Tips for helping employees lose weight

Currently, about 66% of people in American are overweight or considered obese. With obesity comes increased health risks such as: heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and other illnesses. Several companies have noticed their health insurance costs increase due to employing overweight or obese employees.

Eric Finkelstein, a health economist for RTI International recently conducted a survey on employee's health and the employer's health insurance costs. Finkelstein calculated that the price of obesity at a company with 1,000 employees will cost the company roughly $285,000 a year in increased medical expenses and absenteeism.

Because of the increased health insurance cost to the company, the employees are also hit with higher health insurance premiums. Due to this overwhelming cost, many companies are taking an active role in their employee's health. Some health insurance companies have even stated they will lower the company's health insurance premium if they are taking an active role to encourage their employees to lose weight. There are several things you can do to encourage your employees to lose weight.

Incentives are always a benefit to employees. Studies have shown that money motivates people to lose weight. This study also found that overweight employees who were paid a small amount of money over a given time period lost more weight than employees who were not compensated for their efforts. If you can afford it, offer your employee's money incentives to those who lose weight.

Another thing you can do to motivate your employees to lose weight is to plan events or activities that will encourage your employees to become active. Several companies have walking programs, team sports programs, or contests and challenges. Have a quarterly contest and encourage the different departments to set a weight loss goal, at the end of the quarter; the department who reached their goal will receive some type of award.

If you have room available, develop a company gym. You should include treadmills, stationary bikes, showers, and other equipment that will encourage your employees to exercise. If you cannot provide an exercise room in your facility, offer gym memberships to your staff members. Reimburse your employees either fully or partially for their participation in fitness class registrations, gym club memberships, and fitness equipment purchases.

Nike has allowed flex time in their employee's daily schedule to allow for exercise at work. Due to this program and other factors, Nike is considered one of the best companies to work for. If you are able, allow for at least 30 minutes of flex time in your employees daily schedule to do something that will actively promote their health and help them lose weight.
Replace the chairs in your office with large exercise balls. Studies have proven that sitting on a exercise ball instead of a chair will help posture and tone your muscles. Your employees will feel the need to sit up straight instead of lounge in a chair. This will add to their alertness and increase the productivity of your company.

Another thing you can do to encourage your employees to lose weight is to have an on-site health professional come and assess each employee individually. A fitness instructor or personal trainer can develop personalized programs for each employee to help them lose weight based on their current physical fitness level.

Include physical fitness "daily tips" in your email sends to your employees. Post physical fitness exercise routines in places where your staff members will be sure to see them such as the break room or other gathering areas.

Make the weight loss program fun for your employees to participate in. Provide ways for your employees to have input in the new healthy workplace environment as they can encourage each other to lose weight.

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