The Health Innovation Blog, By RedBrick Health
We’re going to momentarily sidestep what would be a more likely holiday-timed blog entry preaching healthy consumption (e.g., the annual Footloose-inspired dance-off between tryptophan and saturated fats hoofing across the nation’s dining room tables this Thursday) to instead focus on the concept of thankfulness. Counting blessings – perhaps the less traveled road of tradition this week brings.
Were you aware, for instance, 80 percent of American workers cite the benefits they receive from their employer as one of the reasons they work for that company? That’s a significant nod of appreciation, and it comes to us through the 2011 Mercer Workplace Survey just released.
This high indicator of benefit related gratitude comes at an interesting time – when employers are asking their workers to share more of the cost burden of healthcare than ever before. Despite being asked to pay more (and 44 percent indicate they are), 46 percent of employees state their health benefits are “definitely worth the cost” (up from 38 percent one year ago.)
We’re going to momentarily sidestep what would be a more likely holiday-timed blog entry preaching healthy consumption (e.g., the annual Footloose-inspired dance-off between tryptophan and saturated fats hoofing across the nation’s dining room tables this Thursday) to instead focus on the concept of thankfulness. Counting blessings – perhaps the less traveled road of tradition this week brings.
Were you aware, for instance, 80 percent of American workers cite the benefits they receive from their employer as one of the reasons they work for that company? That’s a significant nod of appreciation, and it comes to us through the 2011 Mercer Workplace Survey just released.
This high indicator of benefit related gratitude comes at an interesting time – when employers are asking their workers to share more of the cost burden of healthcare than ever before. Despite being asked to pay more (and 44 percent indicate they are), 46 percent of employees state their health benefits are “definitely worth the cost” (up from 38 percent one year ago.)
Wow…paying more out-of-pocket AND increasingly appreciative of the benefit? How did that work?
One key offering more and more employees are taking advantage of is workplace wellness programs. Motivated by the additional costs of their health benefits, nearly a third of employees state they are participating in the programs their employer provide to help them adapt healthier behaviors – a participation uptick from 23 percent a year ago. And nearly twice as many employees are participating in condition management or coaching programs.
It turns out asking employees to be more accountable actually makes them more accountable.
In the meantime, a new Towers Watson survey of talent management indicates employers would be wise not to take for granted the appreciation their employees covet for wellness programs and health benefits in general. Even in this atmosphere of increased unemployment, they find six in 10 companies struggling to acquire and retain critical-skill employees. The survey also indicates organizations underestimate the parallel between employee retention challenges with work related stress and work/life imbalance. Again, a well structured wellness and total rewards approach can go a long way in attracting and maintaining healthy (and grateful) employee bases.
There. We safely avoided any preachy advice on keeping a firm wrist with the gravy boat this holiday by focusing instead on the power of gratitude. That’s healthy too, isn’t it?
