Transparency is extremely important to us, so we are letting you know that we may receive a commission on some of links you click on from this page. See our disclaimer.

While every culture has its unique characteristics, one attribute appears to have global commonality: The drive for improved employee health and productivity.

New evidence comes from the Saudi Gazette, which reports that “a growing number of companies in the UAE are giving their staff a wellness boost to promote health and wellbeing as well as encourage better employee engagement.”

In fact, the piece adds that “a recent MEED survey of 136 companies showed 66% of respondents are now implementing wellness programmes in the office, up from just 45% since 2014.”

Said Dr. Michael Bitzer, CEO at National Health Insurance Company – Daman: “This is a great improvement from just a year ago, an encouraging sign that bodes well for not just the individual welfare of employees, but also the overall wellbeing of the company.”

Other results:

• Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry “reported a 10% increase in employee health and wellbeing as a result of their wellness initiatives and a reduction in employee absenteeism by 56%.”
• “20% of the workforce who participated in Sehati, the in-house wellness program of Dubai Chamber, have developed healthy habits that they can now maintain over time.”

And the results are not just around physical health. The piece notes that “52% said they have initiatives in place to combat stress among their employees.”