Building Healthier Foundations: The Critical Role of Wellness Screening in the Construction Industry - Origin (2024)

Construction is one of the most dangerous industries to work in. Every day these workers are faced with jobsite injuries and fatalities. But they also work in extreme weather conditions and experience things like physical fatigue, sprains and strains, and pulled backs. While a focus on safety is not only critical and necessary, so is a focus on wellness. Employers making this a priority typically add wellness screening services to their occupational health protocols and may even add extensive workplace wellness programs.

What is a Workplace Wellness Program?

Wellness is characterized by good health and a proactive stance on PREVENTING illness, rather than solely treating it. Prioritizing your employees’ wellness can yield immediate and enduring advantages for both your staff and your business.

A workplace wellness program enables employers to enhance awareness and foster discussions about workplace safety and health as well as make the employee’s health a priority when sometimes the employees don’t themselves. These programs include wellness screenings which help identify potential health issues. They typically include a biometric screening – which is just a fancy term for the collection of one’s vital statistics. They include the following parameters:

• Blood pressure –High blood pressure often presents no noticeable symptoms but can contribute to numerous health complications. If left uncontrolled, it may result in conditions such as heart disease, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, renal impairment, loss of vision, cerebrovascular accidents, and issues with sexual health.
• Blood panels:
  • Total Cholesterol and HDL/LDL –Cholesterol exists in two forms: High-density lipoprotein (HDL) and Low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Elevated levels of LDL cholesterol, referred to as ‘bad’ cholesterol, increase the likelihood of developing heart disease and other significant health conditions.
  • Triglycerides –Triglycerides are a form of fat cells that reserve surplus calories for energy and serve as an indicator of your risk for various cardiac diseases.
  • Glucose –Tracking how the body processes glucose (sugar) is key to detecting adults who may be asymptomatic yet at risk of developing diabetes.
• Waist circumference –Individuals with a higher accumulation of abdominal fat face an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes.
• Height/Weight/Body Mass Index (BMI)– Taking a BMI measurement helps to determine if an individual is underweight, overweight, or obese.

Some employers may choose to include cotinine/nicotine testing in their protocols and may even offer immunization options. Very often employers work with Third Party Administrators (TPAs) like Origin Diagnostics for access to wellness screening and services.

What are the benefits of wellness screening?

There are actually several benefits to offering wellness programs such as:

• Employees appreciate employers that have a vested interest in their wellbeing. You gain a reputation as a desirable place to work, attracting top talent and retaining valuable employees.
• Encourages a culture of wellness throughout the workplace.
• Employees in good health could result in lower healthcare costs and insurance premiums.
• A healthier, more engaged workforce, which in turn can result in increased productivity, reduced absenteeism and turnover, improve overall organizational performance and a stronger bottom line.
• While not a substitute for an annual physical they are a quick snapshot of employee health for individuals that may be prone to skipping their yearly exams and provide an alert or early detection of a change in health status.

What are some other ways employers can improve workplace wellness?

In addition to wellness screening, there are several other strategies, according to Corporate Wellness Magazine, that employers can implement to further supplement workplace wellness programs in the construction industry. Some ideas include:

• Mandatory breaks – prevent physical and mental fatigue
• Safety training – proper lifting techniques, etc.
• Health seminars – emphasize healthy lifestyle choices and practices, nutrition, fitness classes/memberships, weight-loss or smoking cessation programs, wearable fitness trackers, stress management, etc.
• Fostering community – Teambuilding activities, recognition programs, etc.
• Onsite considerations – ergonomics, gym equipment, etc.
• First aid/CPR training – save a life
• Motivation – providing incentives to encourage employees to embrace healthier habits or to obtain routine health screenings

Some interesting statistics

• 56% of employees had fewer sick days as a result of wellness programs
• 30% of surveyed employees that engage in wellness programs had diseases/illnesses detected by these services enabling them to start treatment sooner
• 73% of employers surveyed that offered wellness programs saw a reduction in healthcare costs – Aflac 2019-2020
• According to data compiled by Quest Diagnostics over 37% of participants at risk formetabolic syndromein 2018 based on failing 3 of 5 clinical factors, were no longer at risk in2019.
• A 2019 poll by Shortlister indicated that 49% of those employers surveyed would utilize a TPA for services
• A Forbes article reported that a survey conducted by Virgin HealthMiles and Workforce Management Magazine found that 87% of employees say they consider health and wellness offerings when choosing an employer and 77% indicated it positively impacted the culture at work.

Summary

Overall, statistics tend to indicate that employers with wellness programs have a healthier, more engaged, and more productive workforce.

Here at Origin, we offer wellness screenings and immunizations alongside our routine workplace services (i.e. drug testing, background checks, etc.). Need onsite services? Not a problem. We work with a nationwide network of clinics and providers that can also visit you onsite. Contact us today at info@origin.net to learn more.

Resources

• Best Strategies for Employee Wellness in the Construction Industry | Corporate Wellness | Employee Well-Being (corporatewellnessmagazine.com)
• 22 Telling Employee Wellness Statistics [2023]: How Many Companies Have Wellness Programs – Zippia
• aflac-workforces-report-top-10-trends-and-topics-infographic.pdf
• 80+ Employee Wellness Statistics Every Employer Should Know in 2024 | Shortlister (myshortlister.com)
• Challenge 2013: Linking Employee Wellness, Morale And The Bottom-Line (forbes.com)