Lincolnshire, Ill. — Feb. 25
As employers explore new ways to create and maintain a healthy and productive workforce, a new survey from Aon Hewitt, the National Business Group on Health and The Futures Co. suggests that employees who perceive their organizations as having a strong culture of health are happier, less stressed and more likely to take control of their well-being than employees in other organizations.
For the third straight year, Aon Hewitt, the global talent, retirement and health services business of Aon plc, the National Business Group on Health and The Futures Co. surveyed more than 2,700 employees and their dependents covered by large employer-sponsored health plans to determine their perspectives, behaviors and attitudes towards health and wellness.
This year’s report also analyzed the responses of employees who work at organizations with strong cultures of health — or organizations that prioritize and encourage healthy behaviors in the workplace — and compared them to employees’ responses in organizations that do not.
Based on the Consumer Health Mindset analysis, employees who work in strong cultures of health were more likely to say they have control over their health than those who work at companies where it is less of a priority — 75 percent versus 63 percent. In addition, they were less likely to report that stress has a negative impact on their work — 25 percent versus 49 percent.
The report also showed a link between strong health cultures and general happiness. Sixty-six percent of employees in strong health cultures say they are extremely or very happy with their lives compared to just 32 percent of those in weak health cultures.
According to the report, employees in strong cultures of health are more likely to take positive steps to improve their health. Seventy-two percent had an annual physical in the past year and 62 percent exercised at least three days a week, compared to just 64 percent and 49 percent, respectively, of employees at organizations with weak cultures of health. Seventy-seven percent participated in wellness programs, compared to just 46 percent of those employed at companies where health is perceived to be a low priority.
Source: Aon plc
