The Healthy Employee

Exercise at Work – No Need for a Gym.

Employees Can Exercise at the Office. 

Good intentions and reality seldom meet.   Research has shown that moderate levels of regular exercise can improve health, improve mood and reduce the chances of getting sick.  But the fact is that people are so busy, it’s hard to for them to make time to take a walk, take a yoga class or go to the gym.  And for many others, they just don’t want to take a walk or do yoga.  So how do you get people to exercise so they can be healthy?  Because if we don’t help employees figure out how, healthcare expenses will continue to escalate.

 

Research says that people will get health benefits from just 15 minutes of moderate exercise 3 times a week   So here’s an idea … what if people could get 15 minutes of exercise several days a week …. at work?  Without having to change clothes, drive to the yoga studio or head down to the fitness center.   

 

Stretching is Exercise!

Exercise does not have to be time-consuming, hard or make you sweaty.   Did you know that exercise can be as easy as stretching and simple movement? Yes, just moving your body is exercise.  Now, that doesn’t sound too time-consuming or difficult, does it?  

 

It does not have to involve a huge time commitment, and stretching can end up giving you great results. Here are just a few of the benefits people can expect from a regular stretching program:

• Reduced muscle tension
• Increased range of movement in the joints
• Enhanced muscular coordination
• Increased circulation of the blood to various parts of the body
• Increased energy levels (resulting from increased circulation)

Stretching comes naturally to all of us. You might notice that if you have been sitting in a particular position for a long time, you stretch unconsciously. It feels good.  In addition to that good feeling, a consistent stretching program will improve flexibility and joint movement.   If you are sitting at your desk right now, just try it.  Roll your shoulders up and back.  Or stretch your arms out straight and flex wrists – hands up, hands down.  Or just slowly tilt your head to the left toward your shoulder and then to the other side.

 

At the Workplace - Consider an Exercise Coach

 People just don’t think about doing exercise at their desk, during the workday.  An on-site coach will act as a catalyst for action – show people how to exercise while at the office, remind people to stretch and move around on a regular basis, lead people through programs that are effective but won’t take a lot of time or disrupt productivity.  In fact, short bursts of activity/exercise will likely improve productivity.  One Proactive Partners on-site coach can reach anywhere from 250-750 employees per month.  It is amazingly cost-effective as well as time-efficient for the employees and the company.  And no special equipment or significant space is required.  To find out more, go to www.beproactive.com or email the team at Proactive Partners

At the Computer – Short, Guided Stretch videos make it Easy

Consider Take5Moment programs – a collection of short videos delivering guided movements, stretches and stress-relief advice for desk-workers.  Employees could get almost 50 minutes of exercise a work week if they did a Take5Yoga stretch in the morning and in the afternoon at their desk.  Go to www.take5moment.com to see what they could make available to employees.

STRESS - IT’S SCREWING WITH PRODUCTIVITY AND PERFORMANCE QUALITY

Fortune magazine reported that “stress in the workplace is skyrocketing” and has reached “record levels.”    Another publication cites that American business loses an estimated $200-$300 billion dollars per year to stress related productivity loss and stress-related healthcare expense. To put this in perspective, this amount is higher than the total cost related to all strikes and the net profit from all Fortune 500 companies.  

STRESS – BIG IMPACT ON ABSENTEEISM AND PRESENTEEISM

We’ve all heard that stress impacts absenteeism and presenteeism, but here are some amazing numbers.  Employees self-reported the following in a recent survey:

44% say they miss 1-2 days per year due to stress.

33% say they miss 3-6 days per year

23% say they miss more than 6 days per year –wow!!!   

These same employees say that stress impacts effectiveness when at work

48% say they come to work 1-4 days per year when they are too stressed to be effective

29% come to work 5 or more days per year too stressed to be effective

Is anybody actually working???

WHY ARE YOUR EMPLOYEES STRESSED?

42% cite workload

29% cite people/coworker issues

16% cite juggling work and personal life

13% cite lack of job security

But wait, there’s more.  A recent ABC News report says that the recent credit crisis is making things worse.  Your employees are scared.   In the ABC News report, Richard Chaifetz, CEO of ComPsych , a company that provides Employee Assistance service  states that our calls in general for mortgage-related issues are up over three times compared to last year.  (Employees have) become preoccupied with financial issues while at work. You see absenteeism, lack of performance and turnover as people look for jobs that may pay more.  Financial worries manifest themselves in the workplace as employees moonlight to pick up extra money, or can cause anxiety, depression, absenteeism and productivity problems that affect the bottom line.   

THE NEW REALITY

These things aren’t going away – workloads will continue to increase, people will continue to be challenged on how to balance work and personal life, whether it’s financial worries (the mortgage, funding college, replacing the car) or just finding the time and energy to help kids with their homework.  

A KEY JOB SKILL  - STRESS MANAGEMENT

Stress happens.  The good news is that it is possible to teach people to more effectively manage the stress.  They can learn to be more productive, more effective in the face of stress.  A couple of places where you can learn more about this –

www.beproactive.com

www.heartmath.com

www.corporateathlete.com

HABITS – THEY’RE HARD TO CHANGE

HABITS ARE HOW WE GET THROUGH THE DAY

Everyone is busy, busy, busy  –  with work, family, household chores, helping friends, school or church.  It never ends.  Lots of habits are part of each and every day – habits that help us manage, make things easier, help us cope.  Many habits are good – brushing your teeth morning and night,  kissing your spouse before you leave, checking email and voicemail when you first arrive at work to see if a customer called. 

BAD HABITS AND HEALTH

They are part of the day as well.  Bad habits are contributing to health problems that cost your company’s healthcare system lots.  For example, eating behaviors become habit.  The stop for coffee and a breakfast pastry.  Taking a ten minute mid-morning break and crusing by the coffee-break room to grab a few cookies.  Eating fast food or whatever’s convenient for lunch – not necessarily thinking about the health or nutrition value.  We do most of it without thinking. 

And how about exercise habits (or lack of exercise habits).  We park as close as we can to the train station or the office – even though a brisk walk from the farthest point would be a good thing.  Another simple thing - good posture.  It’s hard work and requires thought – it’s easier to slouch while sitting (which is almost all day working at your desk), to lean back in the car when driving home, walk with our head down, shoulders rounded.  Good posture is actually good exercise.  But we don’t do it – because we don’t think about it.  

 

It’s possible to get exercise right at the office, but it means doing things differently.  So without some catalyst, it’s not likely to happen.

CREATING NEW, HEALTHY HABITS

It’s really hard to create a new habit.   People want to do the right thing, but often don’t know what to do and then get caught up in the day’s activities and routine.  And just plain forget.  Let’s take exercise as a “for instance”.  Exercise is key to health and wellness. Everyone knows it.  And yes, people forget to exercise.  By the time they think of it, they’re too tired.  What’s the answer?  Believe it or not, people can exercise during the day at work .  Easily.  Yes, at work.  It’s actually simple, does not get in the way of work and would probably increase productivity because moderate exercise actually acts as an energizer.    Employees are interested, willing to make an effort  if someone helps them, reminds them.

INTERNET – GOOD BUT NOT GOOD ENOUGH

The internet is not really helping change everyday habits.  A recent survey conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project shows that the Internet is useful but definitely not changing lives.  It’s good for consumer research, providing information, educating people on what they should do.  But old habits prevail in most daily tasks.  People need help on a regular basis, not just with information but with action.  Check out www.beproactive.com for ideas – their on-site coach concept makes lots of sense.  Or go to www.take5moment.com.  Or review some research done by Deborah Fallows – she shows that when people do internet searches, they have low attention span and shallow searching which does not lead to success for health. 

EXERCISE. CAN REDUCE COSTS… AND EVEN A WAISTLINE OR TWO.

Corporate Cost of Health

Add it up for your company.  Healthcare costs, absenteeism, reduced productivity.   Research shows that 50% of these costs (or more) are a result of lifestyle choices. People aren’t eating right, aren’t getting regular moderate exercise, aren’t getting enough sleep, aren’t finding ways to deal with stress.   The key word is CHOICE.  And these costs are having a significant impact on your bottom line. 

Exercise by itself can make a difference for the business

Some real-world experience:

• Reduced Health-Care Costs- At Steelcase Corporation, medical claim costs were 55 percent lower among corporate fitness program participants than non-participants over a six-year period.
• Reduced Absenteeism- DuPont saw a 47.5 percent reduction in absenteeism among participants in its corporate fitness program over a six year period.
• Increased Productivity- 80 percent of Union Pacific Railroad's employees said the exercise program was helped them become more productive at work, and for 75 percent, the regular exercise was helping them achieve higher levels concentration.
• Positive Return on Investment - Over five years, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Indiana realized a 250 percent return on its corporate fitness program investment—$2.51 for every $1 invested.
• Source: MeritCare Health System, American Journal of Health Promotion, Health Values, Health Behavior and the Canadian Journal of Public Health

Show employees How

It makes business sense.  Teach people to exercise at work – what to do, how to be very efficient using only 10 minutes in the office/at a desk (no gym required).  It’s actually pretty simple. And there are companies who can put a coach on-site very cost-effectively to get a program started and keep it going.  Go to www.beproactive.com - look at the website or give them a call. 

Expect employees to participate IN HEALTH PROGRAMS

If you make it clear that you value your employees, that you think their health is important, and that you expect them to make an effort to be healthy, you will be surprised how many of your employees are willing to engage.  People really do want to do the right thing.  They just don’t know how.  They don’t think they can/should do anything at work.  They feel silly if they are the only one.  Check out these websites for ideas, for ways to approach the issue, information. 

www.beproactive.com

www.welcoa.org

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1350231

http://www.health.harvard.edu/special_health_reports/Exercise.htm

WHAT THE HECK IS WELLNESS ANYWAY???

WELLNESS DEFINITIONS ARE ALL OVER THE MAP

Everyone has their owndefinition – that’s the challenge.  And the definitions can be narrow or ridulously broad.  I find it a bit frustrating when I talk with people - I’m never sure what they think wellness is.   

Here is a sampling of the definitions I have found.   As I mentioned above, there’s a continuum from narrowly focused on  disease management to very broad quality of life definitions that can come across as “touchy-feely” and soft.  As you read these, do you think any one of them is right? Do any of them align with the way you think about it?  Or do you have other ideas - which I would honestly like to hear.  Is it any wonder that people are confused or that the CFO or the bankers think that we are losing focus by talking wellness???

            WELLNESS IS…..

            Wellness – it’s about  proper and prompt disease management

            Wellness is about disease prevention and early detection.  And then prompt treatment, disease

            control/disease management

            It’s a plan to focus on health risk identification and risk reduction

            Wellness is the absence of disease

            Wellness is more than the absence of disease – it’s about being healthy.

            Wellness is a  holistic concept– mind, body, and spirit.

            Wellness – it’s about quality of life

            Wellness is about making good lifestyle choices – eating right, exercising, managing stress and

            not doing stupid things like smoking or abusing substances.

            Wellness is an active process through which people become aware of and make choices toward a

            more successful existence

            Wellness is a balanced healthy lifestyle – physical wellbeing (diet, exercise, stress          

            management, adequate sleep), emotional/mental health, personal satisfaction.

            Wellness has six dimensions  (according to the National Institute of Wellness)--

            physical, spiritual, intellectual, social, emotional, occupational

                                                                                          

CORPORATE FOCUS – COST CONTROL AND PRODUCTIVITY

I think companies should focus on dimensions of wellness that are broader than just disease management for employees.  Why?  Because there are dimensions of wellness that impact productivity and employee use of the healthcare system beyond just disease.  Find out what is costing you money.  Look at the healthcare expenses and also analyze what is impacting productivity and presenteeism.   Things like stress and back pain are probably costing you a lot of money in doctor visits, prescriptions AND lost work days and reduced effectiveness while at work.    And don’t just tell people you have a wellness program.  Not sure that anyone really cares.  Tell them what part of wellness you are focusing on and why.  I think that will help make the programs more relevant and more effective.  After all – we are running a business, right???

WELLNESS PROGRAMS CAN HAVE VERY POSITIVE ROI

It requires focus, commitment, and action from the company and from the employee.

Talk to experts.  Visit www.beproactive.com. 

BACKS AND BUSINESS - ACHING BACKS CAUSE PROFIT PAIN

BACK ACHES COST BUSINESS ALOT

Next to the common cold, back pain is the leading cause of lost work days  - an estimated 100 million working days are lost each year due to back pain.  It’s the most common cause of job-related disability. Companies feel it right where it hurts - the bottom line. Mayo Clinic estimates the annual cost of back pain – over $10 billion in lost productivity, medical benefits, and workers compensation.

Modern life is not actually designed to keep a back healthy. People spend mucho time sitting ( at work, at home) and unless they are exercising to strengthen their core, back and stomach muscles grow weak. Most don’t exercise enough, many don’t exercise at all.  Some enjoy sports – but that can involve regular thumps and bumps. And try lifting a 3 year-old into a child-seat.

SO WHAT’S A BUSINESS SUPPOSED TO DO?  JUST KEEP PAYING MEDICAL CLAIMS?

Manage it.  Regular exercise can really make a difference. Some very basic exercises can help reduce back pain and restore our backs to good health.  Take a look at these websites to get some ideas: 

www.beproactive.com

http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/EMIHC000/7165/8254.html

http://www.spineuniverse.com/displayarticle.php/article2024.html

www.take5moment.com

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/31/an-olympians-cubicle-workout/?emc=eta1

Rather than just telling people they should exercise, you as a company could provide an exercise coach/fitness professional to run “strengthen your back” seminars throughout the workday 2 or 3 days a week.  On an ongoing basis.  Not just for a few weeks.  This is not a short term problem and it is not a short term solution.  

Stop saying that it isn’t practical.  It really wouldn’t cost a lot – and there would be benefit short and long term.  The actual “back strengthening” workshops don’t have to be long – just 15-20 minutes on a regular basis a couple of times a week.  They could be scheduled during people's regular coffee break times, before and after work, around lunchtime.  The workshops don’t require a gym or don’t need special equipment - office or conference room chairs and desks/tables work fine.  And the exercises can be designed to help people strengthen their core, strengthen their back without needing to shower.  If they are wearing business casual clothing that is comfortable, that will work. 

SMALL STEPS, SMALL INVESTMENTS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN EMPLOYEE BACK HEALTH

I’ve said it  before--it’s not rocket science.   Many of your employees actually will participate.  Why?  Because their backs hurt routinely and would love to find something/anything that could reduce or eliminate discomfort.  Their backs will benefit from short exercise programs on a regular basis.  And they will get a boost of energy from the little exercise and stretch break that can actually make them more productive. I would love to hear from you about if you think this could make sense for your organization.  Get in touch with the folks at Proactive Partners to talk about some interesting approaches to the issue.  Visit www.beproactive.com

YOU NEED HEALTHY EMPLOYEES TO WIN

employees – your human capital

I don’t care if you are a small business owner or leader of a large corporation, you know that talent is what separates you from the competition. I know I have spent a lot of money on search firms to find the perfect person, spent a lot of money on training and development for everyone in the organization to have the skills to compete, spent lots of money on meetings and communication to get the organization focused and motivated. Talent – a significant and important investment.

UNHEALTHY EMPLOYEES – A PRODUCTIVITY AND COST NIGHTMARE

Sad to say that most of our employees are not at peak health.  That’s not to say that they’re sick – they just aren’t at their peak. They don’t exercise regularly, are stressed, eating poorly, probably not sleeping enough. The impact of these behaviors – sometimes it’s just not feeling 100% (know anyone why feels tip top every hour every day?). But frequently the result of these behaviors is high blood pressure or diabetes or being overweight or fatigue or backaches/neck pain/joint pain.  Or maybe a combination of these.  Get the facts/data from your benefits department -– lots of your employees are being treated for these conditions every day. And they are the people you are counting on – key sales managers, your top client relationship manager, the treasury associate who works you’re your lead bank every day. And because they aren’t 100% healthy, it means they really aren’t at their best.  You are losing effectiveness and productivity.  And it’s costing you cash - 70% of all healthcare costs in the U.S.are attributable to preventable risks and unhealthy choices including diet and lack of exercise.  (Source:  Wellness Council of America and The Center for Healthcare Economics)

EMPLOYEE TRAINING FOR HEALTH

There is value in teaching people to be healthy – reduced healthcare costs and improved productivity.  You can actually help employees get exercise everyday and you don’t need to build a gym or let them come in late so they can get to a healthclub - they can get exercise in the office at their desk while they work – see www.beproactive.com or http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/31/an-olympians-cubicle-workout/?emc=eta1

MAKE YOUR HUMAN CAPITAL ASSET PRODUCTIVE.

A resource to help you do this - www.beproactive.com

And check out these sites for interesting information on health and performance

http://www.sportsgeezer.com/sportsgeezer/

http://www.take5moment.com/

http://www.corporateathlete.com/training-ec.html

STRESS – IT’S EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME

FEELING STRESSED TODAY?

If not, lucky you.  Stress happens.  And it feels like it’s happening more than it did a few years ago.  It is relentless.  Day in, day out.   If you are feeling this, you’re not alone.  According to Dr. Russ Newman, Executive Director of the American Psychological Association,  "Stress in America continues to escalate and is affecting every aspect of people's lives - from work to personal relationships to sleep patterns and eating habits, as well as their health.“

STRESS AND YOUR WEEK

It may be something big.  You are getting married or your wife just got laid off from her job. Big stuff and it causes big stress.  But they honestly don’t happen every day (think goodness).  In reality, it’s the small stuff that gets us.  Traffic.  Your daugter’s snippy attitude this morning.  Your boss expecting a report “yesterday” when the information arrived late.  Or you weren’t able to sleep last night, so now you’re REALLY tired but the phone won’t stop ringing, you have 30 emails waiting for you, and you need to take your dad to the doctor after work. 

STRESS AND HEALTH

What a surprise – stress is bad for you  There is documented linkage between stress and an increased risk for heart attacks, depression, cancer, and the progression of HIV and AIDS. (JAMA, October 10, 2007—Vol 298, No. 14 1685 Sheldon Cohen, PhD, Denise Janicki-Deverts, PhD, Gregory E. Miller, PhD).

STRESS AND WORK

And to add more bad news (and a bit more stress if you continue to read!!!).  Workplace stress is as bad for your heart as smoking and high cholesterol  (JAMA. 2007;298:1652-1660. Corine Aboa-Éboulé, MD, PhD; Chantal Brisson, PhD; Elizabeth Maunsell, PhD; et al)

 

STRESS AND WORK -- IF YOU ARE THE EMPLOYER

Stress is costing big bucks as well as people’s health, productivity and peace of mind.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state unequivocally that 80% of our medical expenditures are now stress related.   Think about your healthcare expense line – that should create some more stress for you.

YOU CAN TEACH PEOPLE TO MANAGE STRESS

*  It’s possible to learn to manage stress.  I’m not talking about getting rid of stress.  I’m sorry to say that stress is here to stay.  But there are techniques and tools that can be learned to manage the stress, to reduce the negative impact on health and even help employees become more effective and productive.  Think of it as a basic job skill.  Contact Proactive Partners for information on Manage Stress, Reach for Success Workshops at www.beproactive.com.

*  Exercise also help people cope with stress.  Go to www.beproactive.com.  Or visit moodraiser blog at http://www.moodraiser.com/2007/07/exercise-beats-depression.html 

   

POSITIVE RETURN ON INVESTMENT

There is mounting evidence that investment in education, workshops, coaching on how to productively manage stress really works.  The data is coming in from lots of sources.  Go to www.beproactive.com to request ROI data.  Or to www.HeartMath.com.  Or to www.WELCOA.

STOP SPENDING MONEY TO TREAT STRESS-RELATED HEALTH PROBLEMS.

Teach your employees to be more effective, to be healthier, to manage stress.

EXERCISE, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY…JUST DO SOMETHING

EXERCISE - I’M A BROKEN RECORD ON THE SUBJECT

Healthcare costs, yes I know I have said it before, but I’ll say it again – they are a real problem.  For companies, for the employee.  Milliman, Inc., a global actuarial firm, recently found that the average total medical spending for a “typical American family of four” reached $14,500 in 2007, up 8.4% over 2006. 

And if you are that family – did you have any idea that it costs $14,500 to insure you in 2007???  Maybe, maybe not. But you are shouldering 20% or more of that cost (through your monthly contribution to the benefits department and copays for doctor visits, prescriptions, etc). Your out of pocket is about $3,000 per year. That’s a lot of money. 

EXERCISE CAN MAKE PEOPLE HEALTHIER – WITHOUT THE MEDS

The Harvard Health Letter (April 2008) published a great article that says exercise REALLY CAN make a difference. They identified 7 common health conditions that you can manage without medication. And for 6 of the 7, the answer - exercise!!!    The article says:

“We’ve gotten used to taking pills for everything that ails us, but medications have side effects and cost money. You can manage seven common conditions without taking medication. 

Diabetes: Regular physical activity is a powerful brake on blood sugar levels because exercised muscle becomes more receptive to the insulin that helps it pull sugar in from the bloodstream. Eating fewer sweets and easy-to-digest carbohydrates also helps control blood sugar levels.

High blood pressure: Losing weight, getting more exercise, and eating less sodium all lower blood pressure.

Depression: Studies have shown that regular physical activity can have a potent antidepressant effect.

Arthritis: There’s a good chance that losing weight will make arthritis less painful. Combine weight loss with exercise and you may have less pain and more mobility. Even for those who don’t need to lose weight, exercise that doesn’t put “load” on the joints reduces pain.

Cognitive decline: Memory training and other “brain exercises” seem to help healthy older people stay sharp. But physical exercise may benefit the brain more than mental gymnastics.

Osteoporosis: Weight-bearing exercise puts stress on bones, and bone tissue reacts by getting stronger and denser, fending off osteoporotic processes. Extra vitamin D and calcium top the list of dietary recommendations.

Cholesterol: Your LDL level may drop by 5% or so if you keep foods high in saturated fat off the menu. Additional soluble fiber may reduce LDL levels as well. So can margarines fortified with sterols.”

(http://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/managing-common-conditions-without-medication.htm)

BUSINESS LEADERS AND OWNERS – TAKE ACTION ON GETTING EMPLOYEES TO EXERCISE

You can help --- help people fit exercise into their weekly agenda, show them, yes teach them how, incent them to do it.  You will start employees down the road to being healthier, reduce their use of medication - and even be more productive at work if you pay attention to the research. 

HOW TO GET EMPLOYEES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR EXERCISE AND THEIR HEALTH?

Go to www.beproactive.com to learn about how to bring exercise to the workplace.

Another website – www.take5moment.com.

And here are some other sites you might find interesting:

From Price Waterhouse Coopers - Working Toward Wellness

http://www.wellnessjunction.com/members/040507.htm

From The Center for Disease Control and Prevention - physical activity and health

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/everyone/health/index.htm

And from Medline Plus - Exercise and physical fitness http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/exerciseandphysicalfitness.html

WHO’S RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR HEALTH?

SO WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MY HEALTH?

Some will say the doctor.  Some say the healthcare system (whatever that is).  There are people who say the government should be responsible.   Some say that the environment is responsible for ruining their health.  Their job – long hours, bosses and customers who are demanding and creating stress, work that keeps them sitting at a desk all day.  The fast food industry.   Today’s entertainment – television, computer games.  An interesting list of responses – or excuses.

OH COME ON, ACT LIKE AN ADULT AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR HEATLH

These responses miss the point.  Who is responsible for your health?  Honestly, the answer is ridiculously simple. I am responsible for my health; you are responsible for your health.   We need act like adults – and actually pay attention to what  we eat, get some base level of exercise, stop doing stupid things (no smoking, use my seatbelt, use sunscreen, go to the doctor for regular screenings/check ups).  It’s not rocket science.

Let's face it: the vast majority of chronic diseases are caused by choices people make - in food and in avoidance of physical exercise. About two-thirds of the American population routinely avoids physical exercise.  The research for over twenty years has proven that these choices are creating sick people. And then those people say, “Doctor, please cure me, or give me something that will solve my problem."  What goes unsaid is the rest of that thought, which is "...and I have this problem because I haven't been taking care of myself."   That response is costing us a lot of money.  Healthcare costs are high, healthcare insurance is unbelievably expensive.   

People say they want to get healthier.  That they are trying to eat healthier. And that they would exercise if they knew how or had the time.  People are kind of stuck in their bad behaviors.

WHAT IS THE CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY?

The corporation provides healthcare insurance benefits.  It is a costly benefit.  Corporations can help control and manage this cost by helping people figure out how to live/be healthier.  There are some interesting ways to do this.  Go to Proactive Partners site to hear about very cost effective ways to help employees – visit www.beproactive.com.  Or go to www.take5moment.com.  Good ideas there as well. 

Some other sites that might be worth your time to learn more:

www.about-personal-growth.com/health.html

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyliving/

"For most of us, health will depend not on who we are, but on how we live. The body you have at 40, 60 or 80 is the body you deserve, the body that reflects your behavior."              Dr Harvey Simon