Top Ten Employee Health Problems
Employers that are trying to make sure their wellness programs address employees' most common concerns may want to take a look at a new ComPsych Corporation report that details the top ten health problems as assessed by employees. The latest report shows that high blood pressure is the No. 1 health issue and that the percentage of employees with depression has decreased while those with anxiety showed a marked increase. In addition, ComPsych states that almost half of hospitality employees and roughly 40% of health care employees have an open FMLA leave at any time.
"Employee behavioral issues and lifestyle choices continue to affect overall health, productivity and ultimately health costs for organizations," said Dr. Richard A. Chaifetz, Chairman and CEO of ComPsych. "The top 10 list represents both physical and emotional issues that employees are faced with. Wellness programs that proactively address both the mental and physical aspects of health will produce sustainable results."
Key findings of the report include the following:
• Lack of exercise is common, with 29% of employees exercising 0-1 days per week.
• Depression moved from No. 5 down to No. 9 in terms of top-reported health problems. However, anxiety moved up to No. 7, and almost half of those suffering from anxiety are taking medication for it.
• Some 33% of employees report feeling tense or anxious much of the time.
• Another 24 percent "frequently" worry about their financial situation, while 16 percent "always" worry about their financial situation.
• Gastro-intestinal disease moved into the top five health problems.
• Sixty-three percent of employees eat two or less daily servings of fruits/vegetables, the lack of which contributes to gastro-intestinal problems according to medical experts.
According to the report, the top 10 employee health issues are:
1- High blood pressure
2- Allergies
3- High cholesterol
4- Back pain
5- Gastrointestinal disease
6- Headaches
7- Anxiety
8- Asthma
9- Depression
10- Diabetes
SESCO Management Consultants is available to assist with your human resource issues. You may contact us by phone at 423-764-4127 or by email at sesco@sescomgt.com.