Benefits of a Healthy Workforce Essay

Organisational health programmes are essential to the survival of companies. Undoubtedly, a healthy workforce would work wonders for any business by reducing absenteeism and turnover, and increasing employee motivation, productivity and revenues. Lowe (2004) writes that hundreds of studies have already documented the direct as well as indirect advantages of â€Å"healthy work environments† to employees in addition to their organisations (p. 7). Indeed, healthy workplaces as well as jobs contribute to the well-being of employees. These benefits may be realized by the whole organisation through lower absenteeism, lower turnover, higher job satisfaction, improved performance on the job, lower rates of accident, in addition to â€Å"reduced health benefit and worker compensation costs (Lowe, p. 7). † Moreover, research has revealed that the largest gains in productivity may be realized by the organisation that changes the entire work environment to make it healthier for all employees (Lowe). Research has also revealed that the impact of poor health is keenly felt in the work environment, so therefore managers require an improved understanding of the dangers of allowing minor symptoms to escalate. Four in ten managers who participated in a recently conducted survey related to workplace health complained that they often become angry with others and feel humorless due to pressure. More than fifty percent of the managers complained of physical pain, at the same time as forty four percent reported experiencing frequent headaches. Moreover, fifty five percent complained of constant tiredness, fifty seven percent complained of insomnia, while twenty percent simply stated that they found it difficult to make decisions because of ill health (Poor Health 2006). Unsurprisingly, these results demand organisations to put effective health programmes in place for all employees. Sick employees are not likely to be highly productive in any case. In the United States, businesses are known to spend at least U. S. $450 billion every year on direct health care. Poor health costs around U. S. $225. 8 billion to American businesses each year through absenteeism as well as productivity losses that are related to the health problems of employees and their families. Hence, insurers as well as employers have started to create a large number of health promotion and prevention programmes that have already started to pay handsome dividends. According to a study, American employers may â€Å"reap the average of [U. S. ] $3. 48 in reduced health care costs and [U. S. ] $5. 82 in lower absenteeism costs for every dollar invested in employee wellness (Toomey 2006, p. 13). † Of course, these benefits can be realized anywhere in the world. In the United Kingdom, three quarters of a million workers are known to take time off work each year due to work-related illnesses (Firman 2006). These illnesses are further known to cost businesses as much as ten percent of their total payroll costs. Indeed, by promoting health in the workplace and preventing illnesses through effective health programmes in the organisation, absenteeism and costs related to the same may be drastically lowered. The money that is saved thus may be used by the organisation to update its equipment; on marketing; as well for the provision of training to employees. Organisations may also be able to increase the number of employees with the cost savings realized through effective health programmes (Jim 2006). Indeed, the benefits of health management programmes in the organisation are aplenty. Healthy employees add value to the organisation. The care shown by employers can boost the morale of the workers. The entire organisation benefits from this, as it becomes more efficient with a healthy and therefore productive workforce. REFERENCES Firman, C. 16. 11. 2006 â€Å"Health Matters. † Motor Transport available at EBSCO Host database. Jim, N. 9. 6. 2006 â€Å"Health and Safety Assessments Cut Costs and Boost Productivity. † Electronics Weekly 2256 available at EBSCO Host database. Lowe, G. S. 2004 â€Å"Healthy Workplace Strategies: Creating Change and Achieving Results. † The Graham Lowe Group available at http://www. grahamlowe. ca/documents/93/Hlthy%20wkpl%20strategies%20report. pdf. Poor Health 2006: â€Å"Poor Health Leads to a Humorless, Angrier Workforce† article in Occupational Health (Jun 2006), 58(6) available at EBSCO Host database. Toomey, D. 18. 12. 2006 â€Å"Wellness and Prevention Programs Generate Healthy Outcomes. † Executive Health & Wellness Guide available at EBSCO Host database.