(2 votes, average: 4 out of 5)
Loading ...Pro vs. Con of Wellness Programs
Pro vs. Con of Wellness Programs
Although we have blogged about wellness programs before, over the last few weeks I have seen numerous articles and statistics about these programs in the workplace. It seems to be a new trend that HR professionals should start to take note of, or should they? I would like to present both sides of this topic.
SHRM (Society for Human Resources Management) has published multiple articles on this topic. In their latest article, according to Helen Darling, the president of The National Business Group on Health “Chronic illnesses account for 75 percent of health care spending, according to the NGBH, and employers are putting a much higher priority on wellness and lifestyle improvement programs than ever before.” In other words, the more health tips and simple practices that an employer can implement the lower health costs the company will have to pay in the end. It is a lot less selfish than it sounds. It truly could be a win-win for both employer and employee. Since 2006, health coaching and advice have gone up dramatically. From 2007 to 2008 the amount of employers implementing wellness programs has increased threefold. Also according to the article, “Initiatives as simple as providing healthy alternatives in workplace vending machines and promoting walks around an organization’s facility can be effective in their own way for changing lifestyle habits” says Dr. Don Bradley from North Carolina.
On the other hand, some say that these programs are so hard to measure with numbers that there is no direct correlation between employees being healthier because of them, and health costs for employers going down. How can a company say that just by changing the food in the vending machines or offering exercise classes that they have prevented someone from getting sick? That person might have become sick anyway. If a company is putting a considerable amount of money into this program, some employers might feel it is not worth their investment in the long run, due to the fact that there are no measurable statistics supporting it.
After all is said and done, your HR department just has to decide if a wellness program is something ones employees could benefit from. I would put the cost portion aside and think about the affects it could have on morale and productivity, which could make you more money anyway.
Posted July 22nd, 2008 by Jessica Spinks - Posted in Health, Human Resources | | 0 Comments
(3 votes, average: 5 out of 5) Loading ...Launch a Wellness Program for Your Employees
Creating a wellness program for your company can mean more than just getting in shape. It can mean a whole new lifestyle for all your employees. When you are feeling healthy, you are more energetic and motivated to face each day. Who wouldn't what all their employees to feel great and perform at their best?
In an article from Business Week, "Some companies hand out small cash bonuses or gift certificates for reaching predetermined milestones. Others offer discounted insurance premiums. Still others make it a “team thing” and set up competitions between departments. "
By making heath exciting, everyone will want to join in and be a part of the new family. Make it a priority in your company and watch the benefits exude from your employees.
Posted March 14th, 2008 by admin - Posted in Benefits, Health, Human Resources, Performance Reviews, Productivity, Recruiting, Workers' Comp | | 3 Comments
(2 votes, average: 4.5 out of 5) Loading ...Please, Stay Away if You’re Sick
If you are sick, should you go to work anyways? This is a great debate among many. Staying home to watch tv and lounge on the cough is an easy suggestion, right? To some it may be, but to others a day staying home from work is just creating more work to go back to, or some feel they are indespensible and can’t miss a day, while others just don’t have the time to take work off. Whatever the reason is, is it really a good idea to go in to work when you are under the weather?
An article from Business Week that I ran into goes into great detail of the downfalls of having a sick co-worker show up on the job. “Illnesses like the cold and flu can be spread by physical contact. When we're sick, the people with whom we come into physical contact have a significantly increased risk of coming down with the illness, according to virologists, epidemiologists, and other experts. There is a causal relationship between being sick with a cold or the flu and making others sick by touching them directly or handling an object that they soon touch themselves.”
Some other points brought up in the article for staying away from the office were, if we can actually perfrom to the best of our abilities while not feeling well, getting other co-workers sick, getting co-worker’s families sick, and the last one here that caught my attention, “going to work sick is unfair to your employer. According to a report published in The New York Times in 2006, researchers at Cornell University found that ill workers on the job could account for up to 60% of corporate health costs. The recently coined phrase "presenteeism" speaks to the financial downside of overly motivated workers who bring their upper respiratory illnesses to work with them.
All in all, is it fair to yourself to work when you are not feeling well? I guess that is up to you.
Posted February 29th, 2008 by admin - Posted in Benefits, Health, Human Resources, Other, Productivity | | 0 Comments
(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5) Loading ...Some like it HOT!
Every change in season seems to bring on new "wars" in the office. The AC War. For the most part, we can laugh at it. But these constant changing of the temperatures in the office could be adding to an influx of colds and other ailments. You know you have seen it. One employee is "freezing" in their office and bumps the control up to warm it up. Two offices down the hall all the sudden wonders why they are sweating and gets up to adjust the thermostat down to "his" comfort level….and the war begins.
Some offices will lock a box around the control box to keep this from happening. That is fine, but what about the person sitting in the office that happens to have poor circulation? You're wondering if I mean the vents or the blood flow of the employee. Well, I mean both. Are companies obligated to purchase heaters and fans to keep their employees happy? What about the "warmer" employee falling asleep on the job, being lathargic from the heat? Or the "freezing" employee with the sniffles, sneezing all day. How does this affect productivity? Should we be worried?
Really, I am just wondering. Just wondering while I am typing away with my frozen fingers.
Posted February 8th, 2008 by Camille - Posted in Customer Service, Health, Human Resources, Productivity, Safety, Uncategorized, Workers' Comp | | 1 Comments
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...When you asked them, what did they say?
In meeting with some business owners lately, I started noticing a pattern that could very well be the root of many HR problems…
"I want to increase our benefits offering to our employees…" OR "We need better dental insurance" are phrases we (in the HR industry) have heard many times. Often, these are presented as "THE SOLUTION" - So what is the ACTUAL problem? Turnover, Morale, Productivity, Recruiting, etc.?
So when sitting with these business owners, I find myself asking the same question time and time again:
"So when you [business owner] asked your employees what is the top 5 reasons you (hate, love, would leave, would stay) working here, what did your employees say?
MOST COMMON ANSWER - "Well… I didn't ask"
No matter what the problem - DON'T COME UP WITH THE SOLUTION IN A VACCUMM!!! You might just spend a LOT of money trying to fix a problem on the wrong end…
Just food for thought -
Harry Glazer
Posted January 30th, 2008 by Harry Glazer - Posted in Benefits, Health, Human Resources, Productivity, Recruiting | | 0 Comments
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Got the Office Blues?
There's nothing that brings a team closer together than putting in some time for a good cause. A little community service goes a long way not just for the organization you are helping out, but for employee moral and team building. Its a positive experience all the way around. Getting beyond those doors and windows, even just for an hour, brightens the spirits and mends the office blues.
Here are a few activities for building up your employees:
· Painting & Clay Sculpture
· Community Service
· Group Luncheon
· Creative Thinking / Brainstorming
· Salsa Dancing, Belly Dancing, Jazz Performers, and DJ's
· Storytelling
· Team Building & Theatre Sports– (Team Games)
Posted January 11th, 2008 by admin - Posted in Health, Human Resources, Productivity | | 0 Comments
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...A Puff A Day Keeps The Boss Angry
Is there an answer to the question of if an employee that smokes is less productive than a non-smoking employee?
With the amount of smoking breaks taken throughout a day, it’s hard to think otherwise. I’ve also heard the other side of the story where the smoker says the non-smokers spend just as much time complaining about the smoker being on break, so they must be even.
Take a look at this graph, you can decide for yourself.
Reason for Excess Cost
Cost Per Smoker Per Year
Source of Information
Excess Medical Expenditures
$2295
CDC
Smoking-attributable mortality
$206
MMWR
Missed Work Days due to Sickness
$466
JOEM
Smoking Breaks
$2574
EPIC/MRI
Worker's Comp
$176
JOEM
TOTAL EXCESS COST PER SMOKER PER YEAR = $5,717
Posted January 4th, 2008 by admin - Posted in Health, Human Resources, Productivity, Uncategorized, Workers' Comp | | 1 Comments
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...HazCom…a Hazard in Itself!
Hazard Communication…it always shows up on OSHA's "Top 10" list of violations. Gee, I wonder why! Do you know of any company who has an MSDS sheet for every single chemical in their building or on their jobsite? Okay…raise your hand if your company has the MSDS for white out! (Guilty as charged!) Or how about that fancy 8-pack of colored highlighters that your co-worker has on his/her desk? Well, how about one for the emissions from the truck that backs up to your loading dock? (I didn't think so!) All are chemicals that have some sort of inherent danger if ingested accidentally or used in some other moronic way! Is anyone EVER fully compliant with this OSHA standard?
So what is the appropriate attitude and action a company should take? It is obvious that "letter of the law" will not happen, even by companies with the best intentions. I say, "Major on the majors!" Do your best to be compliant with the OSHA regulation, but put the focus on chemicals that are most likely to cause harm. Take a walk around your facility. Do you see commonly used items such as paint thinner, amonia, or other chemicals that could easily come in contact with skin or be accidentally ingested? Also, keep in mind that chemicals come in more than liquid form. The exhaust from a vehicle truly does pose a potential hazard when it contaminates the air you breathe! Commit to obtain MSDS for these chemicals. (There are various places - such as this one - you can get MSDS, but perhaps the best resource is the manufacturer of the product. They are required by law to develop an MSDS for their products.)
Finally, the easiest way to manage MSDS is to implement a procedure within your shipping/receiving department whereby someone is responsible for checking to see that MSDS sheets are supplied with every product containing chemicals that is received. If not, that person should contact the manufacturer immediately for a copy of the MSDS (before that product leaves the shipping/receiving area).
Hazard Communication…it's enough to give anyone a headache! Just thinking about it is hazardous!
Posted January 3rd, 2008 by Kym - Posted in Health, Safety | | 0 Comments
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...You Make Me Sick!
It's the season for sharing! Around our office I see it each year…some poor soul catches the cold or flu then proceeds to share generously (though not intentionally) with others! Now, I'm no "health nut," but it seems to me there are some common sense things to prevent the spread of your own virus, and to combat catching one from co-workers. Kudos to the writer of this article for providing ideas for both, and even revealing where germs hide out in your office. Is it too much to expect grown adults to take responsibility for themselves and others?
Now, if you'll excuse me…I feel a sneeze coming on and I'm really in the mood for sharing!
Posted December 20th, 2007 by Kym - Posted in Health, Safety | | 0 Comments
