How can controlling risk behaviors benefit employers?
Research has shown that the elimination of just one risk factor can increase productivity by 9 percent and reduce absenteeism by 2 percent. There is also evidence that as lifestyle risk factors rise so do health care costs. Employees who are physically active at a moderate frequency (one or two times per week) and employees who are very active (three or more times per week) have $250 less in health care costs per year than more sedentary employees, and $450 less in health care costs per year than employees who are obese. The costs of presenteeism are $500 higher annually for moderate to extremely obese workers than for other workers. A 2009 report from the Change Agent Work Group, a collaboration of industry and thought leaders working to improve workforce health and productivity, concludes: ‘The ability to add value to the business through better management of employee health may be the largest untapped source of competitive advantage.’ Can preventive measures be effective in reducing
