Question: Why should employers care about employee health?

Answer: As our population ages, our unhealthy behaviors, like smoking or being physically inactive, increase health risk. These increased health risks can develop into chronic disease and higher health care costs for employers. One study estimates that 80 percent of disease is preventable and that these preventable diseases make up approximately 90 percent of all health care costs.

Q: What are the costs of poor health in the workplace?

A: Increased absenteeism, potential for increased disability and "presenteeism" — when an employee is physically at work but not functioning effectively because of the health concerns that they have. A 2009 report found that absenteeism and presenteeism cost employers an average of $2.30 for every $1 of direct medical costs such as health care premiums or pharmacy spending. When people come to work they come with all of their health concerns, so if they’re having an asthma attack, it affects their ability to concentrate and they won’t be as productive as normal.

Q: What resources are available to employees to manage health conditions?

A: To effectively manage chronic disease, ensure that you’re completing all the appropriate preventive screenings and monitoring any health conditions on an ongoing basis in partnership with your provider. Utilize disease management resources offered by your health plan. Use resources that work best for you — online, face-to-face health appointments and group programs.

Q: What can employers do to encourage better health?

A: Ensure employees have access to robust health communications and that their company culture supports a healthy lifestyle. When employers offer work-force health programs, the program should work for everyone from employees who are fit and healthy to those who need to make healthy lifestyle changes.

Q: What characteristics do successful workplace health programs share?

A: Leadership endorsement and support. A multilevel program that reaches people on an individual basis and addresses the different cultures in the work force. Company policies to ensure they support healthier lifestyles, like a no-smoking policy or healthy food options. Programs that target the most important health issues. Established goals and measurement of results.

Q: Where should employers start?

A: Do a health survey to understand the needs of your company and assess the overall health environment. Do an employee interest survey to identify what employees feel to be their leading health issues and what’s important to them.

Q: What are some services that can be delivered online and at the work site to improve employee health?

A: Health classes, biometric screenings, rewards programs and flu-shot clinics at the work site. Online would be health risk appraisals, healthy-lifestyle programs and health awareness campaigns.

When employers are too small to offer health classes at the workplace, we recommend community-based programs.

Q: What are the costs associated with employee health programs?

A: They can range from no or very low cost to $100 or more per employee per year.

Interviewed by Kristin Consillio. "Akamai Money" seeks out local experts to answer questions about business in Hawaii. If you have an issue you would like us to tackle, please email it to business@staradvertiser.com and put "Akamai Money" in the subject line.