Who is the happiest person you know? According to the latest NAB Wellbeing Index it is retired women who are widowed and living in a South Australian or Northern Territory regional city!
This is from the Q4 2013 NAB Wellbeing Index which surveys the Australian population to gauge their wellbeing, happiness and anxiety.
Why is this information useful? Well it helps to identify who in our communities are vulnerable and what is worrying them. This enables organisations like the Seventh-day Adventist Church to ensure they are responding to the real needs in theircommunities.
Other points of interest from the index include:
- While SA/NT have the highest levels of wellbeing, Tasmania has the lowest;
- Regional cites are where people enjoy the highest levels of wellbeing, followed by rural towns, and lastly capital cities;
- Those earning $100k plus have the highest levels of wellbeing;
- While women have enjoyed the highest levels of wellbeing, the latest survey also shows their anxiety levels are increasing significantly;
- Similarly for retirees, who typically enjoy higher levels of wellbeing, their anxiety levels are also on the rise.
The most important factors on positive wellbeing are personal relationships, our home, and personal safety. Whereas the factors that most detract from wellbeing are financial security and physical health.
Take the time to review this data, read the reports, and then reflect on whether your organisation has a role to fulfil in increasing the wellbeing of Australians.