By Kor Kian Beng

COMPANIES keen on helping their workers stay healthy and fit can look forward to a slew of measures from the Health Promotion Board (HPB).

It will launch a workplace health package this month in which selected vendors will provide companies with health screening and services in four areas: physical activity, healthy eating, mental well-being and smoking control.

The HPB will also tailor its activities to meet the needs of different industries.

Industry workgroups, made up of representatives from trade associations, unions and firms, will be set up to get feedback on challenges faced by the industry.

Mr Hawazi Daipi, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Health, announced these new measures in Parliament yesterday, in response to queries posed by several MPs on efforts to promote workplace health.

Mr Yeo Guat Kwang (Aljunied GRC) said the launch of a new re-employment law by 2012 makes it crucial for companies to have healthy and fit workers.

Mr Hawazi said the new measures come on top of existing financial grants to companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to initiate workplace health programmes.

He added that the HPB and the Manpower Ministry are piloting a health management framework that will link corporate and individual health to appropriate incentive schemes.

'This will be an exciting area of development as we push for greater productivity in our workforce,' said Mr Hawazi.
This article was first published in The Straits Times.