Workplace Health

Your Boss Wants You Slim, Healthy and Ready to Keep Medical Costs Down

When workers at Union Pacific labored to connect the first transcontinental rail line back in the 1860's, the job was considered among the most dangerous in America. Now, as more and more companies struggle to contain runaway healthcare costs, the storied railroad is staking claims to have the healthiest workforce around.

Jerry Gibson is a slimmer case in point. After tipping the scales at 360 pounds, the 39-year old diesel mechanic was greeted with a gym membership instead of a pink slip.

Cheered on by his bosses, Gibson has since knocked off a respectable 110 pounds, and regularly drags his work buddies to join him at the gym. Union Pacific continues to push him along, providing pamphlets with weight loss tips and keeping track of his progress.

"There's a lot of encouragement to be healthy," says Gibson, who has been working on the railroad for eight years.

Union Pacific is hardly alone in wanting to keep manageable problems from turning into big medical expenses. Indeed, companies both large and small are preaching the virtues of prevention to keep employees healthy and more productive.

Wal-Mart, the controversial retail giant, suggested that "all cashiers to do some cart gathering" as way to promote physical activity, according to an internal memo that was first reported by the New York Times. But it is the company that helped open the West that is once again the envy of corporate America.

"We believe that a key component to workplace safety is health," explains Barb Schaefer, senior vice-president of human resources at Union Pacific.

This Isn't Your Grandfather's Railroad
Out of the train operators and other staff who see that 250 million tons of coal reach its destination each year, more than half of all employees have enrolled in Union Pacific's various wellness initiatives, which range from cooking competitions to spin classes. The company has banned smoking near any office or alongside 32,000 miles of track and refuses to hire smokers in states were it is legal to do so.

Vending machines, according to a new rule, must stock at least 30 percent of healthy snacks between the potato chips and candy bars. Union Pacific is even the leading health provider for the town of De Soto, Missouri, where doctors and nurses urge residents to give the company's wellness programs a shot.

"We try to make it a healthy competition," says Schaefer.

Union Pacific has plenty of rivals. Employees at Motorola can get advice over the phone on how to manage chronic diseases like asthma or diabetes. At Home Depot, a company-wide flu prevention effort resulted in $460,000 in savings from workers who would have otherwise been out sick.

Johnson & Johnson, which has created many life saving drugs, offers a comprehensive check up to determine employee health risks. The company is quick to recommend lifestyle changes for those who want to stave off future troubles.

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