Why Wellness in the Workplace Makes Good Business Sense

On average, the fulltime American employee spends more than one-third of every day, 5 days per week at the workplace. According to the American Heart Association, 83% of the workforce spends that time in a sedentary job.

The price of inactivity has greatly contributed to the obesityrate of adult Americans. Nearly two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese, which doubles the risk of heart disease and stroke. The American Heart Associationestimates the annual healthcare costs for an obese employee to be about $1,429 higher than an employee of normal weight.

No wonder so many companies within CVMC’s service area are investing in the health of their employees by utilizing the broad array of wellness services offered through our Health First Center, Occupational Health Center, onsite employee health clinics and outreach programs.

“We offer a broad array of outreach programs to help area employers emphasize workplace wellness including mobile screenings, injury management and prevention programs,” said Ava Jarrett, CVMC Administrator of Rehabilitation and Wellness. “Any of these can be customized to the needs of a particular organization. The value of workplace wellness programs is gaining traction because they help maximize productivity and manage costs associated with healthcare.”

The potential benefits of a successful workplace health program include:

• For Employers:

  • Lower healthcare and disability costs

  • Enhanced employee productivity

  • Reduced employee absenteeism

  • Decreased rates of illness and injuries

  • Enhanced corporate image

  • Improved employee morale

  • Improved employee recruitment and retention

  • Increased organizational commitment and creation of a healthy culture

• For Employees:

  • Increased well-being, self-image, and self-esteem

  • Improved coping skills with stress or other factors affecting health

  • Improved health status

  • Lower costs for acute health issues

  • Lower out of pocket costs for healthcare services (ie, reduced insurance premiums; deductibles; co-payments)

  • Increased access to health promotion resources and social support,

  • Improved job satisfaction, and

  • Safer and more supportive work environment

Another way CVMC is supporting the health of the area’s workforce is through its newest division, Catawba Valley Family Health Centers offered through Catawba Valley Medical Group, CVMC’s network of outpatient providers. These practices work closely with employers to provide a medical practice on-site within an employer’s facility. A medical provider, a clinical support person and a wellness coordinator are dedicated to the employer, helping them keep employees healthy and productive with little downtime from work.

Family health center clinics are now offered in 2 locations for Catawba County employees and, a new partnership with local furniture manufacturer Sherrill Furniture, spawned the opening of an onsite industrial health clinic at its Conover location. These clinics offer affordable access to medical care with the convenience of onsite preventive visits and other services on a first-come, first-serve basis. To find out more information about how CVMC can help reduce the cost of healthcare, please contact us at 828.327.2284. The CVMC Occupational Health Center is located at 3521 Graystone Place SE, STE 201 in Conover, NC 28613.