STAGE II—Thinking About It. Weighing the Pros & Cons
STAGE IV—Taking Action. I’m Doing It!
Perhaps the question is “How much do you care about the health and well-being of yourself, your employees and those that frequent your business?” Worksite Wellness programs are good for not only employees but business too. Maine employers, regardless of size or industry, should address employee health.
Promoting a wellness program for your employees is a way of:
- keeping low risk employees healthy,
- advocating for and supporting positive lifestyle changes for those with more risk factors.
Risk factors can decrease productivity, higher healthcare, and workman’s compensation costs. They include but are not limited to:
- high blood pressure,
- lack of physical activity,
- tobacco use,
- high cholesterol
A healthier workforce can:
- increase gains in individual productivity,
- improve the quality of products and services,
- reduce absenteeism and, increase presenteeism.
Benefits from increased productivity have a direct and immediate impact on organizational performance and profits of having a healthy workforce extend far beyond controlling healthcare costs.
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Improving employee health through health promotion offers other benefits:
- Successful employee health initiatives provide leverage for negotiating with insurers and workers compensation carriers.
- Wellness Programs can extend benefits to families and communities and reduce absences because of sick children or other family members.
- Company image can be improved by developing a reputation as an employer that cares about its employees and the community in which it does business.
- Your business can play a key role in educating your community about health and wellness by posting flyers and resources available in the community.