By Judith Tan

SMALL- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) looking to help their employees become healthier can now tap extra government funding.

To roll out workplace health programmes that cost less than $10,000, companies can get government help to cover up to 90 per cent of the costs, up from 50 per cent.

The programmes can range from health screening and healthy-cooking demonstrations to sporting activities like yoga classes as well as mass exercises and how-to-stop-smoking efforts.

The idea is to create a healthy workforce, which will boost productivity for employers and give employees a better quality of life.

Mr Lucas Chow, chairman of the Health Promotion Board and co-chairman of the National Tripartite Committee on Workplace Health, said the enhanced subsidy started in April.

Speaking at the 9th National Conference on Workplace Health Promotion on Thursday, he said that targeting SMEs was one of the committee's key recommendations.

It was set up in December last year, and its members are from the private sector and agencies such as the National Trades Union Congress and the Singapore National Employers Federation.

At present, only about half of SMEs have workplace health programmes, and employers have welcomed help in footing the bill.

Dr Lam Pin Min, chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee on Health, said the generous subsidy 'will definitely lower the hurdle for SMEs to embark on such programmes'.

'Primary prevention and early detection of diseases are key to maintaining a healthy workforce and curbing health-care spending,' he said.

Staff at video production company Spinn, who keep irregular hours and work under tight deadline pressures, found a way to beat the burnout.

Its health committee chairman Annie Tran, 27, said: 'We let staff take time out during office hours to get involved in exercise, usually on Monday so the day seems shorter... cutting down on Monday blues.'

Besides health screenings and talks, Spinn's more than 30 employees can choose from a variety of keep-fit classes subsidised by the company, with aerobics, pilates and kickboxing being the more popular ones.

The $2,500 or so the company spends a year has paid off for its founder Foh Chit Yee, whose blood pressure is now under control. He is much fitter too after attending regular gym workouts and other activities.

'The staff had always wanted to go wakeboarding but the sport is expensive. Now I think we can go for that option,' said Ms Tran, on how the extra funding would help.

Mr Chow's committee also recommended that a code of practice on workplace health promotion be developed to guide employers.

Although it would be voluntary for now, down the road some of the proposals could be turned into law.

Under Japan's Industrial Safety and Health Law, for example, employers need to provide workers with periodic medical assessments. And since April, companies must also take the waist measurement of workers aged between 40 and 74 years.

Medical studies have shown that carrying fat around the stomach can quadruple the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

'We will study the Japanese experience but I think there are many issues to be addressed before health promotion at the workplace can be legislated here,' Mr Chow said.

This article was first published in The Straits Times.