Did you know that 34.2 million people in the United States have diabetes? Not only that, according to the Diabetes Research Institute: “Approximately 7.3 million people have diabetes but have not yet been diagnosed (2018).” We have talked about biometric screenings before and how employers would offer incentives in return for them to get testing done with it being free or little cost. However, what about quarterly diabetes screenings? Not only screenings but providing free education on diabetes and knowing the warning signs.
Healthy Employee = Happy Employee
One of the main symptoms of diabetes is fatigue and that can be paired with irritability. If companies provided quarterly screenings for those who wanted to have testing done at little to no cost, it could improve their overall life. Your employee might not know why they’re tired or going to the bathroom every hour. Some people skip their annual exams from their primary care physicians and only go to urgent care when they are ill. There could be many possibilities but giving available access to employees to take a diabetes screening test whenever they wanted could legitimately save a life.
Health Matters
According to Very Well Health, “Untreated diabetes can potentially cause severe complications that involve almost all parts of your body, including your heart, kidneys, blood vessels, eyes, nerves, gastrointestinal tract, gums, and teeth. In severe cases, it could lead to death.” There also could be a risk of Alzheimer’s Disease if you let diabetes go untreated. Very Well Health also added that the CDC reported around 25% of Americans who were diagnosed had no idea they were showing signs. This is alarming to many people who do not regularly attend to see a doctor.
Incorporate Testing Into Your Wellness Program
There are many reasons why incorporating diabetes testing in your wellness program would be beneficial.
- Would show employees you care for their health and not just statistics
- Could help save a life
- Benefits everyone
- Optional testing and adding incentives could increase employee satisfaction in the workplace
- Making health a priority in the workplace will lessen the turnover rate for your company
There are many great reasons why all companies should jump on board to provide diabetes screenings—not just a basic yearly biometric screening. This would provide ease for a lot of employees and prove that they are working for more than an office. They would realize they are working for a company that legitimately cares about their overall health and wellness.
