thirds (65%) of business managers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said their company's corporate wellness program had improved the health of their employees, according to a survey carried out by Middle East business intelligence provider MEED. Almost half of respondents (48%) said that corporate wellness programs had improved employee engagement, 35% said the schemes had reduced business costs, while 24% said the rate of workplace accidents had been reduced. Commenting on the survey, Dr. Michael Bitzer, CEO at National Health Insurance Company – Daman, said "the work place is where most people spend at least a third of their day. From the perspective of the general wellbeing of an individual it then becomes imperative that the environment that they spend so much time in supports wellness. Employers must take necessary steps to ensure that work environments remain inspiring and pleasant as that motivates staff and keeps them positive. Positivity, as we all know, influences productivity." "We are delighted with the feedback that a majority of the businesses utilizing corporate health and wellness programs have found them to be effective in improving the health of their employees. Such programs, as demonstrated by winners of previous awards, are scalable to suit every budget and workplace– from organizing weekly walks around the local park to broad programs involving experts and specialists' venues." MEED carried out the survey in 72 of the UAE's top firms with well-established corporate wellness programs ahead of the 2016 Daman Corporate Health Awards, which recognizes the best employers in the UAE for their commitment and success in corporate health and wellness. Managing workload is by far the biggest cause of stress in the workplace, according to the survey. Almost half of respondents (49%) said that workload was the main source of stress, with 24% saying that juggling work and personal life was the main factor. Other causes of stress include lack of job security (14%) and issues with colleagues (6%). The concept of happiness has been a hot topic in the UAE this year since Ohood al Roumi was announced as the country's first Minister of State for Happiness in February. In March, Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, approved a 100-day national program for happiness and positivity. The program features several initiatives focusing on government policies and community development, including benchmarks to measure happiness with dedicated employees to ensure client satisfaction. The MEED survey found that 62% of respondents considered themselves and their colleagues "happy the majority of the time at work". Some 12% of those surveyed said they were not happy the majority of the time, with 27% responding that they were indifferent. The 2016 Daman Corporate Health Awards will be held at The Westin in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 9.
