Do healthy employees make a difference?

Nearly one-fifth of working adults will experience a cold each year. 20 million annual missed workdays estimated from surveys might be just the tip of the iceberg, say researchers, because the estimates include only colds that resulted in doctor's visits or restricted activity days. There may be as many as 70 million lost workdays due to colds when actual missed work time is combined with lost productivity. In addition; nearly twice that many lost workdays are incurred by employees who are caregivers for children suffering from colds.

When you think about how that one illness can be the cause of so much lost productivity, it's no wonder employers are starting to take notice and change how they help their employees stay healthy.

Right now, over two thirds of the American adult population is over weight. Although weight is not the only factor that plays into workplace costs, it can be a major contributor to how employees are treated, and whether they are hired in the first place. The stigma attached to obesity has affected its share of employees who may have great experience, but leave bad first impressions. Most cities and states don't specify weight in their discrimination laws and that first impression can have devastating consequences for many Americans looking for work today.

Unfortunately, that bad impression comes from obese employees and their related illness costing private employers an estimated $45 billion in lost work time, medical costs and over twice the amount of workman's compensation claims. Obese employees are more likely to take sick days and can have an impact on the cost of health insurance for the entire company.

Excess weight increases the risk for over 50 different health problems ranging from depression, back pain, respiratory issues and the national leading causes of death, heart disease, stroke and certain types of cancer.

Another preventable, but very deadly issue facing employers today is smoking. By some accounts, smokers cost the economy over $97 billion a year in lost productivity. With over 400,000 smoking related deaths each year in the U.S., employers are having to find creative ways to promote healthy living and harsh penalties for those that don't participate.

So here we are with billions of dollars left in the wake of sickness and bad lifestyle choices. Almost all are preventable in some way and yet many of us haven't implemented the programs needed to change our ways. Some estimates show that for every $1 put into a wellness program at work, $3 will be returned in added productivity, increased proficiency and decreased turn over. Here are a few ideas to help you get started:

• Encourage employees to participate in sponsored exercise programs or join health clubs. Organize company sponsored events such as walk-a-thons, volleyball or softball tournaments and yoga classes.
• Choose healthy snack alternatives at company meetings and have water instead of caffeinated or sugary drinks readily available for your employees.
• Replace some of those sugar and salt laden snacks in the vending machines with healthier options.
• Promote healthy activities such as taking the stairs in common areas. Keep literature for healthy living readily available in highly visible areas.
• Offer incentives such as free pedometers, water bottles, coupons and paid time off for participation in workplace activities.
• Encourage employees to stay home when they are sick. The risk of infecting coworkers with colds and flu viruses is not worth what a sick employee can accomplish in the office.
• Disinfect regularly. The stats on colds and sickness are overwhelming, but a few minutes of cleaning the common areas such as phones, filing cabinets, keyboards and break rooms can make a big difference.
• Healthy employees do make a difference. They are more stable emotionally, are able to maintain focus on their tasks, have a better mental outlook and are more likely to produce quality results at work.