Table 1 Business Pertinent Health & Well-being Issues
Business Issue | Increasing the productivity of the workforce | Improving customer service and satisfaction | Reducing the costs of ill-health | Reducing potential future business risks and liabilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Modifying effect of employee health and well-being on business issue | Many medical conditions and risks (e.g. diabetes, cardiovascular disease, migraine, pain, respiratory disease, high BMI, smoking, excess alcohol consumption) have a direct impact upon the day-to-day productivity of the workforce [12,14,19,22,33]. Sleep disturbance and disruption has a significant impact upon an individual's performance during the working day [34] Psychological distress / stress can have a profound impact upon worker productivity and performance [21,35,36]. | Physical and mental health are component factors in developing employee commitment, job satisfaction and a "climate for service" within an organisation. Via these areas the health and well-being of employees is likely to be an indirect contributor to customer service and satisfaction [37-40]. Employee attitude and job satisfaction directly affect sales increases and customer satisfaction. [37]. | High risk health status (e.g. poorly controlled medical conditions, sub-optimal nutritional status, lack of physical activity, high levels of psychological distress) are associated with greater medical care expenditure and higher levels of absence [13,28,41-44]. Musculoskeletal issues are the commonest cause of long-term sickness absence in manual workers. [45]. Corporate health and well-being programmes have been shown to produce a return on investment by decreasing medical care costs, worker compensation costs and absence [30,31,46-48]. | Improving physical fitness within the workforce can reduce voluntary staff turnover [49]. Union backed employee stress-related liability claims have risen four-fold since 1999, posing a significant risk to the business [50]. Early retirement due to illness is placing a significant burden upon pension plans. Musculoskeletal and psychological issues are the two most frequent health related reasons for early retirement [51]. |
Domains within HWB assessment that help quantify issue | Medical Health Pain Body Mass Index Smoking Status Alcohol Consumption Sleep Status Symptoms of Stress | Overall HWB Score Symptoms of Stress Job Satisfaction | Medical Health Nutritional Balance Physical Activity Symptoms of Stress Pain Overall HWB Score | Physical Activity Symptoms of Stress Pain |