Comments on: Hidden health costs that get ya every time http://www.hrbenefitsalert.com/these-hidden-health-costs-will-getcha-every-time/ Daily dose of benefits news and know-how Tue, 04 Aug 2009 18:30:38 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: R. B. http://www.hrbenefitsalert.com/these-hidden-health-costs-will-getcha-every-time/comment-page-1/#comment-1158 R. B. Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:46:17 +0000 http://www.hrbenefitsalert.com/?p=266#comment-1158 I have a hard time believing the right thing to do to ensure profitability is to start discriminating against people based on age...or for any other reason, for that matter. There are a lot of factors that play into productivity and to focus on one aspect while disregarding all others seems a little short-sighted to me. In a healthy work culture, people are more engaged in their work and feel more loyalty and ownership. These people are often more productive because they feel they are important, they are part of what is going on in the company and they know their contribution (or lack thereof) matters. If I happen to get sick...whether I'm older or not...and have to take some time off work, I would be doing everything I could to minimize my absence and the impact if I felt valued and appreciated. If, on the other hand, I felt like people held it against me, like the time was given grudgingly and I was even less valued because "the body fails," I would be tempted to start a mental ledger of all the ways my company was not doing me right and would be much less inclined to give any extra when required. I think anything that promotes this kind of thinking should be avoided as it typically comes back to bite us (financially) in the long run. There are costs to employing people. There are benefits to employing people. If people are taking advantage of a company, that's a problem. If a company is taking advantage of people, that's a problem too. I believe in finding solid win-win solutions and I don't think valuing people (all different kinds, ages, races, etc.) will ever take us down the wrong road. I also think it pays off, overall, on the bottom line. It's good to understand our overhead and to do business with this clearly in the forefront of our planning. But it's not smart to stop having compassion and to view our workforce only as an expense when they can't perform at the highest level. Not everything is ONLY about money. There always needs to be a balance. I have a hard time believing the right thing to do to ensure profitability is to start discriminating against people based on age…or for any other reason, for that matter.

There are a lot of factors that play into productivity and to focus on one aspect while disregarding all others seems a little short-sighted to me. In a healthy work culture, people are more engaged in their work and feel more loyalty and ownership. These people are often more productive because they feel they are important, they are part of what is going on in the company and they know their contribution (or lack thereof) matters.

If I happen to get sick…whether I’m older or not…and have to take some time off work, I would be doing everything I could to minimize my absence and the impact if I felt valued and appreciated. If, on the other hand, I felt like people held it against me, like the time was given grudgingly and I was even less valued because “the body fails,” I would be tempted to start a mental ledger of all the ways my company was not doing me right and would be much less inclined to give any extra when required. I think anything that promotes this kind of thinking should be avoided as it typically comes back to bite us (financially) in the long run.

There are costs to employing people. There are benefits to employing people. If people are taking advantage of a company, that’s a problem. If a company is taking advantage of people, that’s a problem too. I believe in finding solid win-win solutions and I don’t think valuing people (all different kinds, ages, races, etc.) will ever take us down the wrong road. I also think it pays off, overall, on the bottom line. It’s good to understand our overhead and to do business with this clearly in the forefront of our planning. But it’s not smart to stop having compassion and to view our workforce only as an expense when they can’t perform at the highest level. Not everything is ONLY about money. There always needs to be a balance.

]]> By: Karen http://www.hrbenefitsalert.com/these-hidden-health-costs-will-getcha-every-time/comment-page-1/#comment-1112 Karen Thu, 16 Oct 2008 20:32:03 +0000 http://www.hrbenefitsalert.com/?p=266#comment-1112 Anyone who has diligently run a business in the past 15 years is WELL aware of this. Somehow the culture has given much leeway from solid production if one cries "medical issue." Also MANY doctors prescribe and prescribe and prescribe until employees are debilitated by the effects of medication! And, the body fails - we are mortal - yet laws greatly impact the employers ability to consider age in hiring and lay-off decisions, leaving a business vulnerable to huge costs and loss of work when injury occurs at work or from the ailments that come with age. It's awfully nice to be so fair but not a boon to productivity. Anyone who has diligently run a business in the past 15 years is WELL aware of this. Somehow the culture has given much leeway from solid production if one cries “medical issue.”
Also MANY doctors prescribe and prescribe and prescribe until employees are debilitated by the effects of medication!

And, the body fails – we are mortal – yet laws greatly impact the employers ability to consider age in hiring and lay-off decisions, leaving a business vulnerable to huge costs and loss of work when injury occurs at work or from the ailments that come with age.
It’s awfully nice to be so fair but not a boon to productivity.

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