Encouraging employee annual exams can become part of a workplace wellness program.
A 25-employee company can lose $33,000 every year to lost productivity, sick days and temp workers hired to replace sick employees, according to Entrepreneur.com. Encouraging employees to get annual physicals can be benficial for business in a number of ways. Successful workplace wellness programs should be clearly articulated to employees and fall within legal boundaries, according to the Safety Daily Advisor. Learn what advantages business owners and employees enjoy when annual physical exams are encouraged in the workplace.
Safety
Annual physical exams can help ensure that employees are still matched with job responsibilities their bodies can handle. For example, an employee hired 20 years ago under a job description that he or she be able to safely carry up to 50 pounds of materials may no longer be able to complete that task because of emerging physical limitations associated with age; job responsibilities among current workers may need to be tweaked to reflect that reality. Other jobs may require a certain level of eyesight or hearing; annual exams can help identify workers whose physical capabilities have diminished, creating the risk of serious injury on the job.
Productivity
Annual physicals can help boost productivity in the workplace by identifying small physical problems before they become serious, keeping employees healthy enough to complete assigned work tasks. Physicals can also identify substance abusers who may drain workplace productivity due to being under the influence of drugs or alcohol or working through residual effects of usage (for example, a hangover or withdrawal.) While these employees can be targeted for intervention programs or dismissed, identifying these problems early on ensures that workers remain at appropriate productivity levels. This remains especially important for companies relying on a few key leaders to accomplish pivotal business tasks; prolonged illness could cripple the company in the long run.
Lower Costs
Employees should get annual physicals to reduce the financial strain (for themselves and for employers) occurring from more serious medical conditions. Identifying problems early can help cut costs associated with sick pay, hiring temporary workers and reduced productivity for employers. It can also cut the cost of medical care for workers because preventative care tends to be less expensive that major surgeries or medical procedures. For example, a doctor can alert a patient to high blood pressure in an annual physical, recommending weight loss, reduced sodium and quitting smoking before the patient has a heart attack. Business owners may pay less in medical costs benefits, disability insurance and workers compensation, and workers may face fewer resulting medical bills. Reduced financial strain and stress makes for a more positive workplace because employees won't be straining to pay staggering medical bills.
Workplace Mentality
Encouraging employees to get annual physicals can create a positive workplace mentality when couched in programs promoting health and wellness. While employers have a financial incentive for maintaining healthy staff rosters, many people want to get healthier for personal reasons and welcome the opportunity to work toward better health together. Create a healthy environment by offering vending machines stocked with water or juice, not just caffeinated soda, and encourage potluck lunches or fresh fruit celebrations rather than traditional high-fat cakes and cookies to celebrate company accomplishments.
Tips
One way to encourage employees to get annual physicals is to reduce or eliminate co-payment costs, making it cheaper for workers to obtain this basic medical care. Provide this benefit regardless of health status among employees to avoid legal tangles. If you're requiring employees to get annual physicals, this policy should be stated in writing.
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