EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
Future Proof Your Health
Build a healthier, more resilient future for yourself and your organization.
Preventative care is worth its weight in gold – despite only 8% of U.S. adults participating in annual screenings. It’s estimated that missed prevention opportunities cost the United States $55 billion annually, or about 30 cents for every healthcare dollar spent.
As a result, many are left vulnerable to looming medical crises that could have been prevented or mitigated with a proactive approach. Whether you’re managing your own health or structuring a plan for your organization, building on a foundation of prevention is critical.
Don’t Wait for a Wake-Up Call
If there’s one thing you take away from this, remember that proactivity and prevention go hand-in-hand. Make sure you're keeping up with simple yet effective habits, like getting annual wellness checkups that include a physical exam, bloodwork, and other essential screenings. The goal should be for at least 80% of people to do this, but many companies see participation rates as low as 10-30%. That’s a huge missed chance to catch health issues early when they’re much easier to address.
Think of it like your body’s "check engine" light—you want that light to pop on for something small, like slightly elevated cholesterol, not something serious. Investing just a few hours per year in these checkups can make a massive difference in addressing health issues and saving money in the long run.
Creating a Culture of Health
We work with companies of all sizes to help them design benefit plans, and there’s always one common focus: cultivating an environment where people feel empowered to take care of themselves.
No matter the company size or structure, three key components drive a culture of health:
1. Leadership Commitment:
Health initiatives need to be championed from the top down. Leaders must demonstrate the importance of taking care of themselves so they encourage others to do the same.
2. Know Your Numbers:
Understanding your baseline health data (and the overall data of your organization) is critical. Knowing your numbers provides a foundation to gauge your health status. The goal is simple: don’t get worse. Even if your numbers stay the same, that’s okay. The ultimate objective is to improve them, but the first step is to prevent deterioration.
3. Build a Culture of Health for All:
Encourage a supportive environment where employees feel empowered to prioritize their health. This culture shift can help steer people away from high-cost health issues like heart attacks, cancer, or kidney disease. It’s a straightforward way to future-proof both individual health and the overall healthcare plan.
One of the most compelling aspects of preventative care is that it’s often offered at no cost —these measures are already built into most health plans. There’s no excuse not to utilize them. It’s simply a matter of mindset.
For Employers: Incentivizing Preventative Care
Employers play a critical role in changing health behaviors within their workforce. Consider offering incentives like a half-day of paid time off for health appointments or a small financial reward, such as a Visa gift card, when employees complete their wellness checks. Changing behavior often requires a financial or time investment, but the return on that investment is a healthier, more productive workforce.
At the same time, it’s essential to challenge your employees to take ownership of their health. No one can drag them to the doctor; they must take control of this aspect of their lives. By providing the resources and avenues for success, you’re setting them up to win, but ultimately, they have to take the final step.
Own Your Health Like You Own Your Life
The secret ingredient to future-proofing your health isn’t really a secret at all; it’s simply underused. By embracing preventative care, knowing your numbers, and fostering a culture of health, you can help steer clear of major health crises and build a healthier, more resilient future for yourself and your organization.
If you have questions or want to discuss your organization’s benefit plan, contact me at Mike.Burch@thinkccig.com. We specialize in designing and building plans that fit your team’s needs and set your employees and your company up for success.