The statistics are dire. A recent Gallup poll estimated 86 percent of full-time workers are above normal weight or have at least one chronic condition. The polling group also determined unhealthy workers cost businesses $153 billion a year in lost productivity.
Not concerned yet? How about this one: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 70 percent of all medical costs are related to smoking, physical inactivity, food choices and portion size, or stress. And obese workers’ compensation claims are three to five times more expensive than claims for normal-weight workers.
There is hope, however. If workers quit smoking, become more physically active, make better dietary choices and manage stress, healthcare costs for your employees will go down whether you are providing health insurance or not. Plus, you will see a reduction in both short- and long-term employee absences, and an increase in overall productivity. An effective wellness program is a win-win for portable restroom contractors and their employees.
HOLD COSTS DOWN
The words “healthcare plan” and “health insurance” can cause company owners to grab their wallets and run for the hills screaming. Employee wellness programs, however, are nothing to fear.
Even if providing health benefits is beyond reach, you can still take important steps to promote employee wellness. In fact, it may be an even more important benefit if your employees pay for their own medical coverage. They’ve got a vested interest in maintaining good health to keep insurance premiums and out-of-pocket expenses down. And if you do provide health coverage, a wellness program is a nice accompaniment that could, in time, lower rates.
If you believe wellness programs are only for huge corporations that can afford on-site gyms, dining facilities with professional chefs and on-site clinics staffed with doctors and nurses, think again. Wellness programs work for companies of all sizes and don’t have to cost a lot. To get you started, here are a few no-cost or low-cost ideas to start improving employee health:
Encourage regular stretch breaks. This is especially important for employees who spend most of their day sitting.
Organize a walking program. Even 15 minutes of walking per day can improve health, and it can be a fun social time, like a coffee break or water cooler chat session, only with calorie burning.
Institute a policy against smoking at work. And offer to help employees quit.
Encourage healthy snacking. Ask your vending company to put healthy snacks and low-calorie drinks in the vending machine.
Organize a weekly salad potluck lunch with only healthy foods. This is a great way for people to share healthy recipes and learn to enjoy new fruits and vegetables.
Encourage healthy lunches. If you don’t already have one, contribute an office refrigerator so people can bring healthy lunches instead of relying on fast food or vending machine snacks. Substitute fruit for doughnuts when you want to treat your employees.
Bring in guest speakers. Hospitals and universities will often provide speakers on health issues at no or low cost.
Start an “at work” weight loss group. Some weight loss organizations will hold meetings at your facility if you have enough people interested in joining. This makes it convenient for employees to participate and gives them a shared health-improving experience.
Research discount plans. Discount plans are not insurance, but they can save your employees 20 to 40 percent on dental, eye care, and other health services. Typically, the employee’s entire family can take advantage of these plans. You may choose to pay for all or part of a discount plan for employees as a way to encourage wellness.
Allow employees time off for regular medical and dental checkups. Encourage them to have conversations with their doctors about wellness.
Make it fun. People are naturally competitive. Competition can be a boost to employee morale because it fosters mutual support. You could encourage employees to form teams and log their walking minutes on a chart. Provide prizes periodically for teams who put in the most effort. Making weight loss a contest also can be motivating. In addition to providing extra motivation, focusing on health in a fun way can lower stress, which in itself is healthy.
GETTING STARTED
You’re not going to solve every health problem for every employee. The goal is to improve the overall health of your company as much as possible. To do this, it’s important to focus on your company’s specific problem areas as much as possible.
Before implementing programs and changes, take a health assessment of your company so you are fighting the right battles. If no one smokes, offering to pay for employees’ Nicorette gum is a hollow gesture. If you have many smokers, however, helping them to quit is a good place to focus wellness time and money.
If there are few smokers but many overweight employees on your payroll, concentrate on promoting physical activity and dietary changes. If workers are predominantly non-smokers at healthy weights but seem prone to back strain and muscle pulls, focus on safety training, including proper lifting techniques and back strengthening exercises.
IT’LL TAKE SOME TIME
People don’t develop unhealthy habits overnight and they won’t be quick to break them either. But with effective long-term encouragement, your employees can improve their overall health, resulting in higher productivity and lower absenteeism.
And if there is ever a right time to begin focusing on employee wellness, it’s January, when it seems like the whole world is trying to quit smoking or lose 20 pounds. This New Year, resolve to help get your employees in better health and shape. Of course, it’s important to lead by example, so put down that cookie, drop and give me 20.
