22 PEOPLE | LEGAL SECTOR SUSTAINABILITY INSIGHT 2016 PHYSICAL WELLBEING Wellbeing is the composite of happiness, feeling well and living safely without illness, but the way many of us work, the demands of modern life and our personal choices can impact on our health and wellbeing. Legal work like many modern professions is predominantly sedentary often involving pressure and long working hours. These long hours in combination with personal commitments can also reduce the amount of health building leisure-time workers can enjoy. The reduction of health and wellbeing experienced as a result of these types of lifestyles can have significant and long-term impacts on peoples’ lives. Many AusLSA members already recognise their social obligations to their workforce but they also know that improved workplace health and wellbeing delivers: • increased productivity, alertness and concentration among staff • staff who feel valued with better morale, satisfaction and motivation • decreased mental ill-health and other work and non-work-related illness • reduced sick leave and fewer worker’s compensation claims • increased staff retention and attractiveness to new employees • improved corporate citizenship and image. Employers, in addition to social responsibility and the benefits to organisational health, have a legal duty of care for their employees. FORMAL POLICY PUBLISHED POLICY 88% 31% 6% 69% 6% Yes Yes No No Not Reported POLICY PUBLISHED