SFM Wellness Works E-NEWS

Why wellness?

A few well-conceived wellness efforts in your workplace can go a long way toward reducing absenteeism and group health costs.

SFM, your workers' compensation insurer, would like to help you get there. We've got some resources that can help.

Is this you?

In a typical U.S. company, 15 percent of employees account for 80 percent of medical expenses.

These same employees account for 70 percent of lost productivity in the form of sick days, workers' comp costs, poor quality work, and other inefficiencies.

What's more, unhealthy employees tend to become less healthy over time and cost employer a disproportionate amount in medical costs, lost revenue and productivity.

In comparison, healthy employees are more productive and incur lower medical costs.

A solution

Wellness programs support the notion that unhealthy lifestyles can be changed. That may be smoking, stress, obesity, nutrition and physical fitness, for example.

Future emails on these topics will be sent to you with ideas for promoting wellness in your workplace.

Research also indicates that attention to wellness can help reduce the risk of injury. And healthier people recover from injuries and illnesses quicker.

Commit to wellness

Use SFM's Wellness Works resources to get your wellness program started or to enhance the program you already have.

Check out SFM's sample activities and challenges as options for your organization.

You'll also find web links to the most current information out there.

Wellness in the news

The facts
speak for themselves

•	75% of healthcare costs are directly related to lifestyle and are preventable.
•	Yet, less than 3% of all health care costs are spent on prevention.
•	Chronic disease, which is largely preventable accounts for about 80% of the burden of disease or illness and 90% of all medical costs.
•	Preventable illnesses and chronic disease account for 8 of the 9 leading causes of death.
	Source: WELCOA