The Minister of Health thanked “all workers in the country, and all health professionals who, in the context of the pandemic, have found themselves at greater risk to their physical, mental and social health.”
Health Minister Marta Temido on Wednesday highlighted the importance of promoting health, well-being and safety in the workplace, a topic she said the government would continue to invest in.
“We believe this is a beneficial public investment, one with a guaranteed return, and we will continue to promote occupational health and decent work and protect and promote the health of all workers in general in our business, and in public administration in particular.”He said.
The Minister was speaking at a ceremony in Lisbon, promoted by the Ordem dos Psicólogos, to deliver awards to national organizations with management practices that promote safety, well-being and health in the workplace, the “Healthy Workplaces 2022” Awards.
Speaking at the opening of the ceremony, the Minister recalled how, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations “reinvented themselves” to respond to a new reality, which in some cases exacerbated occupational risks, and which gave rise to new forms of work. , whether telecommuting is the constant in the workplace, to avoid exposure to risks.
Marta Temedo then left “a word of thanks to all workers in the country, to all health professionals who, in the context of the pandemic, have found themselves at greater risk to their physical, mental and social health,” with psychologists. He added that he also has to adapt to a new way of working.
Public health crisis highlights importance of health promotion
Marta Temedo said, that the public health crisis has highlighted the importance of promoting health, well-being and safety in the context of work, factors that must continue to be protected in the context of recovery, because “enjoying a healthy and safe work environment is possible. A fundamental right of any professional” and the government recognizes this Importance.
Francisco Miranda Rodríguez, President of the Portuguese Psychologists Association, also emphasized the importance of a healthy work environment, and said that the awards given on Wednesday are an incentive to continue work in promoting good working conditions, and stressed that the well-being of workers is directly related to productivity.
For this reason, he added, “it is not acceptable” that the largest resources in a country are people, and they can be wasted.
In a 2019 report, Francisco Miranda Rodriguez said, only private companies in non-financial sectors have direct costs related to absenteeism due to “stress” and psychological problems, estimated at €3.2 billion, “three Vasco da Gama”.
The system initiative is a partnership with the Working Conditions Authority and the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work.
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