Malawi loses 35% employee productivity to bad health

By Charles Mkula

Malawian companies experience about 35 percent productivity loss due to work stress or a chronic health condition, MantraCare, a workplace wellness firm has disclosed,

MantraCare notes that over 70% of employees in Malawi suffer from different mental and physical illnesses that affect their work and social lives.

Realising the growing health and wellness problems facing workers across the world, Manipal Hospitals recently held a “wellness at work” webinar aimed at creating public awareness on employee welfare focusing on health issues that are increasingly affecting employee productivity.

The conference discussed the need for organizations to develop corporate wellness plans as tools for employee recruitment and retention. It covered up-to-date trends, best practices, and innovations in corporate health and wellness, and solutions to sustain engagement, enhance productivity, and promote healthy behavior and increase returns on investment

The event attracted over 350 participants from across the globe.

Vikas Tayer, the Head of International Healthcare Services at Manipal Hospitals in India pointed out that his organization understood the health challenges that employees face at work.

“This program aims to improve the health and well-being of employees and create a healthy workplace that is diverse, productive, and resilient,” he said adding that the meeting was also aimed at enabling organizations to create a culture of wellness from the grassroot level so that it reflects the company’s strategic vision.

Vizenge Kumwenda, Group Managing Director for NICO Holdings PLC in Malawi observed that the webinar encouraged participants to make decisions towards a successful life, both as individuals in society and at work.

“As an employer, it is important to ensure that workplaces have personal health resources that can encourage and support employees’ attempts to enhance their personal health practices and lifestyles as well as monitor and support their physical and emotional well-being,” he said while saluting Manipal Hospitals for breaking barriers and supporting the personal health objectives of employees across the globe.

Experts view that stress, lack of sleep, absence of physical activity, sitting for long hours, workload and poor eating habits lead to serious illnesses. They say these conditions are prone to health disorders such as anxiety, depression, heart diseases, obesity, insomnia, asthma, arthritis, psychological issues, high blood pressure, thyroid problems, body aches, and fatigue.

Managing Director of Mercy’s Theraptic Massage, Mercy Kanjo explained that though patients have varying problems most of them require therapy to reduce stress and anxiety as well as to promote better sleep.

MantraCare offers a comprehensive and affordable program with mental health, smoking cessation, diabetes reversal, physio therapy and more.

Manipal Hospitals is India’s second-largest multi-specialty healthcare provider treating over 4 million patients annually. With its recent acquisition of a 100% stake in Columbia Asia Hospitals in India, the integrated organization today has an enhanced pan-India footprint with 28 hospitals across 15 cities.

It provides comprehensive curative and preventive care for a multitude of patients from around the globe.

6 thoughts on “Malawi loses 35% employee productivity to bad health

  1. It’s like looking at old photos, and reading about past family reunions. =DThanks for this article, everyone!shaken, amazed, in awe: yale-nus students are some of the most dramatic and out-of-touch kids I’ve ever seen in my entire life. imagine unconsciously revealing the immensity of your privilege in this many articlesschools in sg shut down or merge all the time. students all over the world are completing a second year of online lessons, never once seeing school environment or peers in real life. and yall find the most obscure things to be upset over

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