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- World Economic Forum | Promoting Health and Well-Being: Employer Strategies for Encouraging Healthy Weight and Metabolic Wellness (2024)
World Economic Forum | Promoting Health and Well-Being: Employer Strategies for Encouraging Healthy Weight and Metabolic Wellness (2024)
This report outlines how employers can take action to promote health and well-being in the workplace, focusing on the prevention and management of obesity and cardiometabolic diseases. Discover the critical strategies for improving employee health, increasing productivity, and contributing to societal well-being.
Tanguy Dulac
October 27, 2024
HEALTH & WELL-BEING
HEALTH & WELL-BEING | World Economic Forum | Promoting Health and Well-Being: Employer Strategies for Encouraging Healthy Weight and Metabolic Wellness | This report outlines how employers can take action to promote health and well-being in the workplace, focusing on the prevention and management of obesity and cardiometabolic diseases. Discover the critical strategies for improving employee health, increasing productivity, and contributing to societal well-being.
DID YOU KNOW?
“Did you know that the global economic costs of obesity are predicted to increase from approximately $2 trillion in 2020 to more than $3 trillion by 2030, exceeding 3% of world GDP by 2060?”
DID YOU SEE?
Figure: Potential Strategies to Address Physical Health in the Workplace
NEED AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY?
Introduction
The global surge in obesity and cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) presents a critical challenge to public health, economies, and societies. Employers who engage with over 1.3 billion workers globally have a unique opportunity to foster healthier workplaces that mitigate these risks. Investing in health initiatives supports better employee health outcomes and enhances morale, productivity, and engagement while reducing medical costs. This report provides a comprehensive guide for employers looking to improve workplace health, focusing on emerging strategies to manage weight and cardiometabolic wellness through innovative technologies and partnerships.
Key Insights
The Urgency of Addressing Obesity: Globally, over 1 billion people live with obesity, a figure expected to nearly double by 2035. Obesity and CMDs significantly increase healthcare costs, leading to $18 trillion in projected global economic costs by 2060. Global trends in obesity and CMDs are pushing health systems and employers to find solutions that can prevent these issues from escalating further.
Workplace Impact on Health: Employees spend one-third of their week at work, where sedentary behaviour, stress, and long hours can contribute to weight gain and metabolic issues. Workplaces that fail to address these risks face increased absenteeism, presenteeism, healthcare costs, and reduced productivity and employee satisfaction.
Benefits of Investing in Employee Health: Organisations that prioritise weight and cardiometabolic health see improvements in employee engagement, satisfaction, and team culture. These initiatives can reduce absenteeism by addressing common risk factors like high blood pressure and cholesterol, ultimately saving on healthcare costs.
Holistic Health Approaches: Leaders combine technologies like predictive analytics, behavioural science, and gamification to enhance workplace health programmes. Emerging models focus on integrating health monitoring tools with personalised interventions, empowering employees to manage their health more effectively.
Barriers to Success: Implementing global health initiatives presents challenges, including cultural differences, data privacy regulations, and varying healthcare systems. Employers must navigate these complexities to ensure the success of workplace health programmes across different regions and populations.
Recommendations
Implement Health Risk Audits: Conduct regular audits to identify how work culture, practices, and environments impact employee health. Evaluate how working conditions contribute to sedentary behaviour or stress and address these factors through tailored interventions.
Leverage Technology for Personalised Interventions: Use predictive analytics and digital health platforms to give employees personalised health insights. Integrate tools that monitor physical activity, nutrition, and cardiometabolic health, allowing for proactive interventions that improve overall well-being.
Foster a Culture of Health and Inclusion: Promote health as a core organisational value by aligning well-being initiatives with company culture. Train managers to support employee health initiatives and create environments where healthy behaviours are encouraged through flexible work arrangements and incentives.
Address Global Implementation Challenges: Adapt health strategies to local contexts by considering cultural sensitivities and regional healthcare infrastructures. Ensure that global health initiatives are flexible and tailored to meet the diverse needs of employees across different geographies.
Monitor and Measure Outcomes: Regularly track participation, satisfaction, and health outcomes using anonymised data to evaluate the effectiveness of health initiatives. Adjust programmes as needed to maximise their impact on employee health and productivity.
Conclusion
Employers can significantly improve employee well-being, reduce healthcare costs, and contribute to a healthier society by adopting a proactive, data-driven approach to workplace health. Integrating weight and cardiometabolic health management into organisational strategies enhances productivity and resilience while addressing one of the most pressing global health challenges. Now is the time for HR leaders and business executives to champion a healthier workforce and workplace culture.