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Increasing Productivity Through Lifestyle Education

By: Caroline Tapp-McDougall

Smart companies recognize that if they want to attract and keep the ‘best and the brightest’ in the war for talent, they need to pay attention to employee health and wellness. There is now abundant evidence that workplace health promotion programs yield reductions in employer healthcare costs and improved health outcomes for employees. After all, human capital is a company’s greatest resource.

The Pay-off
Better employers now pay attention to ways to improve the quality of life of their employees. Many have found that giving employees more control over work time and providing training helps employees to better handle their responsibilities. Alternative work arrangements, time off for community service or volunteer activities, work/life training, and help with health, wellness, and family care are all on the menu. Why? Research shows that healthy companies have:

• 1.4 times more applications for employment
• lower voluntary turn-over rates (11.8 per cent versus 76 per cent)
• better ability to attract and retain talented workers
• greater levels of customer satisfaction

And, more specifically, smart corporations are tackling specific issues like weight loss, eldercare, stress management, and diabetes prevention – and keeping track of the results. Let’s take a closer look at key areas that are getting attention:

Weight Loss – Its Impact
Chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, have been linked to obesity. Still, as a manager, don’t expect to be asked to whip out a tape measure. Do expect a bigger push at promoting healthier lifestyles through exercise and diet. Think Weight Watchers and gym reimbursements. Research from the Society for Human Resource Management, in Alexandria, Va., shows us that:

• Weight loss programs are offered by 26 per cent of organizations, up from 18 per cent just five years ago
• Smoking cessation programs are offered by 33 per cent, again, up from five years ago
• Wellness and fitness programs are offered by 56 per cent, an increase of 51 per cent from five years ago
• Some 30 per cent of companies offer fitness membership subsidies to their employees

Think that your lunchroom should be stocked with fruit and veggies and that your meetings should be followed by a brisk walk, you’re on the right track!

Stress management – Reducing “Mental Health Days”
A look at a year 2000 poll by the American Psychological Association shows that two-thirds of men and women say work has a significant impact on their stress levels and that one in four has called in sick or taken a ‘mental health day’ as a result of work stress. In addition, the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine suggests that healthcare expenditures are nearly 50 per cent greater for workers who report a high level of stress.

And, statistics show that eldercare issues, if not well-handled, contribute to higher stress levels, especially if workplace programs and management support are not available.

An organization that recognizes stress issues helps its employees. When stress is managed and balance is found, productivity loss will be reduced.

Diabetes On The Job — The Power Of Prevention In the workplace, the opportunity for employers to manage diabetes is two-fold. It is to:

• provide workers with the tools to ensure that they’re doing as much as possible to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes
• help workers living with diabetes to manage the disease and prevent or delay complications like heart disease

The latest news is the Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) believes that companies have the power to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes. With its new ‘Healthy Workplace Initiative,’ the CDA is encouraging employers to increase their understanding of diabetes and its complications, which will encourage employees to do the same.

Defining Health And Productivity Parameters
As researcher Graham Lowe says in his report ‘Healthy Workplaces and Productivity,’ more incentives may motivate employers, but the hurdle of overcoming union-inherent suspicions when targeting employees’ lifestyles rather than working conditions still exists.

He concludes that productivity for research is critical and tells us that, when it comes to creating healthy work settings, employers hold the power. “A healthy workplace,” claims Lowe, “should not be a work reward or a negotiated condition, but a right of all workers. We, as companies of all sizes, just need to define our health and productivity parameters and decide just where our responsibility for an employee’s health starts and stops.”

Caroline Tapp-McDougall is the publisher of ‘Solutions: Canada’s Family Guide to Home Health Care and Wellness’ and the author of ‘The Complete Canadian Eldercare Guide.’

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