| "Businesses should implement workplace wellness programmes to offset the rising cost of chronic diseases", according to The Business Rationale report, supported by World Economic Forum. This would also include direct medical costs and indirect costs associated with lost productivity.
It states that in an interdependent global economy, chronic conditions such as diabetes, respiratory illness and cardiovascular disease, are creating a significant societal risk that threatens health systems and economic sustainability.
Also a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers found that productivity losses, associated with workers who have chronic disease, are as much as 400% more than the cost of treating chronic disease. Losses in productivity include disability, unplanned absences, reduced workplace effectiveness, increased accidents and negative impacts on work quality or customer service. The study also revealed that all chronic diseases will be a heavy burden on businesses over the next 25 years as at present it represents 57% of all deaths annually and this is expected to rise by 23% over the next 20 to 25 years. Even though theses diseases are largely preventable they are still in progression while deaths due to other causes are expected to remain roughly stable through to 2030.
Chris Crawford is the MD of BD Recruitment a specialist recruiter for the creative, marketing and technical industries, based in Manchester, UK. |
Article Details
