Employee Health Promotion

Unless specifically stated otherwise, most business-employee relationships in the United States are governed by the principle of at-will employment. Under this system a business, or the employee, can terminate the relationship without any necessitated showing of cause. This at-will standard gives private organizations large authority in governing the behavior of employees. In this environment, organizations can Finding Wealth Through Wellness 10 creatively design Employee Health Promotion Programs based upon their specifi c corporate culture. Employee Health Promotion Programs generally take three main forms: Voluntary Employee Health Promotion Programs – The most popular form of employee Employee Health Promotion , in most cases they are made available to employees but participation (or lack thereof) is not linked to any type of consequence. Due to ineffective communication, often employees are either unaware of these offerings or confuse them with insurance-based medical care. Incentive-based – Employee Health Promotion Programs based on incentives reward employees for participation in Employee Health Promotion activities. Incentives generally comprise lower Healthcare premiums, fitness center membership or customized support offerings. In these programs, employees’ behavior can be linked to a particular reward. Mandatory Employee Health Promotion Programs – Some organizations require, or ban, certain health-related conduct. These can take the form of mandatory Health Risk Assessments for employees and restrictions on smoking or alcohol use. While mandating behavior is an effective method to eliminate high-risk behavior, the cost savings must be gauged against the potential message sent to existing and prospective employees. Given that employees are already under various levels of scrutiny in the workplace, individuals may resist attempts by organizations to regulate off-duty conduct. In Addition, some employees may fi nd it diffi cult to comply, forcing organizations into the uncomfortable situation of punishing an otherwise constructive employee. In the short-term a mandate-based Employee Health Promotion can drive to an increase in turnover, as employees either choose to leave or are fi red for noncompliance. In the long-term, the policy may prevent the business from hiring an otherwise qualifi ed applicant, or may serve as a deterrent for individuals thinking of the business. Limits in recruiting, for instance, led CNN to rescind a 13-year ban on hiring smokers.18 Organizations need to make sure that Employee Health Promotion Programs are aligned with the values and culture that drive business operations. If a business emphasizes trust and individual responsibility, then a mandate-based program will likely cause more dissension than it would in a business that already heavily regulates business conduct. Moreover, a work environment with a sizable disengaged population will likely have poor participation in a voluntarybased program. When calculating cost savings, organizations need to take a wider view and consider the effects on long-term employee engagement. In 2005, Michigan-based insurance benefits provider Weyco instituted a smoking ban for all of its nearly 200 employees. Workers are subject to random testing and if they fail a mandatory breathalyzer test, they will be fi red. It is believed that Weyco is the first business to use testing to enforce a smoking ban – most organizations ask employees to self-report behavior. Four employees (more than 2% of the total labor force) left Weyco as a result of the policy. A year prior to the ban the business started a $50 smoking fee, which would be waived if a employee passed a nicotine test or agreed to take a smokingcessation class. Weyco’s president Howard Weyers published that 20 employees quit smoking through this program.20 Workers were told they had one year before the total ban would go into effect. Under the new Employee Health Promotion , Weyco does offer $35 a month for employees who want to use a fi tness center and another $65 a month for employees who meet fitness goals/objectives.