Provant spotlights 'presenteeism' problem

EAST GREENWICH, R.I., March 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Although flu season is winding down, too many workers are still coming to work sick. And it's a major problem.

Billions of dollars in productivity are lost every year in the United States because of the subpar performance of workers with passing ailments like the cold and flu or with chronic conditions like obesity, heart disease, hypertension, stress, and back pain. Then there's sleep deprivation.

Underperforming while sick is called presenteeism, and it's been estimated to account for more than $150 billion annually in the United States. Indeed, on-the-job productivity losses from presenteeism are believed to be as much as 60 percent of the cost of worker illness – more than the total spent on medical, disability and absenteeism combined.

Workplace wellness company Provant explores the problems of presenteeism, absenteeism and worker productivity in a new white paper released today, titled, "Employee Health and Productivity."

"A healthy worker is a productive worker, yet unfortunately, many employees come to work struggling with unmanaged health conditions and significantly underperform because of them," said Provant CEO Heather Provino. "A carefully designed wellness program can not only reduce the obvious healthcare costs – premiums and out-of-pocket expenses – but can also help individuals perform at their optimal levels, resulting in mutual success for both employee and employer, allowing both parties to recoup the often more expensive erosion of productivity attributable to chronic health conditions."

According to the CDC, workplace health programs can indeed enhance employee productivity, reduce presenteeism and absenteeism, lower healthcare costs, decrease rates of illness and injuries, enhance corporate image, and improve recruitment and retention.

To achieve these benefits, Provant health and wellness programs combine advanced technology with personalized high-touch services and powerful social networking tools that provide insight into hidden health risks and link rewards to healthy behaviors and outcomes. Services can include:

• Data analytics which aggregate and analyze data from a company's multiple health-related partners to discover health risks.
• Health Assessments to help identify needs and opportunities in establishing a workplace culture of health.
• Health coaching on site, on the phone, or online.
• Online Health and Wellness Portals with tools, trackers, meal plans, health libraries and workplace wellness challenges.
• Condition and lifestyle management programs that address such common health concerns as weight management, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, back pain, and smoking cessation.
• Education, including seminars/lunch & learns, health fairs, webinars, newsletters and more, to address the specific health risks of a population.
• Incentive programs to promote employee engagement.
• Enhanced reporting for both participants and employers on engagement, satisfaction, risk migration, economic impact and more.

For more information on productivity problems and their potential solutions, download the new white paper at http://www.provanthealth.com/the-proof/case-studies.cfm.

About Provant

Founded in 2001, Provant's vision is to change the health of America, one person at a time. With its network of 10,000+ employees nationwide, Provant touches more than six million lives by delivering customized worksite health and wellness strategies and services. Provant is a privately held company and is headquartered in East Greenwich, R.I. www.provanthealth.com

SOURCE Provant