Nominate your "Biggest Loser" this week
By Annie Waite, Editor of the Internal Comms Hub, Melcrum
With Summer finally looking like it's on the way for a lot of us (ner ner Australia) chances are many people out there are pondering how to purge their extra Winter pounds in the last few weeks before it's time to get those legs out.
Some organizations are coming to their employees' "rescue" by putting on "Biggest Loser"-style weight-loss contests. Hmm, gee thanks! On the Internal Comms Hub this week we reported that these companies include:
- Cobb Strecker Dunphy & Zimmermann: chef teaches workers to cook healthier meals.
- Clarian Health Partners: financial incentives for meeting the standard body mass index.
- Periscope:"Biggest Loser"-style weight-loss contest has developed into workouts for keen participants.
Now, hold on a minute. I mean, the HR hardcore will doubtless rightly be getting their knickers in a twist about the legal risks associated with this focus on health and weight. But in organizations' defense, rocketing health insurance costs mean some of these wise employers have upped their employee wellbeing efforts.
But while employers must overcome employee skepticism to ensure programs translate into strategic business advantage, it’s a delicate issue to communicate effectively. Messages could be potentially discriminatory – so how do you handle them with sensitivity?
And how do we stop it going too far? Some would argue it's not all just well-meant business sense, and veers more towards Nanny State style policy. So far, most firms are taking a cautious route and making programs voluntary, but employment law firms are already researching how far employers can go, without breaking the law, in encouraging staff to participate in health programs.
And according to recent research from Hewitt Associates, the number of employers planning a more direct involvement in managing employee health jumped 25% from last year. Are you one of those firms? Tell us why you've done it, and what employees' reactions have been to the news.
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