#workplace-health-benefits

#workplace-health-benefits

C-suite clients are getting treatments to age themselves down, with a focus on looking energetic, young, and full of vitality. Plastic surgeons report a significant increase in demand for facial procedures among executives.

When the CEO held a virtual town hall in 2020 and said there needed to be layoffs, I knew I would be one of the first to go because I served zero purpose at that point.

Body agency is a power returned after an incident took it away from the user's physical form, and some wearable devices and technologies have this exact goal in mind.

When you rest your brain, your brain activates a network that we call the default network. This network only becomes active when you step away from your work or cognitively-demanding tasks.

My co-worker, "Alyssa," joined the office a few months ago. As far as I can tell, she is significantly hard of hearing but doesn't use any hearing aid. I've tried to train myself to speak loudly and clearly with her (I have family who are going deaf, I get it), but she still often misses part of what I say.

Being a leader today requires a new level of performance. One that overrides fatigue, can suppress internal signals, and absorbs constant urgency, all while rapidly context-switching. Simply said, modern leadership demands have increased, and not everyone is-or wants to stay-on board. Today's leaders face growing expectations, dynamic responsibilities, and constant pressure to perform amid deep uncertainty and an ever-accelerating business ecosystem.

Workplace wellness programs have exploded over the past decade or so, with companies rolling out a suite of subsidized perks, such as gym discounts, mental health apps, and other benefits aimed at attracting and retaining workers. The pandemic upped the ante even more - in the face of a tight labor market and a hyper-stressed workforce, plenty of business leaders looked around and thought, "Well, a Zoom meditation session can't hurt, right?"

Q I manage an engineering company in the north-west, with a staff of about 50. Recruitment and retention are key issues, because staff are constantly being poached, and are then difficult to replace.

Workplace noise isn't just a nuisance. It's also a stressor and productivity killer, according to a Jabra study from 2024. As someone who likes working in quiet zones, I understand. That's why I recommend leaders spend time considering how their workspace design affects the noise level for their employees.

If you run a business, there's a familiar email you probably opened this fall: the one from your benefits broker with your 2026 health insurance renewal. You scroll. You see a double-digit increase, and your stomach drops. You want to do right by your team. You also have a P&L to protect. And the three standard options you're handed - pay the increase, raise deductibles or push more cost onto employees - all feel bad in different ways.

Recent surveys estimate more than 6.7 million Australians - almost half of all workers, and the majority in Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra - work from home at least some of the time in paid or unpaid roles. With that increase in working from home, it's easy to spend too long sitting - which is now recognised as bad for our health.

Resume Builder reported last October that 30% of companies will eliminate remote work in 2026. According to a survey of business leaders by Vena Solutions , a private financial software company, 83% of CEOs globally anticipate a return to full-time office work in 2027. But what if there's a better way to frame this conversation? What if the focus shifts away from where employees are working to when employees are working?

Most people know what a difficult day at work feels like. It can be tiring, draining and tense, leaving you unable to switch off. But there are also days when work feels lighter and more energising. These good days are not necessarily defined by big wins or major achievements. In fact, they tend to come from harmonious experiences in the workplace that support our psychological needs.

While some workers are being mandated to return to the office, a growing majority of workers now say they want to "microshift" their workday. Unlike hybrid or remote schedules, in which you work remotely some or all of the time, microshifting is about making small adjustments to your start times, breaks and hours rather than adhering to a rigid nine-to-five schedule.