A health club membership can be an attractive perk when evaluating a job offer but typically the position, job function and salary weigh heaviest in your decision. Today, a company’s health program could be the most important indication of your long-term happiness in a job.
Workplaces are the new overseers of health prevention and planning. They have become the first front in the battle against lifestyle diseases — cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, for example – caused by bad behavior, such as poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking and drinking.
Workplaces are addressing disease prevention and management by becoming one stop shops for all your health needs — health risk assessments, health coaches, dieticians, tailored diabetes management programs and ongoing health monitoring through onsite health check-ups and the maintenance of health records. Some companies even offer a reduction in health premiums in exchange for participating in employee health programs.
Equally important, a company that has created a healthy culture is more likely to provide a healthier working environment. More than half of the world’s companies now offer workplace wellness programs, according to Buck Consultants. Benefits of a physically, mentally and spiritually happy workforce include lower absenteeism and increased productivity.
When adding up the salary and benefits of a potential job, do not forget to include all the health benefits and perks. Despite the economic downturn, a large number of companies surveyed worldwide say they are increasing the incentives offered to employees to participate in health programs. The amount employees spend on wellness incentives may range from under $100 to over $2000, according to Buck Consultants.