‘Health’

Next Health: Better Office Health Through Employee’s Diet

July 14th, 2010 in Health    No Comments

Zoe Finch Totten’s company, The Full Yield, is on a mission to improve public health. By targeting big employers with The Full Yield’s wellness program, Finch Totten hopes to make employees healthier and cheaper to insure. The program is first being rolled out in a few Boston-area businesses, but plans to expand to the nation’s 50 largest cities within five years.

This wellness program differs from others offered by corporations; up to now, most programs have focused on smoking cessation, stress reduction and exercise. The Full Yield targets the diets of employees, requiring a three-month commitment to eating only whole foods. The program is rounded out by a health-risk assessment, biometrics measures, meetings with a coach, activity plan, and access to a community website. (more…)

Give Your Wrist A Rest: The Best Ergonomic Keyboards

October 28th, 2009 in Health    No Comments

In this short article the director of Human Factors and Ergonomics Laboratory at Cornell University was asked to pick three of the best keyboards for aching wrists. The results were:

  • Goldtouch Go! — Light weight and ideal for mobile users, this keyboard is divided into two angled halves that naturally straighten the hands and wrists. (Cost: $139).
  • Kensington Comfort Type Slim Keyboard – Looks like a traditional keyboard but the keys are angled toward the center, allowing for a straighter and more relaxed wrist posture. (Cost: $20).
  • Jasper Freeboard – A good choice for those who use their mouse as much as they type, the Freeboard has a built-in mousepad which prevents overextension and straining and has a snap-on attachment for the left-handed. (Cost: $149).

Source: Shivani Vora, Inc. (New York); Oct, 2009

More Than A Quarter Of Employees Think More Employees Are Calling In Sick With Fake Excuses Due To Stress Tied To The Recession, Finds CareerBuilder’s Annual Survey

October 20th, 2009 in Health    No Comments

A new nationwide CareerBuilder’s survey points to the economy as a major factor in workplace absences in 2009. Among the findings discussed in this article:

  • 32 percent of workers have called in sick at least once when they were well.
  • Some employers (29 percent) responded to this phenomenon by checking up on sick employees, with 15 percent having fired an employee for missing work without a legitimate excuse.
  • 63 percent of surveyed companies let employees use sick days for “mental health” days, finding that it leads to more productive employees.
  • While 12 percent of workers played hooky to catch up on work-related projects, more were found that needed to go to doctors appointments (31 percent), needed to relax (28 percent) or to catch up on sleep (16 percent).

Source: Science Letter (Atlanta); Oct 20, 2009

Workers’ Ailing Health Problematic; ‘Presenteeism’ Bigger Problem In Tough Times, Experts Say

August 23rd, 2009 in Health    No Comments

This article addresses “presenteeism,” the productivity lost by employees who are on the job but accomplishing little because they are distracted or suffering from fatigue or depression. The author believes this issue is particularly important now that many employers are financially unable to invest in infrastructure enhancements, making worker productivity more important than ever before. A recently completed multi employer study measured the total costs of employee illnesses. (more…)

Fresh Approaches To Indoor Air Quality (Keeping It Green)

August 11th, 2009 in Green, Health    No Comments

Good air quality is an important factor in maintaining a healthy and comfortable office environment. This article takes a look at the latest techniques to marry the best of ventilation and air filtration systems with low emission, environmentally friendly furnishings to enhance the health and performance of employees and bolster the organizational bottom line. Notable efforts discussed include:

  • The use of low-emitting carpets, low-volatile organic paints and urea-formaldehyde-free wood products;

    • (more…)

Our Gadget Of The Week: Wrist Watcher

March 30th, 2009 in Health    No Comments

In today’s workplace there are few injuries more debilitating than repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) that range from office-based carpal tunnel syndrome and Blackberry thumb to home-based iPod finger, Nintendinitis and Wiinjuries. More than 5 percent of office workers suffer from RSIs, some to the point of hardly being able to work. (more…)

Obesity And The Workplace: Current Programs And Attitudes Among Employers And Employees

January 16th, 2009 in Health    No Comments

Today two out of every three American adults is either overweight or obese and it’s predicted that by 2015, 40 percent of U.S. adults will be obese. Furthermore, notes the article, “Nearly 80 percent of obese adults have diabetes, coronary artery disease, high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, or gallbladder disease. 40 percent have two or more of these conditions, with obesity linked to 400,000 deaths per year.”
For employers, this health catastrophe translates into high medical claim expenses, ever increasing short- and long-term disability expenses, higher absenteeism and falling productivity even when employees do come in.

This article explores the results of two major national surveys that shed light on these issues. The first survey examines weight-management programs offered by employers to counter obesity. The second survey explores employee views about these programs. The article briefly discusses the survey methodologies and then goes into some detail about the findings and their implications. Among the more interesting results:

  • 71 percent of employers overall and 92 percent of employers with over 5000 employees agree that workplace weight-management programs are appropriate and effective in addressing their concerns about medical expenses and lost productivity;
  • 80 percent of employees surveyed felt that weight-management and health lifestyle programs belong in the workplace, with only 10 percent (largely lower income, less educated workers) strongly believing that such programs interfered with privacy;
  • 55 percent of employees agree that “seriously overweight or obese employees raise premiums for everyone”;
  • Employers were more likely to believe obesity a result of poor lifestyle choices (93 percent) or preventable (87 percent) than “out of one’s control” (41 percent) or futile to treat (18 percent); while
  • 81 percent of employees felt that obesity had a genetic component, although only 11 percent felt strongly about this.

Staff Keen To Know About Change Plans

September 16th, 2008 in Health    No Comments

The premise of this article is that when tough decisions need to be made in a troubled economy employees want to be  kept fully informed and treated as adults. It notes that a recent study found that more than two-thirds of respondents expected major workplace change in the coming year, whether from increased work loads, new managers, relocation or job loss. (more…)

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