Wellness Programs and Employee Benefits

Dr. Purushothaman
January 22, 2014

 

Most business owners probably understand how their employees’ health can affect the company’s bottom line. Many, however, may not realize how much impact fewer sick days along with higher employee morale can have on the cost of labor for a company.
Employee benefits for San Francisco workers provides coverage for employees who get sick or injured, but preventative measures can help owners reduce the number of claims filed. Companies that institute a wellness program find that it can reduce the number of employees getting sick and lead to overall improved employee morale.

Benefits of a good wellness program

Reduced absenteeism - Healthier employees tend to get sick less, saving costs not only in paid sick leave, but also in the need to hire temporary help, re-scheduling time, and lost business resulting from a prolonged absence. A healthy employee may also influence his or her dependents, thus reducing time off needed to care for sick family members.
Improved productivity - Healthier employees usually work longer hours with greater focus. But small improvements make a big difference over time. Just one hour of extra productivity per day adds the equivalent of nearly one full week of work each month.
Improved employee retention - Healthier employees are also more loyal. A company-sponsored program sends a message that they care about their employees’ welfare.
It doesn’t require a huge upfront investment to get a good ROI on these wellness programs. For example, a company that installs a hand sanitizer dispenser in their bathrooms could possibly cut down employee sickness days. This could also reduce the spreading of sickness by those employees showing up to work sick who employ the use of sanitizers.
In one study on company vending machines, swapping out the usual junk food for sandwiches and low calorie vegetable and fruit snacks, and replacing sodas with bottled water and milk significantly improved worker morale and performance by cutting out sugar highs and lows.
Offering free clinics and screenings also proved useful to another business. A diabetic screening revealed that a significant number of employees were diabetic or pre-diabetic, and encouraged these employees to adopt a healthier diet and life style. Employers can also take advantage of a subsidized or partially subsidized exercise program. Smoking cessation programs, in addition to creating a smoke-free company environment, will pay added dividends on an employer’s investment as well.
A wellness program is no substitute for a good employee benefits program in San Francisco, but it can be a valuable resource in reducing insurance and medical costs for both employee and employer.
About the Author
Glen Eaton is an insurance agent for DiNicola Insurance which is an insurance agency that serves the San Francisco bay area providing comprehensive insurance programs, employee benefits and risk management strategies.

Article Source: http://goarticles.com/article/Wellness-Programs-and-Employee-Benefits/7902881/

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