A new study says companies might not be getting the most out of their wellness programs.
Lost productivity related to medical issues is more expensive for companies than the associated medical costs, according to a recent study published in the April issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (JOEM).
Overall, so-called “presenteeism” (employees working while unhealthy) costs employers even more than the money spent on medical care. In fact, the study says that for every dollar of medical costs, companies are also losing $2.30 in lost productivity.
Some conditions, though, can have an even bigger impact on productivity. While the illnesses that cost the most to treat are cancer, back pain and heart disease, the conditions causing the most damage to workplace efficiency are:
- depression
- obesity
- arthritis
- back/neck pain, and
- anxiety.
What’s it mean to HR? The report suggests employers who use wellness programs simply to cut down on insurance costs are missing a valuable opportunity to save resources in other areas. Putting more focus on the issues that cause presenteeism can have an even bigger impact on the bottom line.
