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Employee wellness is an important workforce management initiative. Caring about the health of your employees is not only an important part of being a compassionate employer, but it is also critical to your company's ability to be productive and profitable. A sick workforce with a high rate of absenteeism is not good for the company. By advocating health for your employees you can keep your workforce well, your employees happy, and your organization going in a positive direction.
The federal Family and Medical Leave Act protects many employees who have to work part-time for medical reasons. It does not, however, protect everyone. If you're covered and your reason for leaving is legitimate under the act, your employer must grant you leave and can't terminate or punish you for exercising your rights.
Reducing employee benefits is a difficult task for compensation and benefits specialists. However, an economic downturn can leave employers with few alternatives but to reduce employee benefits. Employees might even anticipate changes to their employer-sponsored health insurance benefits before reductions become effective. The 2010 Health Confidence Survey conducted jointly by the Employee Benefit Research Institute and Mathew Greenwald & Associates revealed that the percentage of employees most confident about the stability of their health insurance benefits dropped by 16 points in just 10 years. Sixty-eight percent of employees surveyed in 2000 felt their health insurance benefits would remain the same;…
Corporate wellness programs can help improve employee morale and boost productivity, but those concepts sometimes need to be defined for management. In order to justify the cost effectiveness of employee health programs, you will want to understand the specific benefits from such programs. This will help your human resources and finance departments determine whether or not implementing or maintaining a workplace health prevention make sense for your business.
British companies that apply biased criteria when selecting staff for redundancy can face severe penalties. As of February 2011, U.K. employment law provides that an unfairly dismissed employee can be awarded up to £56,800 (about $91,000 USD) in compensation.
Your employees may have several reasons why they choose not to take advantage of their employer's health care plan. Uninsured and under insured employees may cost a company more money long term than those who do not elect health care coverage. Because health care costs can have a huge impact on the bottom line of an organization, it is important to understand why employees may choose not to take advantage of employer-sponsored health care coverage.
The Occupational Safety and Health Association is a federal agency in charge of implementing and enforcing workplace safety regulations. The agency's approach also involves education, training and outreach to help employers create and maintain safe working environments. OSHA regulations are tailored to specific industries and involve caring for workers' emotional as well as their physical health.
Trimming expenses becomes a necessity when there's an economic downturn--businesses and families alike trust they can save money by eliminating unnecessary, and even some necessary, costs. When organizations experience budget constraints, often the first departments that feel the impact of change are nonrevenue-producing departments, such as human resources. Drastic measures may call for layoffs or reductions in force, however, there are other ways to reduce expenses and maintain your workforce. These options may include reducing the employer's cost for employee benefits.
Lifting equipment is any piece of equipment designed to lift or lower loads, including all pieces and attachments. Government regulations cover this equipment, which includes cranes, forklifts, axles, stands, and passenger lifts such as elevators and amusement park rides among others.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration publishes thermal comfort recommendations for the workplace. These recommendations are designed for employee protection, so that they do not become too cold or hot, possibly leading to serious injury or potential death.
Employee wellness programs, offered at no cost to employees, can "reduce employee health care costs, disability, and turnover; aid in recruiting new workers; enhance the company image; and improve employee productivity," according to an American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine article. These wellness programs encourage employees to eat nutritious foods and to exercise. Health promotion programs should encourage employees to use their corporate fitness programs, either on-site or off-site, in support of a healthier lifestyle.
Designing office workstations to be efficient is as important as having quality products and services. If you or your employees are uncomfortable when working, you'll experience reduced productivity and impaired morale. Creating your own efficient workstations involves more than just placing a computer on a desk.
If you run a business in California and offer health coverage to your employees, you must meet all the California coverage requirements. As health-care reform continues, this will become even more important. Stay aware of current regulations when providing coverage to your employees.
