The New Year is hereusalready, and many of us havemade our annual resolutions tolose weight, spend more wisely,read great books, etc. Someargue that making resolutionsjust sets us up for failure and asense of disappointment, but— if there isn’t a goal to reach,who among us would ever try(or succeed)? For that reasonalone, each of us should havesome reasonable or attainableresolution for 2009. So here’san idea.
Get in better health!Whether you’re an employeeor the employer, better healthmeans better quality of life.Exercise and avoiding illnesshave a positive impact in manyways: reduced stress levels,fewer days missed at work, andlower health–care costs.
Workplace absenteeism hasincreased 30 percent over thepast 30 years. The median costof absenteeism is estimated at$468 per year, per employee. Asmall company with fewer than100 employees will lose anaverage of $21,000 per annum.Not exactly pocket change. Is itany wonder the business worldhas a vested interest in thehealth of employees?
In an effort to reduce costsassociated with absenteeism,some companies areencouraging exercise viaemployee incentives. Even thebest of us at times need theproverbial carrot to be dangledover the cart—in this case, amotivation to get out there andmove our bodies. Many localcompanies offer employeesa free gym membership.Sometimes working out oncea week is all it takes to get andkeep this perk.
There are several studieswhich validate this idea.One study by Muto in 1993evaluated 20,000 plus maleworkers. The first groupcomprised of those who neverexercised, the second of thosewho worked out once or twicea week, and the third groupexercised three or more timesper week. Unsurprisingly,employee absenteeism washighest in those who neverexercised and least in thosewho logged three or moreworkouts per week. A morerecent study by Jacobson in2001 confirmed these results,also finding that there was nofurther benefit in decreasedabsenteeism for peopleexercising more than threetimes a week.
A study by Nicholl in1994 examined age, exercisehabits and missed days atwork. It turns out that thecorrelation between employeeabsenteeism and exercise issmaller for employees youngerthan 45. These employees aremore likely to get hurt exercisingthan the seniors—the typical“weekend warrior” syndrome.We tend to feel more invinciblewhen we are young and are moreapt to over–do it.
My own experience withworkplace exercise incentivescame out of the blue. Somemonths ago a large health clubchain approached me with anoffer to sponsor an in–houseexercise contest. The gym wouldprovide pedometers and contestprizes along with a free monthat the gym for everyone inour small (–15) office. I uppedthe ante with a “beat the boss”contest. Thinking I was in prettygood shape, I offered monetaryprizes to anyone who rackedup more steps than I on thepedometer by the end of themonth. Sad to say, most of thestaff bested me—now there’s ahealth–care cost I hadn’t plannedon.
It was shocking to realize thatI, the boss, tend to sit a lot in myjob. My staff are the ones walkingup and down the hallway. As asurgeon, I operate in a confinedarea and then retreat to myoffice to sign charts and otherpaper work. I expect most ofyou have a similar lifestyle. Yousit in the office, in the car or inlong meetings. Perhaps even“management” needs workplaceexercise incentives.
Strong correlations have beenfound between lack of exerciseand heart attack, cancer, andstress–related illness. So, myprescription for you is to keepyour New Year’s resolutions toexercise at least twice a week.You’ll feel better, look better andwork better, and who could ask formore?
