The importance of wellness

Fighting fat

In July of this year, a telephone survey of more than 2000 American adults who had been in full-time employment during 2007, found that many could eat more healthily and be more active while at work.

The findings of the report - which stand as a stark reminder to America's poor health - predicted that approximately 75 percent of US adults will fall into the "overweight" category by 2015.

Conducted by Nationwide Better Health, a leading provider of health and productivity management solutions, the study also cited recent research from the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and warned that employers could do more to help reverse current trends in obesity by promoting health and wellness in the workplace.

At the time, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) agreed with the worrying trends highlighted by Nationwide, referencing how work absence rates among obese employees are found to be almost twice that of other workers, costing employers about $4 billion annually in monetary terms - not to mention the loss in productivity.

Of course, the concept of "wellness" is nothing new to HR departments. In fact, according to a new policy statement by the American Heart Association, workplace wellness programs provide an effective way to reduce major risks factors associated with heart disease, such as smoking, obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Figures show that heart disease costs the US approximately $304.6 billion each year, and companies - who on average spend between 25 and 30 percent of their annual medical costs on employees with significant health risks - can save anywhere from $3 to $15 for every $1 spent on health and wellness within 12 to 18 months of implementing a workplace wellness program, at least according to the Heart Association.

According to Mercedes Carnethon, an assistant professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, an lead author of the new statement, ""Beyond cost savings and increased productivity, visionary employers are realizing the value of an employee's total health."

As such, it seems that an effective work-site wellness program really can attract exceptional employees, enhance morale and reduce organizational conflict.

The fact remains that, despite the news pertaining to record numbers of layoffs, more than 130 million Americans remain employed, meaning that workplace wellness programs really do have the potential to reach a considerable portion of the US population.

Despite this, the American Heart Association notes that half of America's employees don't have access to these types of programs, largely due to the fact they work in small companies or for employers that have a small number of employees at multiple sites.

As such it is hoped that findings from the association will show employers - large and small - the benefits these programs may provide to both their employees and their business success.

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