Workplace Health Programs: Protecting Employee Rights
Among the promise and potential of health promotion initiatives based at the worksite, some restrictions apply. Employee rights are imperative and any workplace health program initiative must have their interests first and foremost.
This includes reassuring and taking steps to guarantee that employee confidentiality is respected and protected.
When employees fill out Health Risk Appraisals, they agree to voluntarily expose all their most personal information in trust that it will not be used to increase their share of the co-pay, make them vulnerable to any sort of additional expenses for medical costs, or cause them to be the center of workplace health promotion campaign.
Workplace Health Programs: Keeping Health Risk Appraisal Data Confidential
Additionally, sharing this personal information with immediate level supervisors may inadvertently jeopardize impartial treatment. Keeping Health Risk Appraisal information from permanent employment records should also part of the confidentiality agreement to protect the employees and the perceived good will of the workplace health program.
Data from health risk appraisals can be summarized and presented to the company without exposing the identity of the employee to which it refers.
Workplace Health Programs: Voluntary Participation in Health Risk Appraisals
Another method of maintaining workplace health promotion programs within a benevolent framework is to be sure that employees feel their participation is voluntary. Employees should not be penalized for electing not to take part in the program. Companies can offer incentives to help encourage the likelihood that people will want to be included.
Letting them know that the Health Risk Appraisal data will be used to design a workplace health program reflective of their choices and preferences is an ethical method of garnering their participation.
Taking a brief survey to determine if there is enough interest in workplace health promotion programs and filling out a Health Risk Appraisal will let the company know if the health screening process will be well received or if it is not a viable option.
Workplace Health Promotion: Good Will is More Effective Than Force
Using staff that have positive interpersonal skills and who wish to assist employees to improve their health and well-being will achieve a higher level of overall wellness than forcing employees against their will.
Negative and strong-arm tactics only generate resentment, resistance and will create an anti-health sub-culture in the workplace. Presenting a personalized view of lowered productivity levels as well as the positive effects of increasing it will help employees to participate in workplace health promotion of their own volition.
Improving employee health is more than just offering benefits; it is taking co-operative action to increase the overall well-being for and with the employees. It is a collective effort that produces cumulative results.
Writer Bio: John Bates is a leading wellness industry consultant and prolific writer about all aspects of health and wellness programs. His work can be found on numerous wellness websites including his own: Infinite Wellness Solution’s and Infinite Health Coach.
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