countries.

It is essential for the Government to be responsible for providing equal access to health and the participation of professionals in the area to implement planning in this care.

The strategy to ensure equity in health must be based on places and times that are accessible to the community, active participation of patients in meetings and meetings, and the costs of services that must be compatible with the economic situation of the region.

Care

Thinking about the care of the population, it is more beneficial to invest in access to clean water and healthy food than to have different medicines. Or it is better to avoid smoking than to undergo lung x-rays every year.

Therefore, it is essential that the public health system think about selecting priorities with the objective of avoiding diseases.

To ensure adequate health for people, primary care must be provided, adapted to economic and sociocultural conditions.

For example, continuing education in health, adequate nutrition, basic sanitation, maternal and child care, family planning, immunizations, disease prevention and control.

Attention to basic care

It is clear that basic services are essential for health promotion and prevention of comorbidities or diseases.

These basic precautions include:

• Immunizations;
• Control of socially more vulnerable and higher risk groups such as pregnant women and children;
• Early recognition of diseases such as fever, diarrhea, worms;
• Promote improvements in nutrition;
• Actions to improve basic sanitation;
• Supply of treated water;
• Conducting laboratory tests;
• Periodic screenings;
• In addition, it is essential to analyze the environment in which the patient is inserted, evaluating the mental state of the patient and his family members.

Thus, it is common knowledge that self-perception and what it reflects for each person is an important indicator of their level. It is considered a contributing factor for diagnosis and treatment adherence, and represents a predictor of morbidity and mortality.

Importance of health in the work environment

When it comes to health, the watchword is prevention .

Communication vehicles and social networks bombard us daily with content about diets, exercises, new habits, everything to avoid diseases and ensure longevity. There is scientific research and a market full of novelties.

What we can’t forget is that these attitudes can’t just be from the door out of the office, mainly because we usually spend most of our lives in it.

It’s no use adhering to a healthier life on the weekend and spending the week in an unhealthy environment. This is not good for the body, let alone the mind.

Thus, promoting occupational health – in addition to being a worker’s right – is a way of ensuring their well-being and also that of the company. Healthy and happy people have a better life, are absent less and produce more.

What is occupational health?

This concept emerged due to the need to create a specific health area to be able to take care of the well-being of the workplace of medium and large companies, especially in large industries.

Occupational health helps to promote a much better workplace, thus providing a better quality of life for employees.

Thus, we can understand that occupational health is responsible for taking care of workers and helping them stay healthy.

How can the company’s HR act in the promotion of occupational health?

Health must be an important pillar in the company’s organizational culture , so that, in this way, it can demonstrate the zeal it has for its employees, encouraging always healthy habits.

There are numerous strategies that can help in the promotion of occupational health, aiming at quality of life in the work environment.

See some below.

• Promote ergonomics at work

Ergonomics was included in labor laws as Regulatory Norms , where all parameters and working conditions are established, so that it is possible to provide comfort, safety and good performance to workers.

Such standards are very important and need to be followed by all employers.

All professionals must work in minimally comfortable conditions, and, for this to happen, the company must offer adequate work equipment, assess the conditions of the environment where the work is performed, and so on.

• Create a wellness program

A wellness program is a wonderful way to provide employees with occupational health and safety as it helps raise awareness in a number of effective ways.

• Encourage healthy habits and exercise

It is also important that the company encourages the practice of physical exercises along with healthy habits, such as the consumption of healthy foods.

Therefore, it is important for the company to set up walking groups, provide labor gymnastics or stretching classes, invest in healthy food in the company cafeteria.

Such practices help to promote occupational health, encourage the practice of activities , and with that the worker becomes healthier and consequently earns more.

• Flexibility of the working day

It is already a fact that increasing the flexibility of the working day brings positive results for employees and employers. It contributes to reducing the number of absences, staff turnover and productivity.

This flexibility of working hours can be at the beginning or end of the daily workday, for full periods, remote or even in a partial or full home office system.

Flexibility became even better known and adopted due to the coronavirus pandemic that shook work structures in the world.

And in Brazil it was no different. The system proved to be so positive that many companies, even with the reduction of contamination and mass immunization, remain with the flexibility of their working hours.

This system is regulated by article 58 of the Consolidation of Labor Laws (CLT) .

It defines a normal working day to be eight hours a day, provided that another limit is set.

Allows working hours to be added by two extra hours per day, worth at least 50% more than normal hours on weekdays and 100% on holidays and weekends.

Some variations may occur depending on the profile and working hours adopted by the company.

The employer can also opt for working hours compensation, for example, when the worker needs to stay late on one day and off the next, or vice versa.

In addition to compensation, it is also possible to adopt the hour bank. The flexibility of working hours also needs to be agreed between workers, the company and the union of the category and should not imply a reduction in salary.