Improving employee health

With growing costs of health insurance and economic challenges facing many companies, big and small, in the United States, improving employee health is a major concern in the workplace. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, presentee-ism, or coming to work sick, is happening more often as economic insecurity sets in and the demands of the workplace increase.

The mental and physical well-being of employees is just as important as working within safety regulations.Not every problem at work is a result of safety concerns.Many employers, realizing that prevention and intervention are more productive than dealing with the aftereffects,are more in tune with the emotional needs of their employees and have begun offering employee assistance programsto assist employees with mental and physical challenges.
Employers can help themselves and their employees with some simple steps to improve the overall health and well being of their office staff.

• Encourage use of sick time:For a minimal cost to the company, this benefit can be the difference between healthy, happy employees, and lost man hours and high turn over.Benefits are being cut all the time from businesses as the economy slides. Employees are more likely to stay somewhere that they feel appreciated and supported through use of even small benefits like paid sick leave.
• Suggest employees stay home when they are sick, and support that policy.Employees who feel like they will not face discipline for taking time off when sick are more willing to use it sparingly and appropriately.The risk of infecting coworkers with colds and flu viruses is not worth the limited work a sick employee will accomplish by coming in.
• Health Awareness:Many employers offer yearly health fairs to teach employees about healthy lifestyles and training on preventing illness in the workplace. The added cost will be minimal compared to the hours lost by sick employees.
• Disinfect: Provide employees with an effective and convenient means of disinfecting their workspace. Disinfect everything that is touched regularly.Clean telephones, light switches, doorknobs, filing cabinets, keyboard and break areas frequently.Encourage washing hands regularly and the use of hand antiseptics.Viruses spread through the air and by touching any surface so minimizing the amount of germs on common areas will increase the health of your workplace.
• Minimize the cost of insurance: Easier said than done, we realize, but finding a good insurance program that is affordable for your employees will reduce the spread of infection in your office.Increased insurance costs can be daunting to employers and their employees.Get additional quotes each year from several insurance sources to make sure you're getting a fair price for your program.Find the program that's right for your employees by talking to them and your insurer.
• Emotional health of employees: Once a conversation not suitable in the corporate world, mental health is getting more attention as a real issue.Employers are extending their mental health services as research points to the increased costs associated with not dealing with common mood disorders such as anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and depression. It's easier to find employers who offer employee assistance programs that include on-call counselors, stress relief and grief recovery programs.
• Exercise and eat right: Encourage employees to participate in sponsored exercise programs or join a health club. Many athletic clubs offer reduced rates to employers who have multiple contracts. If you provide snacks at company sponsored meetings, choose healthy alternatives and have water readily available for your employees.Healthy employees equal less sickness in the office.

Not every suggestion will work in every work place, but taking time to find a few that will work for your business may just be the difference you need to increase productivity and maintain a stronger presence in an economy with slow progression.