Why Your Employees’ Health Matters
Companies and organizations cannot be competitive without healthy, productive employees. Employees who engage in healthier behaviors are more productive and reduce their health care costs over time.
Did You Know?
According to several studies:
- Four of the 10 most expensive health conditions for employers — high blood pressure, heart attack, diabetes and chest pain — are related to heart disease and stroke. Heart disease and stroke are the first and fourth leading causes of death in Summit County.
- Tobacco use also contributes greatly to direct medical costs and lost productivity. The smoking rate for Summit County was about 21% in 2014.
- Health care costs for people with a chronic condition are five times higher than for those without such a condition.
- Productivity losses linked to employees who miss work cost employers about $1,685 per employee each year.
Benefits of Wellness
Consider this. A healthier employee population can:
- Decrease employer health costs
- Decrease absenteeism
- Increase productivity and decreases presenteeism
- Increase employee morale
- Increase employee recruitment and retention
What Can Employers Do?
Employers can support healthier behaviors and a healthier work environment through worksite wellness programs. These programs offer activities and/or establish policies that promote better employee health and health outcomes. Worksite wellness programs can be structured according to the financial and human resource capabilities of the business.
Sample activities and policies include:
- Offering health assessments and screenings
- Making healthy food and snacks accessible
- Providing gym memberships and bike racks
- Developing a smoke-free workplace policy