By Laurie D. Willis
As the market continues improving, those seeking employment may find it a tad easier to land a job. But once employed, they may also notice subtle hints that their supervisors are just as concerned about their health as they are about their job performance.
That’s because nowadays employers are making a big push to encourage their employees to get healthy and stay that way. Some employers are even offering monetary incentives or other prizes for employees who improve their health – particularly those who quit smoking or lose significant amounts of weight.
“It’s always good when employees improve their health,” said Mark Sanders, director of human resources for Livingstone College, a historically black school in North Carolina. “It’s good because improving your health can mean longevity and a better quality of life. Simultaneously, when employees are healthier that improves productivity and their attitudes, which directly affects morale and increases team building. Likewise, when employees are healthier, it positions employers to offer better insurance packages at reduced rates.”
Sanders said it’s imperative for a fundamental shift to occur “in how we approach employee healthy living alternatives,” adding that at Livingstone College several initiatives are underway. For example, in 2014 the institution partnered with Novant Health to complete an assessment of the school’s overall health plan to design an appropriate wellness program, he said.
“Our wellness initiative is now focused on three areas – healthy eating, exercise and stress management,” Sanders said. “We already sponsor employee walks, and in the fall we will begin providing free healthy snacks for employees. We also routinely send our employees emails containing healthy eating tips and other health-related information, but one of the most significant steps we made was switching our healthcare provider to Blue Cross Blue Shield, which gave us a plethora of support and health choice options for all employees online.”
As medical costs continue skyrocketing, companies will increasingly devise ways to encourage their employees to improve their health. And with good reason. According to the National Institutes of Health, more than two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. And many serious illnesses have been linked to obesity, including heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes.
Sanders knows having a significant number of employees with chronic illnesses can saddle a company with hefty insurance costs. To that end, his department has created a health and wellness committee that meets periodically to devise innovative ways to engage employees in adopting healthier lifestyles. “This isn’t just a fad that’s going to dissipate in a matter of months,” said Sanders, who works out several times a week. “Under the leadership of our president Dr. Jimmy R. Jenkins, Sr., we’ll continue encouraging employees to get healthier. Likewise, we’re also contemplating ways we may be able to partner with the community on some health initiatives in the future.”
