Digging deeper for mining sector wellness and productivity solutions
Context-based integrated services address barriers to optimum performance
Mark Arnold
Tuesday, 6 June 2017, South Africa’s prosperity is intertwined with that of the mining industry, and the health of the workforce that supports it. With large numbers of employees within the industry becoming ill or incapacitated each year due to lifestyle conditions and occupational injuries, access to intuitive healthcare cover can go a long way to support productivity in the workforce.
This is the view of Mark Arnold, Principal Officer of Resolution Health Medical Scheme (Resolution Health), which has been serving the mining industry for over a decade. “The Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act of 2002, which enshrines equal access to mineral resources, has opened the doors to meaningful participation of previously disadvantaged people in the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources,” Arnold notes.
“When the Act was passed, there was only one junior mining company but by mid-2008 this had grown to 21 junior mining companies. According to the Chamber of Mines, since 2000, the value of empowerment transactions has grown to R205 billion in 2014 money terms.
“On the other hand, the industry, which is fraught with change and challenge has also reportedly lost as much as 10% of its workforce in 2015 and 2016 with some 40 000 jobs being shed. This means that a great deal of skill and experience has been lost to this industry.
“Each individual workplace has different challenges when it comes to the health and wellbeing of workers, which ultimately impacts on profitability. This holds particularly true for South Africa’s junior mining companies, many of which are nowadays working on increasingly tight margins,” he adds.
According to Arnold, years of experience and research in the industry, where Resolution Health has established itself as a trusted partner, has indicated that the greatest challenges in terms of worker health in the mining sector are often preventable or manageable.
“Resolution Health’s offering for business caters for staff at all levels, although our Foundation option has been particularly popular with the mining sector. We recognise the power of preventative healthcare solutions, and therefore a range of preventative screenings and vaccinations are available from participating Foundation Network healthcare providers,” he explains.
“In addition, members under our care who live with chronic conditions are empowered and supported to keep them healthier while maximising the benefits they are entitled to.”
Productivity at the coalface
Lizette Bester, Executive at Agility Corporate, agrees that worker health is central to supporting South Africa’s miners, but argues that the underlying causes that may impact on the health of a workforce need to be addressed in order to make a meaningful and sustained difference to overall worker productivity.
“While most mines have their own healthcare programmes in place, particularly the larger mines, high rates of illness and chronic disease among mineworkers have created the need for additional support and wellness services to keep the workforce healthy and productive,” Bester adds.
The Agility Corporate employee wellness solutions can stand alone, or can be complementary to an employer’s existing programme. The service caters to the specific needs of the entire workforce, regardless of the nature of their employment, from top management to unskilled labour.
Bester advocates a holistic approach, incorporating a comprehensive disease management programme, in tackling the challenges of worker wellbeing for lasting improved productivity in the mining sector.
“It is imperative that valued staff members with chronic conditions remain on their medication and are empowered with information to keep themselves healthy. In addition, employees cannot simply leave their worries at the door when going to work, and it is well established that sources of stress can negatively impact on job performance. Such a service can work particularly well in companies where there is a medical scheme in place.
“What we are striving for is a preventative healthcare programme supported by an effective, multi-pronged approach to wellness that is of considerable assistance in managing risks in the mining sector. The Agility Corporate approach is to analyse the context to determine the interventions that could best address problems threatening the health and work performance of employees at a particular workplace.”
As part of this service offering, Resolution Health Medical Scheme provides healthcare cover for employees and anonymous data drawn from a company’s medical claims provide insights to guide proposed interventions.
Employees who are members of the scheme also have access to the Employee Wellbeing Programme (EWP), providing access to basic financial, legal and psychological counselling over the phone with relevant external experts. These services can significantly assist individuals in mitigating a range of common pressures, which can help to offset the potential harmful effects of stress on existing health conditions.
"One of the trends we identified in the mining industry is that employees all too often fail to comply with established safety measures, with some workers choosing not to wear the protective clothing provided by their employer. We have seen a marked improvement in such compliance since we introduced workshops and various practical measures to positively reinforce safety measures; thereby reducing the risks employees were exposed to in terms of occupational diseases and injuries,” notes Bester.
“Preventative health screenings and voluntary HIV counselling and testing, as well as educational health talks that are designed to fulfil identified gaps in a way that is understandable and constructive to the workforce, are valuable tools in empowering staff members to take better care of themselves. Wellness Days and other relevant interventions tailored to a particular company’s needs are an effective step towards helping employees to make healthier choices, thereby reducing or mitigating the risk of such illnesses for improved productivity,” adds Bester.
A considerable financial benefit for employers making use of Agility Corporate solutions is that the risk mitigation measures implemented can be presented to the underwriters of the company’s group risk insurance provider, or providers, with a view to negotiating a reduction in premiums – thereby reducing the costs associated with employment.
“We not only seek to prevent loss of productivity through our extensive holistic and cost effective healthcare service offering, but are also looking to develop and implement creative solutions that will help employees to perform at their best, thereby contributing to better overall performance. Through implementing meaningful, multi-faceted wellness solutions, healthcare expenses and absenteeism can be substantially reduced,” notes Bester.
“In the mining sector in particular, the specialised skills, experience and institutional knowledge required by the workforce can be difficult and costly to replace. Valued staff members are hard to come by, and companies are often able to prevent staff attrition through investing in health and wellness, which further boosts morale and productivity – representing a sound investment for any company in the mining industry,” concludes Bester.
Mark Arnold
Tuesday, 6 June 2017, South Africa’s prosperity is intertwined with that of the mining industry, and the health of the workforce that supports it. With large numbers of employees within the industry becoming ill or incapacitated each year due to lifestyle conditions and occupational injuries, access to intuitive healthcare cover can go a long way to support productivity in the workforce.
This is the view of Mark Arnold, Principal Officer of Resolution Health Medical Scheme (Resolution Health), which has been serving the mining industry for over a decade. “The Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act of 2002, which enshrines equal access to mineral resources, has opened the doors to meaningful participation of previously disadvantaged people in the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources,” Arnold notes.
“When the Act was passed, there was only one junior mining company but by mid-2008 this had grown to 21 junior mining companies. According to the Chamber of Mines, since 2000, the value of empowerment transactions has grown to R205 billion in 2014 money terms.
“On the other hand, the industry, which is fraught with change and challenge has also reportedly lost as much as 10% of its workforce in 2015 and 2016 with some 40 000 jobs being shed. This means that a great deal of skill and experience has been lost to this industry.
“Each individual workplace has different challenges when it comes to the health and wellbeing of workers, which ultimately impacts on profitability. This holds particularly true for South Africa’s junior mining companies, many of which are nowadays working on increasingly tight margins,” he adds.
According to Arnold, years of experience and research in the industry, where Resolution Health has established itself as a trusted partner, has indicated that the greatest challenges in terms of worker health in the mining sector are often preventable or manageable.
“Resolution Health’s offering for business caters for staff at all levels, although our Foundation option has been particularly popular with the mining sector. We recognise the power of preventative healthcare solutions, and therefore a range of preventative screenings and vaccinations are available from participating Foundation Network healthcare providers,” he explains.
“In addition, members under our care who live with chronic conditions are empowered and supported to keep them healthier while maximising the benefits they are entitled to.”
Productivity at the coalface
Lizette Bester, Executive at Agility Corporate, agrees that worker health is central to supporting South Africa’s miners, but argues that the underlying causes that may impact on the health of a workforce need to be addressed in order to make a meaningful and sustained difference to overall worker productivity.
“While most mines have their own healthcare programmes in place, particularly the larger mines, high rates of illness and chronic disease among mineworkers have created the need for additional support and wellness services to keep the workforce healthy and productive,” Bester adds.
The Agility Corporate employee wellness solutions can stand alone, or can be complementary to an employer’s existing programme. The service caters to the specific needs of the entire workforce, regardless of the nature of their employment, from top management to unskilled labour.
Bester advocates a holistic approach, incorporating a comprehensive disease management programme, in tackling the challenges of worker wellbeing for lasting improved productivity in the mining sector.
“It is imperative that valued staff members with chronic conditions remain on their medication and are empowered with information to keep themselves healthy. In addition, employees cannot simply leave their worries at the door when going to work, and it is well established that sources of stress can negatively impact on job performance. Such a service can work particularly well in companies where there is a medical scheme in place.
“What we are striving for is a preventative healthcare programme supported by an effective, multi-pronged approach to wellness that is of considerable assistance in managing risks in the mining sector. The Agility Corporate approach is to analyse the context to determine the interventions that could best address problems threatening the health and work performance of employees at a particular workplace.”
As part of this service offering, Resolution Health Medical Scheme provides healthcare cover for employees and anonymous data drawn from a company’s medical claims provide insights to guide proposed interventions.
Employees who are members of the scheme also have access to the Employee Wellbeing Programme (EWP), providing access to basic financial, legal and psychological counselling over the phone with relevant external experts. These services can significantly assist individuals in mitigating a range of common pressures, which can help to offset the potential harmful effects of stress on existing health conditions.
"One of the trends we identified in the mining industry is that employees all too often fail to comply with established safety measures, with some workers choosing not to wear the protective clothing provided by their employer. We have seen a marked improvement in such compliance since we introduced workshops and various practical measures to positively reinforce safety measures; thereby reducing the risks employees were exposed to in terms of occupational diseases and injuries,” notes Bester.
“Preventative health screenings and voluntary HIV counselling and testing, as well as educational health talks that are designed to fulfil identified gaps in a way that is understandable and constructive to the workforce, are valuable tools in empowering staff members to take better care of themselves. Wellness Days and other relevant interventions tailored to a particular company’s needs are an effective step towards helping employees to make healthier choices, thereby reducing or mitigating the risk of such illnesses for improved productivity,” adds Bester.
A considerable financial benefit for employers making use of Agility Corporate solutions is that the risk mitigation measures implemented can be presented to the underwriters of the company’s group risk insurance provider, or providers, with a view to negotiating a reduction in premiums – thereby reducing the costs associated with employment.
“We not only seek to prevent loss of productivity through our extensive holistic and cost effective healthcare service offering, but are also looking to develop and implement creative solutions that will help employees to perform at their best, thereby contributing to better overall performance. Through implementing meaningful, multi-faceted wellness solutions, healthcare expenses and absenteeism can be substantially reduced,” notes Bester.
“In the mining sector in particular, the specialised skills, experience and institutional knowledge required by the workforce can be difficult and costly to replace. Valued staff members are hard to come by, and companies are often able to prevent staff attrition through investing in health and wellness, which further boosts morale and productivity – representing a sound investment for any company in the mining industry,” concludes Bester.
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