Perks and Fitness: No Longer a Nicety but aNecessity
Managers know that stress is a barrier tomotivating the workforce. They also recognize that stress can result instress-related illnesses, such as high blood pressure, ulcers, and fatigue.These illnesses translate into higher benefits costs for the company asemployees more frequently use health care benefits.
A number of companies use nontraditionalbenefits and perks to help employees cope with stress. At each of its 20buildings at its 200-acre campus in Raleigh, North Carolina, SAS Instituteprovides coffee break rooms stocked with free soda, fresh fruit, M&Ms andpastries. SAS employs a full-time ergonomics specialist to select officefurniture that will reduce physical stress and strain. SAS provides a freehealth clinic as well as an eldercare program that helps employees locatenursing care facilities for aging parents.
Manycompanies provide benefits that help employees cope with the stresses anddemands of balancing work and nonwork. Cigna Insurance Company offers employeesthe option of placing take-out meal orders with the company chef. Employees whodon't have the energy to prepare meals after a long or difficult workday cantake home a prepared meal. The company also offers an exercise physiologist tohelp employees suffering from stress.
Companies are also offering wellness andexercise programs to help employees alleviate stress and enhance their healthat the same time. Coca-Cola found that employees who participated in wellnessand exercise programs used fewer sick days and tended to be more productive ontheir jobs.
Are companies providing these services tolook good to the community or because they are financially successful? Notreally. It is shrewd business operations. For example, it is estimated that SASturnover rate is 4 percent compared to the industry norm of more than 20percent per year. While the free health clinic costs $ 1 million to operate, itis $ 500,000 less than the costs the company would realize if employees weretreated elsewhere.
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