As the cost of health care skyrockets here in the United States employers are looking to changes they can make in the workplace to lower the cost they put out for health care. The following are a few simple changes you can do as an employer to have healthier, happier employees, and most importantly lower health care dollars spent in the workplace. Many of these changes have been done successfully at both large and small companies and they all have seen the benefits of simple changes you as an employer can do.
1) Offer healthier meal options
Many employers have poor choices in the cafeteria that are high in fat and have little or no nutritional value. For example how many employers have soda machines on in the cafeteria? These high fructose drinks can lead to greater number of sick days and increase the risk of diabetes. Try offering your employees a healthier hydration option like filtered water or natural fruit juices. These juices can be high in immune boosting vitamins and reduce sick days. Another cafeteria disaster can be the food offered. Many of these foods are high in fat, low in fiber and contain tons of simple sugars “refined carbohydrates”. These foods can lead to an afternoon crash in blood sugar and send productivity to a screeching halt. Look to complex carbohydrates like whole wheat breads in sandwiches and increasing fiber intake with salads.
High fiber diets have been proven to lower cholesterol levels and prevent the need for expensive medications that can cost a company over $100 a month! Offer your employees healthier options for snacking as well. Instead of having that vending machine that have foods high in MSG that can lead to obesity, brain disorders, and more food cravings consider offering fruits and vegetable snacks. Fruits and veggies increase satiety or feeling full. When weighing out the costs of health care against proper diets eating right will always outweigh paying for expensive medications.
2) Make time in work day for exercise
Giving employees time to exercise can help the employer’s wallet in many ways. It can lower the insurance costs of the company and decrease sick days. Studies have shown that people who exercise have fewer sick days than those who do not make time for physical fitness. Exercising releases endorphins into the blood stream and can help combat depression and improve employee morale. Completing 20 minutes of moderate exercise can have the same stress reducing capabilities of the anti anxiety drug Diazepam (Valium). Giving employee’s time to work out during the day will also encourage comradery and improve teamwork. This will be shown in improved productivity and enhanced efficiency. Make sure your employees get up to 30 minutes of exercise 3 to 5 times per week to notice these benefits.
3) Have physical activity professionals on hand
Making sure you have fitness professionals on hand will insure your employees are doing the right exercises and having them be accountable for their fitness. The fitness professionals will assess your employees and track their progress to meet exercise goals. They also will be an important motivational factor for your facility. Hiring a personal trainer can also be beneficial for exercise groups and make the fitness training more affordable to the company. The fitness professional will also correct balance which will decrease accidents in the workplace. Another benefit to having trainers on site will be their ability to identify overworked muscles and possibly be able to prevent injuries by either stretching the overworked muscles or make suggestions to movements done repetitively in the facility.
4) Institute complimentary medicine at the facility (chiropractors and acupuncturists)
Complimentary medicine can help reduce greater medical costs such as surgeries and injuries. Having chiropractors visiting the staff can help reduce pain and lead healthier lifestyles. Many Chiropractors are also certified nutritionists and can help offer dietary advice. Offices will not take up much space and as a cost savings you can have them in the facility one day a week or month. Chiropractic care has also been proven effective not only in pain relief applications but also in digestive, immune, and headaches.
Acupuncture involves stimulating specific anatomical locations on the body for therapeutic purposes. Practitioners will puncture the skin with a needle as a usual method of treatment however other methods may be used such as heat, pressure, friction, and suction. Acupuncture has been proven effective in pain management especially lower back pain and headaches both of which contribute to slowing productivity and sick time.
5) Have healthy options for snacks in the office
One of the best things an employer can do is getting rid of that old friend the vending machine. He has contributed to your employee’s high blood pressures and diabetes with his seemingly endless supply of sweet and salty snacks. Look to having healthier lower calorie options available to your employees. Healthier options include: Fruits like apples, bananas, grapes, and oranges can provide natural sources of sugar and provide sick day fighting vitamins. Veggies like celery, carrots, green peppers, and broccoli can provide potent detoxifying fiber.
6) Give time for breaks for short meals throughout the day
Throughout the day blood sugar levels rise and fall. When they fall your body becomes lazy and lethargic but by providing opportunities for small healthy nutrition breaks you can keep that from happening and by sparing 5 minutes you can improve productivity by a half hour. Remember providing healthy options is key here look to offer up long lasting complex carbohydrate options like whole wheat and whole grains. Complex carbohydrates will not quickly raise then drop the blood sugar like simple carbohydrates like those found in soft drinks.
7) Encourage or issue supplements to increase immunity and wellness
Many studies have shown that people on a good multivitamin take significantly fewer sick days that those who are not taking one. Look to encourage a multivitamin that is designed to be taken throughout the day. Some important vitamins are water soluble like Vitamin Bs and Vitamin C. This means the vitamins are in the body for about 4-5 hours then leave us via the urine. Need a quick example? Vitamin B5 (pantathenic acid) is broken down and excreted in the urine and has a bright yellow color. Have you ever taken a once daily style multivitamin? Usually the urine is a bright color 3-4 hours after taking it but by the end of the day the urine has restored to a pale yellow color. This is because the B vitamins are no longer in the bloodstream and thus not available to do their function. Vitamin B’s are energy co-factors that help the body produce energy and improve alertness. They also get depleted during stress. What workplace has no stress right. Stress can lead to depleted immune function and cost you increased insurance costs, sick pay, and a slump in productivity.
Another important supplement to encourage is omega 3’s. Omega 3’s are consumed at extremely low levels compared to other fats. These healthy fats can even promote weight loss and improve brain function. They even have been shown effective in treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder! How? Your brain is made mostly of fat and craves specifically DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). The options for supplements are numerous and encourage your employees to consult their physician before starting any omega 3 supplement. One of the options available is flax seed oil which is high in ALA (alpha linoleic acid) these omega 3’s need to be processed in the body down to the omega 3’s it uses called EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA. These are those healthy omega 3’s that aid weight loss and brain function mentioned above. Another omega 3 option is fish oils; these come already into the body as EPA and DHA as well as some other intermediary omegas as well. Look to companies that have strict manufacturing standards due to high amounts of brain debilitating mercury in them. Also look at the amounts of EPA and DHA instead of the total omega 3 amounts.
Put physical fitness tools in the workplace
By placing a gym right into your facility you will encourage employees to exercise right on site instead of having to drive to gyms. Many companies have seen improvements in productivity and decreases in sick days from something as simple as putting fitness equipment in the workplace. You can also encourage employees to exercise during lunch breaks as well. This also will encourage comradery and improve team building. Your employees will be grateful since they will not have to spend money on gym memberships and make poor decisions on fad fitness equipment that will not work. Look having a complete gym with elliptical machines, free weights, and padded mats in addition to the standby treadmill.
9) Have health screenings throughout the year
Holding health screenings for your employees can help catch disease states in early stages. Make sure to have the screenings for multiple diseases like hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, and cancers. These screenings usually are done by local organizations at little or no cost to the employer. By having these screenings you also will be able to pick up on any dangerous trends amongst your employees. For example you would notice high cholesterol in employees with high fat lunches being served. This then can help you as the employer make better decisions about work and the work environment.
10) Have health fairs that attendance is encouraged
Holding health fairs during lunch hours can help by showing your employees what types of health care options are available to them and their families. Have a keynote speaker to deliver a talk to your employees once a quarter during their lunch break on different health topics. This will help them make informed lifestyle decisions. Have a variety of health care providers and services put up booths and give each one a stamp. Then give your employees a “passport” of sorts to visit each table. When the employees turn in the passports with all the stamps maybe offer them a free healthy lunch or a gift card to a grocery store. This will encourage interaction during the health fair and give the providers a chance to present to the employees.
By encouraging your employee’s health you will notice that you have a happier, healthier, and more productive workplace. Even by just implementing one of these changes into your business you will make a difference and encourage healthy lifestyles to yourself and those on the payroll.
