Can employers really impact employee health for the better?

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Employers today find themselves in an increasingly precarious position. Health care costs are soaring. Financial pressures are mounting. Staffing concerns abound. With all these stressors, it may feel like it’s only a matter of time before what’s best for the company becomes somehow at odds with what’s best for employees. But the truth is that these two factors aren’t — and never should be — mutually exclusive.

The health of a company and the health of its employees are inextricably linked. Physical health and overall wellbeing of employees are predictors of employer outcomes across three areas: health care, productivity, and retention. In other words, a workforce that experiences better wellbeing will take fewer sick days, produce better work, and exhibit a desire to remain at their company longer. And companies that build a culture of health benefit from a competitive advantage in the marketplace. The fact is, employers not only have the power to impact the health of their employees; they can’t afford not to.