No Time to Cut Back on Workplace Wellness Programs

With the troubled economy we’re in, now is no time to cut back on health and safety or wellness programs in the workplace. In fact, cre­ating a healthier workforce is more important than ever to contain rising health care costs and reduce the health impact employee’s face in these uncertain times.

In June, OSHA Administrator Edwin G. Foulke told attendees of the annual

ASSE Professional Development Conference that the job of safety professionals will be enlarged in the future to encompass wellness.

But according to a statewide poll commissioned by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC), employers have been slow to adopt jobsite well­ness programs, even though they help improve employees’ health and increase loyalty, and the most popular ones aren’t costly to implement.

“With the economy the way it is, employers might be tempted to cut back on well­ness programs,” said Bob Greczyn, president and CEO of BCBSNC. “But now’s not the time to cut back, because we’ll all be paying the price in the long run.”

A survey of more than 500 North Carolina workers found that the most popular workplace wellness programs with employees include:

                       • Paid time off for doctor’s visits or health care needs;

                       • Purchasing healthy café or vending options;

                       • Participating in physical activity during work hours;

           • Completing a health risk assessment (HRA). However, the survey showed that most employers aren’t offering these popular programs.

Workplace wellness programs also contribute to employee loyalty. Employees who participated in at least one wellness program more often say they like working for their employer and are more likely to recommend their company to others. What’s more, employees who took paid time off for doctor’s visits and engaged in physical activity at their worksite had higher loyalty scores than those who didn’t participate or whose employers didn’t offer it.

Some executives understand this. An executive summit at ASSE’s PDC revealed that employee job satisfaction, quality products and community safety are all a major part of their occupational safety, health and environmental efforts.

“If you don’t provide a safe and healthy work environment you will lose employ­ees to other employers, and it will be harder to recruit employees,” said Alan Feld­man, senior VP of Public Affairs for MGM Mirage of Las Vegas.

This can be bad for business since the cost of turnover is so high. More impor­tantly, if you provide a safe work environment, employees are happier and healthier.

Thanks and good luck.