A healthy workforce is a happy and efficient workforce. Healthy employees have fewer sick days and may be less likely to become injured on the job. Employers who recognize the importance of their employees’ health are taking measures to ensure that the people who work for them take care of themselves. Healthy people aren’t just healthy physically, they’re healthy emotionally. Below are some examples of current trends in workplace:
Wearable Technology
Some employers are not only offering to help employees pay for fitness trackers, they’re helping to pay for an employee’s spouse’s fitness tracker. These employers recognize the importance of their employees’ relationships in forming healthy habits, so they target an entire family.
New Technology
If employers can’t take a couple of hours out of their day to visit a trainer, the trainer can come to their desk to offer live one-on-one training via video conference. As long as the employer’s network can handle this service, it’s a good way to help employees find the time to focus on their health in the midst of a busy workday.
Using Health Data
Some employers collect the data from their employees’ fitness trackers and health plan usage to help them anticipate future insurance costs or costs due to sick days and calculate ROI on a more frequent than annual basis. If fewer employees are out sick and getting prescriptions filled, that’s a sign that the employer’s investment in fitness trackers and personal training is working.
Data Collection Fears
An employer using data from a fitness tracker, however, doesn’t always sit well with employees. An employer knowing whether his employee went for a jog during non-business hours feels a little Big Brother to some. Others worry that their employer knowing too much about their health could lead to them paying higher insurance premiums or being passed over for promotions. Employers will have to reassure employees to help alleviate these fears.