When thinking about prophylactic prevention, the first thing that comes to mind may be reducing the risk of illness and injury through proven interventions such as vaccination and safety policies.
If you dig deeper, you will find that prevention and response are strategies used almost everywhere in the world today, not just for health and safety reasons.
Retailers continue to identify new technologies — Like a Bluetooth-activated chip embedded in a product — to fight most $100 billion annual loss Faced for “reduction” including shoplifting and gift card theft.
Yet wellness remains one of the hottest areas when it comes to preventative innovation by design.
think of cleaning change Based on protective gear, assessment protocols, and gameplay rules recently created by the NFL with the goal of reducing the incidence of concussion and preventing suspected chronic sequelae associated with recurrent concussions.
But professional athletes aren’t the only ones at risk of work-related injuries.
Warehouse employees, shift workers and even white-collar professionals face occupational health risks every day. Many of them are avoidable, or at least controllable, with the right approach.
Occupational health management has a long history of identifying workplace hazards and employing hazard control measures such as ergonomic training and personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce the risk of illness and injury.
This proactive approach has played an important role throughout. rejected Number of workplace injuries reported in the last 20 years.
So why are employers’ medical bills continuing to rise? Some say higher bills, many of which are related to patient illness. an aging workforce or comorbidities).
So what can you do to reverse the trend?
Wellness plans and general wellness
The answer may be to build on the already established foundation of proactive prevention while adopting additional strategies that consider the ‘overall health’ of employees.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), preventable chronic conditions, not workplace injuries, account for the majority. Continued Rise in Claims Costs.
Employers spend more than $36 billion each year related to absenteeism related to five chronic (and largely preventable) conditions or factors: hypertension, diabetes, obesity, sedentary lifestyles and smoking. presumed lost.
Four out of the top 10 most costly health conditions for employers are related to heart disease.
Knowing this, employers should adjust employee wellness plans to emphasize balanced nutrition and guided exercise programs for strength, mobility and cardiovascular health. .
Nutrition counseling is a tool and confidence for employees to make healthier food choices and establish sustainable eating habits that will benefit their long-term health and ultimately enhance their performance and productivity in the workplace. can be given to employees.
In addition, guided fitness programs and employer-sponsored gym memberships can significantly enhance an employee’s cardiovascular and musculoskeletal fitness.
This combination can have a significant impact on behavior-affecting illnesses, which are often responsible for large billing costs and time away from work.
beyond the physical
Many, including the CDC, believe that work-related stress is more serious and potentially costly than physiological risk factors such as obesity and lack of physical activity.
With this in mind, adding features and services that address employee psychosocial needs to existing disease and injury prevention strategies can be a game changer.
These can be as simple as building extra breaks into the workday schedule, creating a calm environment in break areas, offering employee assistance programs, and encouraging engagement in those programs.
Additionally, aerobic and musculoskeletal exercises include: positive impact Strengthen the case to develop a dedicated nutrition and fitness counseling program for stress levels.
embrace the digital age
Finally, think about technology.
Even if you are already using workplace wearables to monitor environmental or ergonomic exposure levels in hazardous environments, the opportunity to further protect employee health and wellness through condition-specific technologies such as: There may be continuous blood glucose monitor (CGM).
For diabetic employees, this easy-to-use device collects and reports blood glucose levels frequently throughout the day without the need for a finger prick. It also warns employees of dangerously low or high readings.
Such innovative technologies (and the data they provide) not only enable employees and their clinicians to better manage underlying medical conditions and improve overall health, It also helps reduce time away and potentially reduces medical costs associated with disease-related complications. If the condition is not properly monitored and managed, it can develop over time.
Healthy employees are more productive at work, less likely to get injured, and often stay longer with their employers.
Not all occupational illnesses and injuries can be avoided, but many, including debilitating and costly chronic illnesses, can be prevented and support employee health, well-being and overall well-being. You can prevent it by playing a more active role in &
