As health-care costs skyrocket, companies are worrying about
keeping employees in the pink—and the business in the
black.
But a recent study by consulting firm Towers Perrin
shows a rift between employees and management that may undermine
such efforts. Workers aren't happy about reduced health
benefits, and only 53 percent of employees surveyed believe what
their employers communicate about health-care costs. Meanwhile,
companies want employees to be proactive about staying healthy, but
only 36 percent think workers are effective health-care consumers.
So how can that crevasse be bridged?
"Companies want employees to make informed decisions about
their health, but employees have been told, 'Don't worry
about it. Your primary-care physician will figure it out for
you,'" explains Rich Ostuw of Towers Perrin. "But
employers can be catalysts for change."
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In fact, 79 percent of employees think companies should
encourage healthy lifestyles. Cynthia McKay, 49-year-old founder
and CEO of Le
Gourmet Gift Basket Inc., with 28 employees and annual revenues
of $1.5 million, was surprised when an employee mentioned that junk
food in the office sabotaged her diet. "I thought my employees
were just surfing on the chocolate and liking it," she
says.
McKay decided to get rid of the sugary treats and started
stocking the office kitchen with fruits and vegetables. She also
contributed to employee health-club memberships, started a
video-led Pilates class, and instituted quarterly massages.
"Each project is potential for improvement," she
says.
There are many kinds of health programs you could offer, such as
lunchtime walks, nutrition seminars and subscriptions to health
information websites. But what if your employees don't bite? To
get your workers onboard, experts suggest recognizing employees who
have made healthy changes by mentioning them in the company
newsletter or at meetings.
Some companies also offer prizes for participation, such as
exercise videos, walking shoes or subscriptions to fitness
magazines. "[One] company offered a grand prize of a
Harley-Davidson,'" says David Hunnicutt, Ph.D., president
of The Wellness
Councils of America, an organization dedicated to promoting
healthy lifestyles.
At McKay's company, productivity is up and so is morale.
"It's paramount to take care of employees," she says.
"If you look at these things as monetary investments, it's
worth it."