Fiscally fit

[I]During the past 20 years, obesity among adults has risen significantly in the United States. Sixty-five percent of U.S. adults—or about 129.6 million people—are either overweight or obese. In addition to decreasing quality of life and increasing the risk of premature death, obesity and overweight cost the Nation an estimated $117 billion in direct medical costs and indirect costs such as lost wages due to illness.”

—Center for Disease Control, August 2005[/I]

“Just how important is health and fitness to your quality of life, both at work and home? If you could get a $3 return for every dollar invested while increasing productivity, reducing absenteeism, and improving the overall quality of life for everyone in your organization, would you want to learn more?

The quote above illustrates the effects of being overweight: the risk of premature death and an overall decrease in the quality of life. In addition, poor physical fitness has an impact on the fiscal fitness of companies, with estimates of $61 billion on direct health care costs and $56 billion in indirect costs because of lost wages due to illness, decreased productivity, and an increase in absenteeism and sick leave.

Corporations all over the world are beginning to recognize the effects of personal health and fitness and the direct correlation it has to the bottom line. Many encourage memberships at a fitness club, or have onsite fitness centers their employees can use during lunch, before work or after work.

CSX Corporation is an international transportation company with over 35,000 employees, and they decided to make a major investment in the health of their people. They determined their levels of cholesterol, blood glucose, and body mass index, and the results identified three common health issues: obesity, and cardiac and pulmonary disease.

Results are still being compiled, but Kenneth Glover, CSX Director of Health & Wellness, is confident that the investment in employee health will yield great returns for the employees and for the company, based on studies conducted by the federal government and other companies. “It’s generally accepted that for every dollar invested in improving employee health, there is a $3 return, but we expect to do much better than that here, “Glover said.

The Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) in Western Australia developed a program that includes testing employee fitness and providing gyms, exercise classes, and health initiatives like skin and mole scanning. Since the program was introduced in 1995, CALM health officer, Alicia Taylor can provide some compelling statistics that supports a strong return on investment (ROI). Lost time due to injury has been reduced by 27.5 percent and injuries requiring medical treatment have dropped an impressive 38 percent. “We’ve also seen increased productivity and reduced sick leave,” Taylor adds.

In a two-year study with 2,100 workers at the Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA), the percentage of employees with normal blood pressure increased from 28 percent to 37 percent. Employees with normal blood glucose levels also improved from 43 percent to 58 percent. Employees who missed work due to hypertension dropped from 25.8 percent to 15.6 percent, and those who missed work due to diabetes issues dropped from 50 percent to 16.9 percent—a 66.2 percent reduction!

So with all the benefits to workers and to the company, what is your organization doing to improve the health of its most valuable asset—its people? If your business is typical, the answer is probably “little or nothing.”

As an employer, a fitness program will help improve productivity and reduce absenteeism. With healthcare costs skyrocketing, you will save on hospital bills and absenteeism due to illness or fatigue.

As an employee, you will have more energy, less sickness, and a better quality of life. Just doing some simple things that cause you to move more can get you started toward better health. Stand while you talk on the phone and pace back and forth (with a cordless phone), park a block away from work, walk up a flight of stairs instead of taking an elevator, or taking a short walk during your lunch break. All of these will increase circulation and help you become physically fit, while helping your organization become fiscally fit.