Dear Dan: After five years in business, we were finally able to offer health insurance last year for our 17 employees. Now we want to keep everyone healthy! Any ideas?
– Fitness Guy
Dear Fitness Guy: Whether your business can afford health insurance or not, it's a good idea to help workers get fit and stay healthy.
Businesses that step up to help employees reach their fitness goals can earn a big infusion of loyalty and gratitude in return.
"When you focus on something your employees care about, it naturally makes them care more about your company," says Thomas Gilliam, who designs wellness programs and fitness centers. "And let's face it.
Almost everyone wants to drop a few pounds."
Research by Industrial Physical Capability Services Inc. shows 38 percent of new hire applicants were obese in 2006, compared with 29 percent in 2000. And the number of "normal weight" employees has been decreasing.
Here are suggestions from Gilliam to help your fitness efforts succeed:
* Be prepared for a long-term commitment: Achieving a healthy body weight takes time, so it's important to stand by your employees every step of the way.
* Offer incentives: Some businesses offer discounted insurance premiums, gift certificates or even small cash bonuses for employees who reach milestones. Others set up friendly competitions. Even small incentives are powerful. Be creative. Make it fun.
* Get employees excited about good nutrition: If you have vending machines, make healthier foods available. Provide a refrigerator and microwave so employees can bring their own meals. Create a recipe bulletin board to share health-conscious culinary creations.
* Foster and encourage exercise groups: Start a lunch-hour walking group or see if a local health club might offer discounts on memberships. And by all means, join in yourself.
In addition, find out what fitness information and services are available from your health insurer. You can draw on resources such as WebMD.com and Intelihealth.com. For employees facing alcoholism, substance abuse or other serious issues, employee assistance programs can help. Find providers at www.eapassn.org.
Other resources to consider include the Partnership for Prevention's Healthy Workforce 2010, a health promotion sourcebook for employers, at www.prevent.org; Healthy People, a government site, at www.healthypeople.gov; and the employee wellness section on ManagementHelp.org.
Daniel Kehrer can be reached at editor@business.com.
