Healthy Worksites

The workplace is unique in its ability to encourage individual and community change. The increasing number of people seeking help for chronic diseases (like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity) and the rising costs of health care make employers vital players in the decisions that affect the health of their communities and the health care delivery system. Those who are working more than 35 hours a week spend much of their waking hours in the workplace. Workplaces can use this opportunity to provide and promote healthy work environments.  By offering programs, improving physical surroundings and implementing health-minded policies, a workplace can improve the health of their employees and lower indirect costs like absenteeism.