Years ago, many workers held jobs in the manufacturing field that required them to stand for their entire workday. Now, workers find themselves sitting behind desks for seven or more hours each day, which has led to an unhealthy side effect — a more obese workforce. Fortunately, employers are starting to embrace the benefits of keeping employees active at work.
wellness initiatives
Five tips for managing presenteeism
Presenteeism — the practice of coming to work despite having a medical condition — is a relatively new area of study. However, with the current economy pushing employers to do more with less, it’s an important challenge that needs to be addressed, as less productive workforces are also less profitable.
Disability insurance trends [part one]: The effects of an aging workforce
In the last 10 years, the net worth of an average American employee has dropped significantly; from 2007 to 2010 alone, the median net worth of American families dropped nearly 40 percent.
Operation: Promote healthy nutrition!
When your employees go to the vending machine for a snack, do you know if they are making healthy choices? Employees who consistently make poor food choices, which can often lead to minor and, sometimes, severe health issues, could have a direct impact on your bottom line. Stressing healthy nutrition in the workplace might encourage a healthier lifestyle — in and out of the office — and could be your ticket to avoiding a disability claim.
Reduce absences and related costs with a holistic approach
Does your company have a workplace health management program in place? Workplace health management programs, such as EAP, disease management and wellness initiatives, can help improve the bottom line. In fact, medical costs fall by about $3.27 for every dollar spent on wellness programs, and absenteeism costs fall by about $2.73 for every dollar spent, according to a Health Affairs article.[1]
The weight on productivity
Lately it seems that everywhere I turn, whether it’s in the break-room at work or in the lunchroom, I frequently hear people talking about being unhappy with their weight and how it prevents them from fitting into the latest fashion. Being overweight (or underweight, for that matter) impacts much more than what you wear.