Comprehensive Blood Tests: Enhancing Employee Health and Productivity

You know how you can have a healthier, more productive workforce?

Most employers don’t realize that one of the easiest and most effective methods to improving employee health and reducing sick days is through comprehensive blood tests and regular employee health screenings.

So here’s the deal:

Your employees are coming into work every day and performing their jobs at sub-optimal levels because of undiagnosed health conditions. They’re taking too many sick days, healthcare costs are skyrocketing, and productivity is taking a hit.

And the thing is?

Most of these issues are completely preventable with some simple health screenings.

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The Importance Of Blood Tests For Employee Health

Blood tests are so powerful, because they’re one of the best tools to have when it comes to your health.

The importance of blood tests for your health is that these tests can detect problems before they even become issues, which makes it easier to address any problems. It’s far better to find out that your cholesterol is high now, than to wait until you have a heart attack.

Why does this matter for your employees?

Your employees are spending the majority of their waking hours at work. If they’re not feeling 100% because of a medical issue they’re not aware of yet, it’s going to hurt productivity. They take more sick days and they’re less engaged.

By providing quick blood tests and comprehensive employee health screening packages, you can help identify potential issues before they develop into more serious, costly conditions. Allowing your employees to take care of themselves now means you don’t have to worry about dealing with serious issues later on.

If you’re still not convinced…

Imagine having to deal with an employee who just had a heart attack, versus catching their cholesterol being high now and helping them take care of it? Which one is going to be easier to deal with from a business perspective?

How Blood Tests Reduce Absenteeism And Improve Productivity

It’s not just theoretical. The proof is in the data…

Research has shown that employee absenteeism is reduced by 25% with workplaces that provide regular health screenings and company-wide wellness programs. That’s a huge decrease in sick days just by getting your employees to show up for screenings.

But wait, there’s more…

If your employees get blood tests and employee health screenings on a regular basis, they’re also going to be more aware of their health status. When your employees know their blood sugar is high, they’re going to be more likely to change their diet. If they know their cholesterol is elevated, they’re going to start working out.

What does that mean for your business?

It means that you end up with a healthier workforce that not only shows up more consistently, but when they’re there, they’re more productive. Happy, healthy employees work harder, longer and are more engaged.

Blood tests give you the opportunity to catch red flags early for things like diabetes, heart disease and thyroid issues. By addressing these conditions early, they can be better managed and don’t have to take so much time off work later on.

Pretty powerful stuff, right?

The Most Important Blood Tests For The Workplace

All blood tests are not created equal. When you’re designing your employee health screening program, you want to include the tests that are going to have the most impact.

Complete Blood Count (CBC)

This test looks at your overall health, by testing your red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. A complete blood count can be used to check for anemia, infections and many other disorders that can affect how much energy your employees have at work.

Lipid Panel

A lipid panel measures the cholesterol in your body. This is one of the leading risk factors for heart disease, which is still one of the leading causes of employee absenteeism in the workplace. By catching it early, your employees can make lifestyle changes or start treatment before more serious issues develop.

Blood Glucose Testing

Diabetes is a huge health concern in the U.S. and affects millions of workers. Blood glucose testing can screen for both prediabetes and diabetes. The World Health Organization says that workplace health interventions lower sick leave absenteeism by 27% and reduce companies healthcare costs by 26%.

Thyroid Function Tests

Thyroid issues can cause fatigue, weight fluctuations and mood swings that can hurt productivity in the workplace. A blood test can identify if your employees have any thyroid problems so they can get the treatment they need to do their best at work.

Liver and Kidney Function Tests

These tests measure how well the liver and kidneys are working. By catching any issues early, your employees have a chance to treat and resolve any issues before they become more serious.

Setting Up An Employee Health Screening Program

So, you want to start offering blood tests and health screenings for your employees? Great. Here’s how you do it the right way.

Start by offering screening packages that include the key blood tests we just talked about. You want to make the process as convenient as possible for your employees to participate. It’s a huge plus if you can offer on-site screenings so your employees don’t have to take off work.

Make sure to make the screenings completely voluntary and confidential. Employees need to know they’re not going to get into trouble if they make a screening appointment. Privacy is key for the success of your program.

Hold the screenings at least once a year. Consistency is key to help track employee health trends and identifying any problems early.

The one thing you can’t forget about is the follow-up…

Once your employees get screened, make sure they have a clear understanding of what their results mean. If your employees have issues that need to be addressed, make sure you have resources in place to help your employees make lifestyle changes or get treatment.

Track the aggregate data you collect. When you have a lot of employees showing high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol, you may want to consider ways you can address it as a whole. That could mean providing healthier food options, creating walking groups or offering stress management programs.

The Bottom Line

Blood tests and employee health screenings aren’t a nice perk, they’re a smart investment that returns dividends.

Why? Because they:

• Reduce absenteeism and sick days
• Improve productivity and engagement
• Lower healthcare costs for you and your employees
• Detect and prevent serious health issues early
• Boost employee morale and retention

When your employees know that their employer cares about them and their health, they feel that appreciation. Healthy employees make for a healthy, happy workplace for everyone.

The importance of blood tests for your health isn’t just important for the employee’s health. These simple, powerful tests have the ability to transform your workplace productivity and profits by cutting costs and building a happier, healthier workforce.

Your employees will thank you. Your bottom line will thank you. You’ll have a workplace culture that both attracts and retains the best talent.

Key Takeaways

Blood tests and employee health screenings are one of the most effective investments that any employer can make. We’ve got the data to prove it, and the benefits are clear cut.

Start small if you have to, but start now. Just providing the basics and key blood tests can make a big difference for employee health and productivity at the workplace. As people see the benefits and your program expands, participation will increase and results will compound.

The question isn’t if you should do blood tests and employee health screenings…

The real question is, can you afford not to?