A workplace wellness program can pay big dividends in a variety of ways, most of them involving financial savings. According to one industry study, employers can save three to four dollars in medical care costs for every dollar they invest in a wellness program. A three-to four hundred percent return on investment simply can't be ignored, yet there are many compelling reasons to put a spotlight on wellness in the workplace-better experience ratings, lower premium costs, and healthier employees who are less likely to become sick or injured, just to name a few. However, it can be daunting to try to address the many personal medical problems that typically abound in the workplace, so consider focusing on the top one or two challenges that employees are facing which in turn may be driving up the claims experience for the operation's used car dealership workers compensation program.
Smoking is very social in some environments
For example, nearly every member of the sales and service staff at a very busy pre-owned luxury vehicle lot is a heavy smoker. In a business culture where cigarettes and cigars are readily shared during coffee and lunch breaks, and boxes of expensive imported brands are considered desirable gifts, it was difficult for Jack to kick the habit despite constant urging from his wife and children. When a piece of heavy equipment fell on Jack at work, breaking his leg, Jack found out that smoking created other difficulties for him as well. As a pack-a-day smoker, Jack found that his broken bone would take much longer to heal that it would have had he been a nonsmoker. That's because broken bones take longer to knit together in smokers, whether it's a fractured ankle or other bone. In fact, when it comes to heavy smokers, cervical and lumbar fusions frequently fail because the bones do not adequately grow together. For this reason, smokers can end up costing their employer much more in claims because their recovery can take months or years longer to complete, which in turn can adversely affect the employer's permanent impairment rating.
Going smoke-free increases health and safety for everyone
Talk to a professional insurance agent, who can provide not only a quality used car dealership workers compensation program but also offer tips on risk management to help reduce and eliminate exposures. The agent may be able to offer guidance on how to successfully adopt a smoking cessation program at the workplace.
