CORPORATE HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS FOR THE CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS IN THE WORKPLACE

-By Micah Bongberg Google+ | @annuvia

San Francisco, CA – An unanticipated side effect of the current economic climate is the changing demographic in the workplace. Long time employees are staying on the job and retiring later than did their predecessors. More than one retiree has stayed in the workplace several years past a planned retirement date to hedge against shaky company pension funds. Clearly, as fewer workers are choosing retirement, correspondingly fewer younger workers are being hired. This change has greatly affected the demographics of the work place leading to a general graying of employees. The effects of this are far reaching, not the least of which is an impact upon corporate health and wellness care benefits.

Recognizing this, Annuvia, a leading provider of health, safety, emergency preparedness and emergency response services, has customized corporate health and wellness programs designed to inspire employees, increase activity levels, and make better eating choices. Annuvia is collaborating with Active Health Solutions which specializes in helping companies decrease healthcare costs by re-engineering their workspace.

“A shift from an emphasis upon health care for middle aged workers which is traditionally a low risk group to insure, to the needs of workers previously considered ‘retirement age’ has affected the amount of coverage employers are able to offer.” states Micah Bongberg, President of Annuvia. “It is time that employers recognize that the corporate health and wellness programs they provide must address the needs of the older worker.”

Another affect of the graying workplace is the increased risk for sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). The odds are that the longer a person lives and works, the greater the chance a cardiac event will be witnessed. Employers would be well advised to put into practice preventive programs as well as to equip all their workers with the skills necessary to address SCA such as CPR training and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Unit deployment. The burden does not rest solely upon the employer, however. It is incumbent upon the older worker to make appropriate life style changes if needed as well as to become informed about interventions that may be necessary. This dual responsibility awareness forges the best possible work partnership, a situation where each is working with the other for mutual benefit.