While most plan sponsors—and employees—will agree that people should take control of their own health, Chris Bonnett, president of H3 Consulting, suggests employers should also recognize the role they can plan in maintaining and encouraging employee health.
“Sometimes it’s surprising for organizations to learn how much is in their control,” he says.
He suggests employers can diminish employee stress by managing workload, examining the fit between people and the jobs they’re selected to do and looking at the level of support employees receive from coworkers and bosses.
Ultimately, says Bonnett, managing employee health comes down to a combination of employers understanding what they can do and plan members accepting responsibility.
“If we can get those two right and we can have employers build a good foundation within the workplace, I think employees are much more likely to feel [supported and make] good behavioural changes that are going to ultimately improve their health,” he says.
Watch the video to find out what else Bonnett had to say.