Pictured at the launch in Galway (l-r): Kenny Deery, CEO of Galway Chamber, Biddy O Neill, HSE’s Health Promotions Manager, Cllr Eddie Hoare, Mayor of the City of Galway, Government Chief Whip Hildegarde Naughton, Minister of State at the Department of Health, Eveanna Ryan, President of Galway Chamber and Group Marketing and Innovation Manager at Connacht Hospitality, and Ian Talbot, Chief Executive of Chambers Ireland.

A research report by Chambers Ireland on the Healthy Workplace Framework, commissioned by Healthy Ireland to look at the issues around occupational health and wellbeing and how businesses engage with the Framework, has been launched.

Hildegarde Naughton TD, and Minister of State with responsibility for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, who launched the Chambers Ireland report in Galway in December, said that it’s widely acknowledged at international level that the workplace is an ideal setting to promote employee wellbeing.

“This research provides us with data in relation to the benefits, challenges and barriers to promoting wellbeing in the workplace. It also offers us insights into the perceived role of businesses and the types of initiatives that are delivered in organisations.

 “One of the interesting findings in the report is that organisations, which had a health and wellbeing strategy and supports in place, found it easier to recruit staff. This is a key message which we need to highlight going forward, as our vision for wellbeing in the workplace is that it becomes embedded in the culture of every organisation”.

The work outlined in this report was completed over a three-month period. Chambers Ireland obtained the views of businesses through 19 focus groups, conducted with the support of the Chamber Network.

 Ian Talbot, Chief Executive of Chambers Ireland, said: “We have seen many new trends in the past couple of years such as remote and hybrid models of work, which provided a timely opportunity to evaluate the health and wellbeing of our workforce. This report underscores our commitment to the ongoing betterment of our national workforce and informs the implementation of the Healthy Workplace Framework.”

Eveanna Ryan, Galway Chamber President, said that as a Chamber whose members took part in the research, she was delighted to see the report launched at the Galway office, and hopes the members engage further with the framework.