Preview

The Benefits of Health in the Workplace

Best Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1815 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Benefits of Health in the Workplace
The Benefits of Health Promotion in the Workplace

Abstract When researching the phrase “health promotion in the workplace”, millions of results are returned. Of those many results, one can observe that many people have different meanings of what a “healthy” workplace should be and what types of programs can help with promoting healthy activities. This paper explores the benefits of health promotion in the workplace while focusing on the definition of what health promotion is, how the health of employees is as important as their safety, and what the advantages are of health promotion in the workplace. It is also intended to examine the literature found on healthy workplaces, the interrelationships between physical and mental health of workers, and the benefits of implementing such programs. The findings on this topic suggest that promoting these programs and methods in the workplace will be very advantageous because it is able to generate savings by keeping and maintaining employees healthy. Healthy employees mean productivity will be at a high. The National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) believes that research has shown that “these programs can change employees’ behavior, improve their biometric risk profile and work productivity, reduce use of and spending for health care services, and achieve a positive return on investment” (Schoenman, 2011).
Keywords: health promotion, workplace health, benefits of health promotion, wellness programs

The Benefits of Health Promotion in the Workplace
Over many years, researchers have demonstrated that workplace health promotion has increased its importance as a contributing factor of Americans improving their health. Healthy employees mean a healthy workforce which then equals to higher productivity. Besides protecting the safety and well being of employees, companies should begin promoting employee health and wellness by giving opportunities for continuing good health and enhanced



References: Baase, Catherine M., Burton, Wayne N., Hartenbaum, Natalie P., Hymel, Pamela A., Hudson, T. Warner, Konicki, Doris L., Larson, Paul W., Loeppke, Ronald R., McLellan, Robert K., Mueller, Kathryn L., Roberts, Mark A., Yarborough, Charles M. (2011). Workplace Health Protection and Promotion: A New Pathway for a Healthier—and Safer—Workforce. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 53 (6), 695-702. Goetzel, Ron Z. and Ozminkowski, Ronald J. (2008). The Health and Cost Benefits of Work Site Health-Promotion Programs. The Annual Review of Public Health 29, 303-23. Heubeck, Elizabeth. Workplace Stress and Your Health: Experts explain the dangers of work-related stress and provide solutions. Retrieved from http://men.webmd.com/features/work-stress Lastowka, Lauren. (2011, January 11). 8 Ways to Promote Wellness in the Workplace. Retrieved from http://www.inc.com/guides/2011/01/8-ways-to-promote-wellness-in-the-workplace.html Mathis, R.L., & Jackson J. H. (2011). Human Resource Management. (13th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western, Cengage Learning. Schoenman, Julie A. (2011). Building a Stronger Evidence Base for Employee Wellness Programs. The National Institue for Health Care Management Research and educational Foundation.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Greggs Background

    • 358 Words
    • 2 Pages

    ➢ Initiative & Espirit de Corps –Employee opinion survey to make a healthier work environment and strong work culture…

    • 358 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Unit 7 Assignment 1

    • 1827 Words
    • 7 Pages

    “Workplace obesity prevention and control programs can be an effective way for employers to reduce obesity’ (CDC, 2011).…

    • 1827 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Unit 208

    • 799 Words
    • 6 Pages

    maintain good physical health while in the working environment, and Healthy living while at the workplace. And also to maintain maximum damage control for injuries sustained while in the job. Before starting in a new position, it often requires that these conditions are agreed upon with the prospective employer.…

    • 799 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    In order to achieve this goal the CDC promotes positive health based programs both in communities and places of employment. If employers create a healthier workplace then not only will it decrease the likelihood that employees will have to miss work due to injury or illness, it will also ensure higher productivity from staff. If companies enact policies and procedures that support health it will make that company more attractive place to work for both existing employees and potential new employees. The five main categories that CDC recommends offering health information and care for employees are behavioral health, health screening, mental health, injury, and adult immunizations (CDC, 2013). Providing services for things like depression, alcohol and substance abuse, smoking cessation, and nutrition courses will help provide overall better lives for employees which will result in having more highly motivated productive workers while they are on the job.. Some ideas for promoting a healthier workplace to lower obesity would be offering lunches to employees to purchase that consist of fresh fruits, vegetables, and salads. Employers can put together exercise groups or offer reimbursement to employees who obtain gym memberships and attend at least four…

    • 1673 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Worksite Wellness Study

    • 351 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Our health or lack thereof is not only killing us but sending us to an untimely financial doom. According to a study by Purdue University, 87.5% of health care claims costs are due to an individual’s lifestyle. We believe that we are on the right track to alleviate these problems; however it seems as if something or someone is missing. Since we are in the commencement process of our worksite wellness program, I could not think of a more qualified speaker than you to come and motivate our employees on the importance of healthy living.…

    • 351 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Best Essays

    Mahar, D. S. (n.d.). Influences on Work Health Notes. Retrieved August 13, 2014, from http://home.wlv.ac.uk/~in6070/1115w2.htm…

    • 3545 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In my work setting promoting health and well being is a very big issue and teachers have taken all this in to consideration when planning daily schedules. There are many ways which we can promote health and well being. These are:…

    • 707 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ottawa Charter

    • 808 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Changing patterns of life, work and leisure have a significant impact on health. Work and leisure should be a source of health for people. The way society organizes work should help create a healthy society. Health promotion generates living and working conditions that are safe, stimulating, satisfying and enjoyable.…

    • 808 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The beauty of life is that it's filled with wonderful experiences and surprises. However it can be, shall we say, challenging? Juggling family, personal and work responsibilities can sometimes take its toll. We may even sacrifice our own needs to the detriment of our health, which can severely impact our work performance. We understand these struggles first hand, and we became motivated to do something about it. At Wellocity, we've designed workplace wellness programs as the perfect tool to help create a better work/life balance amongst your employees.…

    • 329 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The reason for this report is due to the amount of health care costs that have increased in the last three years. ABC Corporation has had an increase of more than 200% within the past three years in insurance premiums being paid. Although ABC Corporation has provided its employees with great healthcare plans, the cost, as you will see, has increased exponentially. My findings will reveal potential trends in and outside of the work environment that have contributed to this increase. There are many factors that contribute to our health status. Just like school is a big part of a child’s day, the work force for adults is the same. In school, teachers offer us the tools we need to be successful and we will see that our work environment can also provide our employees with tools to begin or maintain a healthy lifestyle and prevent many chronic diseases.…

    • 980 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In order to increase overall productivity of the organization a wellness program needs to be designed and implemented. If crafted properly, a wellness program vision statement will coax key players to consider what role they’ll play in creating this new reality of what is envisioned reflect the core values of the organization and it should be. Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time specific program goals allow the organization to articulate precisely when the envisioned task has been achieved. Once objectives have been set the next element is the implementation and timeline; which provides detailed information highlighting the months, dates, and times the various programs will be offered. Moreover, information concerning individual responsibilities and methods of accountability will also be contained in this section of the wellness program. The marketing and communication section includes marketing information, company brochures and newsletters, e-mail, intranet, website, videos, etc. all represent potential vehicles to disseminate information to the employees. An itemized budget should provide accurate, complete, and realistic information concerning the amount of money it will take to achieve the outcomes. Finally, the evaluation plan is used to check to see if the wellness program was…

    • 1146 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Employers are becoming increasingly engaged in activities associated with health promotion, nutrition, fitness and other workplace initiatives to promote both physical and mental wellbeing. Companies offering workplace wellness programs rose from 33 percent in 1993 to 39 percent just one year later (Walker, 2004).…

    • 1730 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Canada's Mental Health

    • 923 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Policies in a range of areas from income security to reducing stress in the workplace or programs such as suicide prevention or youth counselling all constitute health promoting initiatives. The following example related to health in the workplace could serve as a template for the development of mentally healthy policy in many areas of activity. Acting on the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion’s call for “putting health on the agenda of policymakers in all sectors and at all levels” the authors of a recent report prepared for the Institute for Work and Health looked at the impact of information about the health consequences of unemployment and job insecurity. They evaluated the influence and potential of such information, and analysed barriers to utilizing it in employment policy-making. The authors conclude with three recommendations aimed at combining greater awareness of employment-related health consequences with traditional employment policy-making: • health policy-makers must act as the intellectual leaders in rephrasing health information in terms meaningful to employment policy-makers; • both health and employment policy-makers must work toward an increase in cross-departmental and cross-governmental initiatives as well as toward greater awareness of and accountability for the health consequences of employment…

    • 923 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    Ethnic Health Disparities

    • 3483 Words
    • 14 Pages

    businesses who invest in employee health promotion may not be immediately apparent, researchers argue that…

    • 3483 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Better Essays

    Wellness Proposals. (2009). Workplace Health Programs: Protecting Employee Rights. Retrieved from http://www.wellnessproposals.com/wellness_articles/workplace_health_programs_protecting_employee_rights.htm April 10, 2011…

    • 1426 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays