Aligning for change with workforce vitality
July 13, 2007
 By Zachary Meyer, senior vice president of Ceridian LifeWorks |
| In this new century, the role of HR is transforming as employers realize that the mandate of the past, to simply reduce HR costs, isn't actually the smartest way to do business.
When today's top corporate challenges are finding the best employees, keeping them healthy and on the job, and keeping them as productive as possible -- modifiable behavior change should become a topic of great interest for employers. And progressive companies are wisely investing in the health of their employees -- an astute investment that will also positively influence the health of their bottom line. Dr. Brian Wansink, author of the book Mindless Eating, and director of the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab, defines the 19th century as the Century of Hygiene, the 20th century as the Century of Medicine and the 21st century as the Century of Behavior Change. He says, "Medicine is still making fundamental discoveries that can fight disease, but changing everyday, long-term behavior is the key to adding years and quality to our lives." If there is a common thread running through all organizations -- public, private or government -- it's managing change. To be competitive today, employers need to align for change that will put them in a position to improve performance, do more with less and save money -- and a high performing workforce will get them there. The productivity challenge When you factor in the range of challenges that people face, it's clear that employers have a big opportunity to maximize their people investment by simply doing the right thing. With programs that can literally save lives, it's also a rewarding win-win proposition. Employees wrestle with the responsibilities of caring for their children and aging parents, rising health care costs and balancing work and family life while running dual income households. Factor in stress, a life crisis, depression or the loss of a loved one, and you have an employee who needs resources to cope to stay productive on the job. On top of that, many people deal with life's pressures by engaging in risky behaviors, like overeating or smoking. Today, competitive opportunity lies in the health, wellness and productivity of your employees. The bar is set higher than ever before to find new ways to succeed. You can provide employee assistance, work-life and health and wellness programs to change behavior and infuse vitality into your workforce. The following information shows where there are opportunities to drive results. Changing behavior It's important to realize that some 70 percent of the cost of health care is behavior based. Providing information is great, but it's simply not enough. If conveying information alone was enough to change behavior, then nutritional labeling and cigarette warning labels would change the way people consume. Real impact comes when we find ways to change behavior. About nine percent of U.S. health care costs, or some $123 billion a year, can be attributed to obesity, according to Cornell University. Also consider the issues that Cornell found to affect employee productivity most:
And the Centers for Disease Control reports that more than 75 percent of employer health care costs and productivity losses are related to employee lifestyle choices. These statistics demonstrate that employee health can have a staggering impact on the cost of doing business. Our results show that one of the most effective ways to improve the health of employee populations is to implement health management programs. Consider the following Ceridian/Leade Health data:
Health management With Ceridian's acquisition of Leade Health last fall, we can now help employers take traditional programs to a whole new level. You may have an EAP or work-life program that has health and wellness components, but Ceridian's Health Management Program focuses on a holistic approach to each individual with emphasis on disease prevention versus disease management. Rather than concentrating on select aspects of a person's mental or physical health, Ceridian's health coaching programs address the whole person with a plan co-created by coach and client to reach desired goals and change behaviors. Drawing on Leade Health's years of practice, programming and client data, as well as recent research on a best practices approach to health management, we believe that we can achieve and maintain the highest quality in our health coaching services. It's an innovative path to improved health for employees that includes:
Our research-based approach relies on a collaborative relationship that focuses on four conditions that lead to chronic illnesses and increased medical costs for employers and employees: Weight management, tobacco cessation, stress management and cardiovascular heath. The program can be integrated into existing EAP and work-life programs and has highly effective, yet simple steps for participants. The proof of our program's effectiveness is in the outcomes. With nearly 40,000 health coaching participants since 1997, our results are as follows:
Driving employee participation Building a successful program of course requires that your employees are motivated to use the resources you provide. Ceridian also offers several innovative ways for you to drive participation and compel employees to change behavior. Ceridian Life Health Assessment is just the place to start. It's a confidential assessment that gives employees a baseline to make lifestyle modifications. A thorough report is provided to employees who complete the assessment to help them understand the findings including their health behavior, health history, psycho-social and life event factors such as exercise, tobacco use, depression, nutrition, weight, and safety practices. We also offer a plan that builds incentives into your health management program to help attract and engage employees. A one-time reward or ongoing incentive points help employees stay motivated to make healthy choices. And with an outreach and engagement service, we can find and reach out to high risk individuals (identified by Ceridian Life Health Assessment). Specially trained health professionals make phone calls to employees to help them develop a life plan -- or they can self-refer. Perhaps the importance of your employees' health can be summed up best by America's first physical fitness expert, 93-year-old Jack LaLanne, who said, "If you had people working for you, employees, and it was very important what condition they were in, boy, you'd make sure you fed them right, you exercised them, gave them everything they needed so they could do things for you, right?" By effectively addressing the health of your employee population, you can win at business while helping your employees win at life. And that's one business investment you can feel truly good about. Zachary Meyer is senior vice president of Ceridian's LifeWorks division. LifeWorks is a market-leading employee assistance (EAP) and work-life program provider for employers. Since joining Ceridian in 2005, Meyer has worked to expand the division's product offerings to include a holistic range of health and productivity solutions including individualized tobacco cessation, weight and stress management programs. Meyer has 20 years of health care experience and a master's degree in health care administration from the University of Minnesota. |
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