Does your business have an employee wellness program? Seventy-five percent of healthcare spending is related to chronic disease. Many chronic diseases can be delayed, alleviated, or prevented with lifestyle changes. An effective program can help you retain healthy, productive employees. Consider the facts.
The Cost of Chronic Illness
Chronic illness among U.S. workers costs employers more than $200 billion each year. It manifests itself in the workplace in different ways, including:
Absenteeism
Decreased productivity
Increased healthcare costs
Injury
Tardiness
What’s Making Your Employees Sick?
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce report, Winning with Wellness, obesity, and depression are the top two chronic conditions that escalate healthcare costs for employers. And anxiety disorders closely follow. The figures below show why employers should be concerned and proactive about implementing an employee wellness program.
68.8 percent of adults are overweight or obese.
6.7 percent of the U.S. population experiences depression that lasts at least two years.
18 percent of the population is affected by anxiety disorders—the most common mental disorder in the U.S.
How an Employee Wellness Program Can Help
The program encourages physical activity, a healthy diet, and healthy lifestyle choices. If your employees stick with it, they can improve their well-being in many ways. Both you and your employees will benefit. Here’s how:
Employees
Decreased levels of stress
Improved physical fitness
Increased self-confidence, self-esteem, and well-being
Increased stamina
Weight loss
Employers
Reduce absenteeism
Increase productivity
Improve recruitment/retention
Reduce healthcare costs
Where Do You Start?
If you want to implement an employee wellness program, but don’t know where to start, there are plenty of resources for ideas and guidance. Visit the websites of the organizations listed below to learn the dos and don’ts for developing a program that’s tailored for your business.
Center for Disease Control
Department of Labor
Society for Human Resource Management
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Attracting the Right Talent
Although an employee wellness program can help your business attract and retain top talent, there is no substitute for effective recruitment processes. At WSi, we’ve provided staffing services since 1988. Each year, more than 1,200 employers trust us to find the right professionals to help their businesses thrive. Contact us today, or visit our website to learn more about our staffing solutions.
