Too many leaders and business owners keep brushing employee health under the rug—until absenteeism spikes and burnout starts chipping away at productivity. The hard truth is that neglecting employee health is not only costly, but it also hits your bottom line—hard.
Whether this is your first time creating a wellness program or you feel skeptical because of a lack of participation in the past, this guide is your ultimate blueprint. It offers tried-and-tested, practical methods you can apply immediately to boost productivity, retain top talent, and even help you cut costs as you turn your workplace into a well-being hub.
What Is Employee Health? (What It Means In HR)
Employee health is the physical, mental, and social well-being of your workforce. In HR, it’s about all activities that create a supportive environment and offer tools to help employees stay healthy, engaged, and productive. This includes addressing workplace risks, ensuring preventive care, and fostering a culture that values well-being at every level.
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$575B Health Costs: Why Employee Health Deserves Attention
Poor employee health costs US employers an estimated $575 billion/year and accounts for 1.5 billion lost workdays, which drastically affects productivity and profitability. Chronic conditions like depression, pain, and heart disease increase absenteeism, which results in employees losing up to 80 hours of work per year due to health issues.
Employers who overlook employee health face financial losses and also risk lower morale, reduced engagement, and high turnover rates. Here are the 5 most critical reasons to prioritize employee health:
- Improved Retention Rates: Businesses with strong wellness initiatives reduce turnover rates by 25%, which also helps save on recruitment and training costs.
- Boosted Productivity: Happy and healthy employees are 20% more productive and contribute to more efficient operations and innovations.
- Reduced Absenteeism: Organizations with proactive health measures report up to 26.8% fewer sick days.
- Lower Healthcare Costs: Preventive care and wellness programs save $3.27 for every $1 invested.
- Enhanced Employer Brand: A commitment to health attracts top talent. 61% of job seekers say they prioritize wellness benefits for job satisfaction.
How To Measure Employee Health & Well-Being
Use these 8 actionable steps to measure employee health and well-being.
1. Conduct Quarterly Employee Surveys
Use targeted surveys to measure their satisfaction, stress levels, and overall well-being. Tools like pulse surveys or anonymous feedback platforms offer valuable insights.
2. Track Absenteeism & Presenteeism
Monitor trends in sick days, late arrivals, and instances where employees work while they’re unwell to identify patterns that affect productivity.
3. Analyze Healthcare Utilization
Review data from health insurance claims and wellness program participation to pinpoint health issues among employees.
4. Implement Biometric Screenings
Offer voluntary screenings for key health metrics, like blood pressure, cholesterol, and BMI, to create a baseline for physical health.
5. Assess Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Usage
Measure the utilization rate of your EAP services to understand the mental health challenges employees face and adjust your resources accordingly.
6. Evaluate Workplace Safety Data
Review incident reports and safety audits to identify risks and implement measures that promote a safer work environment.
7. Leverage Employee Engagement Scores
Use engagement metrics to understand the connection between well-being and workplace satisfaction. Disengaged teams often signal underlying health concerns.
8. Use Wearable Tech & Digital Tools
Encourage employees to use fitness trackers or wellness apps that sync with company platforms. Aggregate data can give you insights into activity levels and stress management.
???? Did You Know?
34.4% of entrepreneurs experience burnout.
(Source)
8 Cost-Efficient Employee Health Management Strategies You Can Implement
Review these 8 cost-effective strategies you can adopt today.
i. Offer Flexible Work Schedules
Let employees choose work hours that suit their personal lives. This reduces stress, improves work-life balance, and costs nothing to implement.
ii. Promote Active Breaks
Encourage short physical activity breaks during the day. Create a culture of movement with activities like walking meetings or desk stretches.
iii. Leverage Free Wellness Resources
Partner with a local employee health clinic, or use free online tools for fitness, mental health, and nutrition programs to support your team at no extra cost.
iv. Implement Peer-Led Wellness Programs
Find employees passionate about fitness programs or mindfulness and ask them to lead your wellness sessions. Such programs build engagement and minimize the need for external experts.
v. Prioritize Leadership Modeling
Train managers to model healthy behaviors. For example, tell them to leave on time, take breaks, and prioritize mental health. Leadership sets the tone for the entire workforce.
vi. Gamify Health Initiatives
Introduce challenges with low-cost rewards, like step-tracking competitions or hydration challenges, to make wellness fun and engaging.
vii. Invest In Ergonomic Adjustments
Make simple, low-cost changes to workspaces. For example, add adjustable chairs or wrist supports. These small updates can prevent injuries and boost productivity.
viii. Provide Access To Telehealth Services
Offer low-cost telemedicine options for routine checkups or mental health support. This saves employees time and reduces healthcare costs.
???? Here’s Another Interesting Fact
Workplace stress drives $190 billion in U.S. healthcare costs.
(Source)
8 Employee Health Policies You Need To Know
Cross-check your company policies against these regulations to ensure full compliance and identify gaps that may expose your business to risks.
- Occupational Safety & Health Act (OSHA): Provide a safe work environment free from recognized hazards. Implement workplace inspections, safety training, and hazard reporting systems.
- Affordable Care Act (ACA): Offer health insurance that meets affordability and minimum coverage standards if you have 50+ full-time employees.
- Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA): Allow eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave annually for medical reasons or to care for family members, with job protection during their absence.
- Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA): Keep employee health information confidential and secure. Follow the privacy guidelines when you handle medical records.
- Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA): Offer reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities to ensure equal access to jobs, facilities, and benefits.
- Workers’ Compensation Laws: Cover medical expenses and lost wages for employees injured or ill due to work-related causes.
- Mental Health Parity & Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA): Offer mental health and substance use disorder benefits in your group health plans on par with medical and surgical benefits.
- Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA): Treat pregnancy-related conditions as temporary disabilities. Offer accommodations and protect employees from discrimination.
???? Something You Should Know
65% of workers want to work remotely full-time.
(Source)
Employee Health & Wellness Services You Can Consider
Explore these practical services tailored for diverse employee needs to create a healthier and more engaged workforce.
- Digital Wellness Platforms: Leverage gamified wellness challenges, personalized health tracking, and education resources in tools like Wellable and YuMuuv. These keep employees motivated and offer flexibility for on-site and remote teams.
- Mental Health Support Programs: Use Unmind or Calm to focus on mindfulness, therapy access, and stress management techniques. These improve emotional resilience to enhance overall workplace performance.
- Telehealth Services: Platforms like Teladoc Health offer 24/7 virtual consultations, which makes it easy for employees to address health concerns without taking time off work.
- Customized Fitness Challenges: Programs like VantageFit and Limeade use wearables and team-based challenges to promote physical activity and camaraderie, which can boost morale and productivity.
- Nutritional Counseling & Meal Programs: Use wellness apps with meal planning features or workplace partnerships with healthy food providers to encourage better eating habits and energy levels.
- Financial Wellness Services: Offer support for budgeting, debt management, and long-term financial planning via apps like Forma to reduce stress related to finance and money concerns.
- Ergonomic Assessments: Use services from companies like ErgoTune for workplace evaluations and health assessments to reduce physical strain, prevent injury, and support employees who work from home.
- Recognition-Based Wellness Incentives: Implement programs like Nectar to combine wellness initiatives with rewards systems where employees earn points for a healthy lifestyle and behavior. These points are redeemable for perks like gift cards or experiences.
Conclusion
You now know how to avoid costly gambles and focus on your employee health programs that boost productivity, morale, and retention. These strategies and tools will help you create a workplace that thrives on well-being and engagement. So, give your team the support they need to perform at their best.
But building a thriving business is more than just that. You also need a team of exceptional talent that makes it easier for you to invest in solutions that matter. Lucky for you, you don’t have to do anything at all to gain access to the top 1% of global talent.
At Genius, we vet 250+ candidates from the Philippines and Latin America for each role to find you experts with all the necessary skills and perfect English at a low total cost. We also back our talent with a 6-month guarantee at 0 monthly fees.
Building a healthier workplace begins with the right people. Let Genius help you find them.
FAQs
What is the difference between employee health and workplace safety?
Employee health focuses on the overall physical, mental, and emotional well-being of workers to improve employee health, including preventive care and wellness programs. Workplace safety specifically focuses on creating a hazard-free environment to prevent accidents and injuries.
What are the top health risks employees face today?
Most employees face health risks, like stress, burnout, chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease, mental health challenges, and musculoskeletal issues caused by sedentary work.
What are some common challenges in implementing employee health programs?
Challenges include low participation rates, budget constraints, lack of leadership support, and difficulty in measuring the effectiveness of programs. Clear communication and tailored initiatives can help overcome these hurdles.
How can small businesses prioritize employee health on a limited budget?
Small businesses can start with cost-effective ways and measures like offering flexible schedules, encouraging walking meetings, leveraging free mental health resources, and creating a culture that prioritizes well-being.
