Get healthy - or else (company medical costs)

Citation

Conlin, M. (2007), "Get healthy - or else (company medical costs)", Human Resource Management International Digest, Vol. 15 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/hrmid.2007.04415ead.011

Get healthy - or else (company medical costs)

Get healthy – or else (company medical costs)

Conlin M. Business Week (USA), 26 February 2007, No. 4023, Start page: 58, No. of pages: 6

Purpose – To investigate how one US company is taking action to improve employees’ health and reduce medical costs. Design/methodology/approach – Looks at the methods US companies are using to make their employees healthier and thereby reduce their medical costs; refers to a pending court case against Scotts Miracle-Gro Company who sacked an employee for being a smoker. Examines the challenges facing companies wishing to cut medical expenses, improve employees’ health and stay out of the courts. Identifies some of the benefits that companies are offering to encourage employees to look after their health and draws attention to how exploding medical costs is driving companies such as Scotts to take action. Describes how the chief executive at Scotts set about implementing a company wide intervention against smoking and obesity levels among the workforce; reports on how the workforce responded to the “wellness crusade”; provides best practice ideas on how to launch a wellness programme. Originality/value – Identifies the benefits and drawbacks for companies adopting strategies that encourage their employees to develop healthy lifestyles, and reduce company medical bills.ISSN: 0007-7135Reference: 36AG394

Keywords: Health and safety, Corporate strategy, Employees behaviour, Medical conditions, Medical insurance, Cost accounting