When we’re eating right and living a healthy lifestyle, a trip to the doctor may seem like an unnecessary chore to add to our to-do lists. The reality is, we’re not always as healthy as we may feel.
As it turns out, the sight of a doctor approaching with a stethoscope and a needle in hand may be just as scary for adults as It is for their children. The Kaiser Family foundation found that nearly 40% of adults are avoiding their annual physicals. The reasons why may vary, but one thing is for certain, your employer WANTS you to get regular check-ups!
You may have noticed lots of companies pushing this “healthy” agenda onto their staffers. Offering things like gym membership deals, and wellness amenities are trending perks for some corporate offices. Your employer may genuinely care about the well-being of their subordinates but there may be another reason your boss is heckling you to see a doctor.
Your employer needs you to be healthy and not only because they need you to be able to do your job. Keeping you healthy, means keeping you happy and more productive. A happy employee turns around more results than their unhappy counterparts. Your happiness earns the company money. Keeping you healthy also saves your company cash in the long-run too! Here’s why.
- Detecting illnesses early, saves your employer money when it comes to treating a possibly chronic disease down the line.
- An employer can expect to spend an average of $18 per year per employee on costs related to your health. The time you spend out sick equates to money spent with much less productivity to show for.
- Speaking of productivity, there have been studies that show a correlation between physical exams and productivity by as much as 15%!
All things considered, wouldn’t you want to keep your staff healthy too?
How often have you heard of someone being diagnosed with a vicious illness that could have been controlled had they just “caught it sooner.” Blowing off a trip to the doctor could leave you in the same unfortunate predicament. The reality is, check-ups save lives. We can’t always assume an excellent bill of health simply based on how we look and feel.
Your employer’s financial interest in your health aside, prioritizing your physicals could be the difference between life and death. Our friends and family needs us to stick around for them. So, next time you’re booking your children’s annual physical, don’t forget to add in an appointment for yourself while you’re at it.
John Phillips
Risk Management Consultant
jphillips@srfm.com
