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Fitness
Affects Your Bottom Line
As businesses
struggle to reverse rising health care costs, wellness programs are becoming
essential to a company’s economic livelihood. Companies are finding that any
investment in
wellness is worth its weight in gold.
Reduced Absenteeism & Disability Time
A recent American Sports Data study found the following averages:
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Frequent exercisers were absent from work only 2.11
days per year compared to inactive employees who were absent 3.06 days per
year.
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The physically active employees reported to work
nearly 70% more than inactive employees.
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Researchers believe that exercise helps boost the
immune system and increases strength, thus resulting in fewer incidences of
absenteeism due to sickness or injury.
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The leading cause of increased loss of productivity to
sick time is stress.
In December 2004, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences published
a report that found:
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Stress affects the telomeres in the chromosomes of
immune cells of women between the ages of 20 and 50.
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Women under stress, had undergone the equivalent of 10
years additional aging compared to women living healthy lives.
DuPont Corp.
found that absences from illness unrelated to the job decreases 14% at 41
industrial sites where its health promotion program was offered, compared with a
5.8% decline where it wasn’t.
Improved Productivity & Morale
Although not as easy to measure as a reduction in health care costs, improved
employee productivity can have a considerable impact on an organization and its
profitability. Corporate wellness programs tend to improve overall morale, as
participating associates feel better about themselves and their company. Such
programs lead to a more energetic, positive and productive workplace, thus
strengthening a company and helping to position it for success.
Lower Turnover
Healthy associates are happy associates; and happy workers almost always turn
out to be faithful, long-term employees. So the healthier and happier the work
force, the less a company has to spend on hiring and training new personnel. The
basis for creating a healthy work force, of course, is a well-conceived and
well-promoted corporate wellness program.
Reduced Costs & Medical Claims
The most obvious benefit of a corporate fitness program is that it allows
companies to reduce their overall health care costs, in part by reducing the
number of medical claims processed each year. Both the business community and
the general population need exercise. Study after study has confirmed that
regular exercise has a preventive effect against a wide variety of illness and
disease.
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The most obvious benefit of a corporate fitness
program is that it allows companies to reduce their overall health care
costs, in part by reducing the number of medical claims processed each year.
Both the business community and the general population need exercise. Study
after study has confirmed that regular exercise has a preventive effect
against a wide variety of illness and disease.
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The more your business helps associates avoid illness
and disease, the more you can save on health care costs each year.
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Setting up wellness plans is relatively inexpensive.
According to an HR focus Wellness Survey, wellness programs only cost 1% to
3% of total health care costs to the company.
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