How employee health impacts Disability, Absenteeism, and Productivity

Research has proven that health assessment programs are effective in reducing employee health care costs and absenteeism. These health initiatives along with other worksite wellness programs are widely available and reasonably cost-effective.

A tool called a "Health Risk Assessment" (HRA) can be very valuable in gathering this data. Employees complete the HRA, essentially a 30 minute health questionnaire; the data is then aggregated adhering to all HIPAA privacy regulations. This aggregated report is reviewed by the employer and only demonstrates the collective results so no individual private health information is released. Often this is done by a third party source to doubly insure the privacy of personal health information.

Still, getting employees to take the questionnaire can often be a challenge, unless an employer provides some type of incentive. Below are some tips on how to reduce employee absenteeism and make your company a more proficient and happier place to work:

• Manage stress: Stress is the leading cause of missed work among employees. Common stressors include high workloads, long hours, poor management and conflicting expectations. Consider implementing regular break times, setting more realistic expectations and teaching employees and managers how to effectively manage time, prioritize and build positive working relationships.


• Engage your staff: Employees who are involved are more satisfied and typically miss less days of work than those who don't feel like they are part of the team. Hold regular staff meetings in order to inform employees of upcoming projects, timelines and remind them of the goals and objectives of the company. Take a vested interest in the career development of your employees by asking what they want to accomplish and helping them set the goals and steps to achieve their plan.


• Promote teamwork: Co-worker relationships are a significant contributor in an employee's decision to take time off work. Many employees would rather call in sick than confront a problem head on. Use teambuilding exercises and time away from work together to help the bonds grow between employees.


• Reward attendance: If you're seeing a negative trend in attendance, start recognizing those employees that you appreciate for their hard work and dedication. A simple thank you note can go a long way, it doesn't have to be extravagant, but let them know you are paying attention to the choices they make to either be at work all the time, or not.


• Attendance = performance: There is more to performance than showing up at work, but if your employee isn't there, it's a sure bet they aren't meeting their goals and it's probably causing morale issues in the office amongst those that are consistently there. Awareness that attendance patterns can affect their yearly performance review may be all that's necessary to change their choices.


• Flexible work schedules: Balancing life and work is difficult for many Americans to achieve. There are more working couples than ever before and the dual-income household isn't going to change anytime soon. Offering compressed work weeks, flex time, job sharing and telecommuting are just some of the ways you may see productivity and job satisfaction go up while still meeting the needs of the company.


• Wellness programs: Studies prove that employees who take part in the wellness programs offered by their employers are less likely to miss work and tend to be more alert and focused while they are there. Offer education on exercise, stress relief, nutrition and health advice to help your employees feel better physically and mentally.


• Positive work image: Employee attendance is directly linked to feeling satisfied at work. Engaged and well adjusted employees are less likely to take time off of work, Make your company a great place to work and you'll likely see a decline in employee absenteeism rates and an increase. Get involved in your community and encourage employee participation.


• Ensure consistency. Enforce company policies and procedures consistently and fairly. Biased or discriminatory application of workplace rules can cause attendance issues within the company and negative feelings among employees.