Business owners have a responsibility to offer some level of healthcare benefits to their workers. From insurance coverage packages to paid leave periods, employee health protection strategies play a key role in creating a healthy and more productive workforce. Plus, depending on your business location, some employee health benefits are required by law, especially if you have more than 50 employees. If you’re an employer, one of your primary goals is to ensure that your workers’ health is well catered for.
Here are some health protection strategies worth implementing.
- Provide healthcare insurance
Many employers offer their workers some healthcare insurance coverage or packages. Of course, each healthcare plan differs from company to company, but the essence remains to ensure that workers get some assistance with their healthcare needs and expenses.
The most important thing is to consider what area of your employee’s health is more at risk due to their work. For example, if your workers experience eye strain regularly while at work, then it makes sense that you provide healthcare insurance that covers the cost of regular eye checkups.
Also, some employers offer basic healthcare plans, while others provide more comprehensive coverage. For example, some employers may have healthcare plans covering major dentistry services like dental implants, while others may only cover basic medical procedures.
- Consider disability insurance
Disability insurance is crucial, although mostly overlooked, which is very unfortunate. If you run a business with a high risk of employee accidents, then providing disability insurance is something you should consider. For example, if you run a window cleaning business, a construction project, or have workers operating dangerous machinery, you can expect common accidents, despite your best efforts.
In most cases, accidents in such working environments can lead to disability. If your worker becomes injured or suffers a serious accident that makes them unable to return to work, disability insurance can help.
- Provide regular paid leave or breaks
Workers need regular breaks from work to rest and recharge. While many employers allow this, you’ll be surprised how many companies ignore it. The main reason why many employers ignore it is because of fear of a drop in staff capacity when workers go on leave. However, various studies have shown that regular breaks or paid leaves benefit the business and the worker.
Regular work leaves lead to reduced stress, extended life, reduced risk of heart diseases, improved mood, and increased productivity, among other benefits. Some research has also shown that working weeks that exceed 48 hours can shorten life expectancy by as much as 9 years.
- Create a plan for improving health
As an employer, it is your responsibility to identify any workplace health risks and take the necessary steps to eliminate them.
Take the time to investigate the causes of accidents anytime they occur and find solutions to them. Also, implement health and safety protocols and educate your workers about them. You can even go as far as rewarding your employees for safe behaviour.