Do you care about your employees’ fitness regimen? What they eat? How much they weigh, or how they spend their free time? Why should you? With the high cost of healthcare these days, smart business owners have a genuine interest in the well being of their workers.
The American Heart Association recently completed a study on workplace wellness that found employers spend almost a third of their annual healthcare costs on workers at increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Obesity, diabetes, depression and stress are to blame for untold worker absences and reduced productivity. Unhealthy workers cost businesses money.
But, you say, you’re the boss, not the dad. Your workers are grown ups who make their own life decisions, healthy or not. You run a company, not a health spa. Well, yes, this is business. Research shows companies save between $3 and $15 for every $1 spent on wellness within 12 18 months of implementing a program. From a purely dollars and cents perspective, if you can get high risk employees to improve their lifestyles, the company saves on healthcare costs.
Employees who exercise several times a week and have good eating habits have a much stronger resistance to disease, and a greater chance of staying healthy. They’re also less likely to get diabetes, cancer, and other medical conditions and complications that could affect their performance and take time away from work. Savvy companies recognize the value of employees’ total health and that a good program can attract exceptional employees, improve morale and even lessen workplace conflicts.
The key to making a wellness program effective is participation. Some of the best programs encourage employees to live healthier lifestyles by using incentives to motivate them. Employees who quit smoking might receive a cash bonus or those who join a gym may get a reward after a certain number of visits. The most successful programs also involve workers’ families. Think about it, the family is our main support system and may be the driving factor in getting employees to change unhealthy habits.
Wellness initiatives can be as simple as bringing bushel baskets of fresh fruit into break rooms to encourage better eating or offering back rubs to employees at lunchtime. They can be as extensive as building fitness facilities onsite or paying for obesity treatments.
New Years is a great time to offer employees wellness support. It’s the time for resolutions, and topping most people’s lists are health issues. We vow to lose weight, go to the gym, quit smoking and lead healthier lives. But by the start of February, many great ideas and promises made in earnest are left by the wayside due to a lack of support, motivation and time. Whatever the design or scope of a company program, it should help employees realize their health goals. Whether you call it a wellness program or health management program, promoting and helping workers get and stay healthy is an investment in the company. The bottom line supporting employees’ healthy habits is in everyone’s best interest.
Author Resource:
A public health specialist, behavioral therapist, researcher, and certified health and fitness instructor, Dr. Therese Pasqualoni has served as health consultant to companies. She developed the Strike it Healthy Weight and Health Management Systems for adults and children. http://www.strikeithealthy.com
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