Employees wellness
Wellness is an important topic in today’s business world and can be a wonderful employee benefit. In my workplace I can earn points through a wellness application on my phone that allows me to cash in my points over time for gift cards. It is a great tool to encourage me to go for a run, meditate or get more sleep, amongst many other opportunities. Another opportunity example is to earn points by beginning to make an effort to quit smoking. If a current smoker tracks their non-smoking habit, they get points. Seems like a great opportunity for a smoker to make the decision for themselves on if they want to smoke or not as this is a legal practice across America. The key is that it’s a decision they get to make themselves and if they don’t they can still earn points for gift cards in other ways.
No employee should feel like a legal practice being done during their off hours should lead them to being at risk of losing their job or health insurance. Understanding, insurance and wellness benefits amongst others are just that, a benefit and do not have to be offered. My key issue with this workplace excerpt is smoking even during off hours is against policy and sounds like a risk toward their job. Due to this I agree mostly, but not totally with the two statements: (1) “This is a heavy-handed and unethical abuse of managerial power” and (2) “This is an open invitation to lawsuits of various kinds. It is a good idea for which the time has not yet come”.
Many states have laws against banning or threatening one’s rights to do a lawful action in their off hours, this one being smoking. Due to this sole idea in the workplace excerpt I see this as a heavy handed approach by the CEO trying to save money and keep his business reputation in place. Due the legality of some states, this could be a lawsuit waiting to happen. However, I agree with the CEO’s interpretation of the employees smoking outside and I applaud his want to better his employees through the wellness program benefit. The idea of health assessments that lead to incentives and extra days off seem like a great encouragement. Jeff Bedard, the CEO, could follow up with this by offering a specific incentive program for only smokers. This could help them feel special and cared for which is what the CEO seems to really feel. At the same time lower health insurance premiums for non-smokers as the trade off. Chapter 4 of our text for class discusses reward systems, specifically wellness programs on page 93 and no where will you find this type of vertical approach to benefits in today’s business world. Crown Laboratories needs to own their reputation as one that is supporting a healthier world, but encouraging and forcing are two different approaches and forcing your employees is one I do not support.