I fell ill soon after starting full-time work as a new employee at a Japanese multinational manufacturer many years ago. After I recovered, my then boss gave me some advice on health management, and it was that talk that triggered my ongoing interest in health and nutrition.

In the course of my work since, I have encountered cases of colleagues who passed away, who had chronic diseases or who were often absent due to illness. These cases have helped me to identify unhealthy eating habits as one of the many factors behind poor worker health.

In 2018, I shared my opinions on eating habits with the local English-language press in Singapore to highlight my concern after reading an article on ways to cut smoking and high sugar intake in Singapore. Today, the topic of eating habits is still relevant for a population that is rapidly aging and has a low mortality rate, as noted by our Minister for Health in a recent speech. He mentioned that chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension and high blood cholesterol are consequences of our lifestyles, especially our eating habits.

The good news is that eating habits are controllable. But conscious efforts are required to understand the work and environmental influences on our health and to adapt our nutritional needs to the environment. For example, when a foreign employee is posted to a warm and humid country such as Singapore for a new assignment, it is advisable that he or she remembers the importance of good hydration. Apart from that, the health guidelines in Singapore recommend filling a quarter of our daily plate with wholegrains, a quarter with proteins and the remaining half with two servings of fruit and vegetables. These guidelines should help us consider our needs and make more informed and healthy consumption choices.

My healthy breakfast (Shio-konbu, oat porridge, boiled egg & coffee)

My breakfast (Oat porridge, vegetables, sunny-side-up egg, smoked salmon, beans & coffee)

Among the big companies that I have worked for, many operate their own canteens. These are companies that put in rigorous and ongoing efforts to maintain a safety culture. However, they were less likely to do the same to ensure that healthy eating behaviors were cultivated among their workforces. This could be because even a temporary business closure resulting from a fire can have repercussions on profits, but the causality between health and labor productivity is often less obvious. While safety and health training tends to drum into workers the importance of environmental health, healthy consumption habits often seem to be overlooked.

A worker’s health goes hand in hand with his safety. Thus, organizations that operate their own canteens can ensure that food vendors offer healthier food choices to their employees. They can also influence workers to adopt healthy eating habits by making healthy food affordable and attractive. The human resource department of the organizations can work with canteen staff to improve food quality. External food caterers for corporate events can also be encouraged to offer healthier menus.

Since safety management and the continuous development of a safety culture are regarded as a cornerstone of corporate responsibility, business leaders can do the same for healthy consumption. They should emphasize the healthy worker as the cornerstone of productive capacity and performance in the same way that safety has been regarded as a foundation of business sustainability.