Yethu iWellness - Further information


Yethu iWellness is the ideal integrated health and wellness programme, given the following aspects:

  1. To avoid stigmatization, HIV/Aids is no longer an isolated issue but would be served under health management, which includes chronic disease management to provide for HIV/Aids, cancer, diabetes, and other diseases. Health management should be all-encompassing and preventative, as well as supportive in the management of health in the workplace.
     
  2. Psychosocial wellness can be seen as traditional EAP focusing on preventing and addressing psychosocial hazards, such as stress, physical and emotional violence, overload, substance abuse, etc., through risk assessments and policies, as well as organisational, environmental and individually focused interventions.

  3. Occupational health and safety management.While it could be argued that this section should be accommodated under health management, it is not the same for all enterprises and sectors. Legal compliance is an important component of safety management as well as the prevention of occupational disease, and thus of the total wellness of the employee.

  4. Organisational wellness..An organisation should chase productivity as well as the tripple bottom line. Values, ethics, trust, a sense of belonging, personal development, communication, energy, innovation, challenge and dignity at work is the life-blood of the organisation. Talent retention, career pathing as well as mentoring and coaching of staff are ways to achieve these goals.

It is crucial to note that all these issues are interrelated. The interaction is illustrated overleaf.

yethu diagram

The successful introduction of Yethu iWellness in the workplace requires that the employer interact with all participants and involve all employees to promote the aims and objectives of the wellness programme. Furthermore, it must be remembered that Yethu iWellness underscores and delivers an unequivocal message that illness, psychosocial problems, accidents and other problems can be prevented. Preventative action is thus encouraged.

Since employee wellness issues and situations are complex and solutions abound, Yethu iWellness is adaptable. One single approach to a particular problem does not apply to all.