Every company wants healthier employees. Good health reduces absenteeism and promotes higher productivity at work. According to the Thompson Reuters Workforce Wellness Index, the incremental cost of poor health habits equates to about $670 per worker, per year. For privately insured employees, roughly 14% of incremental direct healthcare costs are attributable to six “behavioral risk factors,” including:
- Body Mass Index (BMI)
- Blood Pressure
- Blood Glucose
- Total Cholesterol
- Using Tobacco
- Using Alcohol
- Corporate Wellness Initiatives
To encourage a healthier, more productive workplace, many companies have implemented corporate wellness initiatives. These programs aim to help employees better manage any existing chronic health conditions and make healthier lifestyle decisions that help them avoid developing other devastating illnesses. Most corporate programs offer health information, coaching, and other support for employees who are trying to stop smoking, lose weight, or get more exercise. Some also offer disease-specific services, such as nutritionist or nurse consultations to help control diabetes or high blood pressure.
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As Benefits Packages Shrink, Could Telecommuting Be the Ace Up Your Sleeve?
Many employee benefits have been impacted by the recession. According to a recent survey by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), one of the hardest hit is relocation programs. Prior to the recession, 42% of employers reported providing relocation and housing benefits for newly-hired workers. In the report released by SHRM at its annual conference in late June of this year, the number of employers providing this benefit dropped sharply, to just 25%.
One of the few “benefits” of the recession for employers has been greater access to top talent due to the higher unemployment rate. But potential candidates, regardless of their current employment status, are considerably less eager to relocate without a “package”. In fact, the housing market in many areas may make it virtually impossible for some candidates to relocate. Click here for more information.
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Healthcare Reform (HCR) was a big topic in the news again in the final months of 2011. In early November, a U.S. appeals court for the District of Columbia affirmed a lower court’s opinion that the law’s minimum coverage is constitutional. This decision is in conflict with that of two other federal courts that have found the same “individual mandate” provision to be unconstitutional. Click here for more information.
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