MetLife Finds Employee Health is a Global Issue Among Employers
September 08 2010 - 8:45AM
Business Wire
Underscoring the universality of employee health issues, global
companies that take an active approach to employee health and
well-being can see a positive impact on their bottom line,
according to a new white paper released today from MetLife. MetLife
Multinational Solutions and the MetLife Mature Market Institute, in
coordination with the Sloan Center on Aging & Work at Boston
College, undertook detailed examinations at four large
multinational companies to determine chronic diseases,
lifestyle-related health issues, and other trends impacting
employees’ health, the impact on costs and productivity, and how
these issues are being addressed. The MetLife Study of Global
Health and Wellness is available at metlife.com/multinational.
“While there are different issues at play in different cultures
– needing tailored solutions – the universal truth is that
investing in employee health is important for long-term business
success. The MetLife study provides insights into how multinational
employers can overcome challenges to encourage a workplace culture
of health while maintaining a competitive business model,” said
Rudy Bethea, vice president, Multinational Solutions, MetLife.
The MetLife study highlights practices of four leading,
multinational corporations, American Express, CEMEX,
GlaxoSmithKline and PPG Industries, focusing on their wellness
programs at sites in India, Mexico, China, the Philippines, the
U.S. and the U.K. As these employers face challenges and
opportunities that vary across the globe, such as local culture,
local government, employee acceptance, availability of health care
vendors and communication with employees, the study looks at the
specific steps taken to maximize employee health globally to reach
solutions that fit business and employee needs.
“General access to affordable health care, the prevalence of
chronic disease and a growing aging labor force are all factors
that today’s multinational employers must consider as they develop
policies, physical facilities and behavioral standards within the
workplace that are supportive of healthy living,” adds Bethea. “We
believe employers can learn from the successes of the four
companies featured in the MetLife resource as they navigate the
ever-changing global health environment and design cost effective
health and wellness programs that address the needs of their
employees and their business.”
Connecting Global and Local Health – Key Themes from the
Study
Key trends uncovered by the study highlight how today’s global
employers are managing their workforce’s health, including:
An increased focus on creating a
culture of health rather than isolated programs
While the concept of employee wellness is not new, employers are
now focused on creating an overall culture of health. To help
address issues facing their employees such as chronic disease and
lifestyle related health issues, employers have taken a more
holistic approach to wellness and are developing policies, physical
facilities and behavioral standards within the workplace that are
supportive of healthy living.
Health trends are changing all
over the world
Chronic disease and lifestyle related health issues are
increasing, not only in developed countries like the U.S. and the
U.K., but also in emerging economies such as Mexico, China, and
India, where a middle class is starting to thrive. In China and the
Philippines, access to consistent health care by the overall
population is a problem. Employers with global operations are
trying to navigate and address these issues which have a
significant impact on the health of the workforce base.
Local health care costs drive
employer focus
In the U.S., a major goal of employers is to reduce long-term
health care costs, in addition to reducing employee absenteeism,
increasing productivity, improving engagement and retention, and
being an employer of choice. Outside the U.S., however, medical
costs are lower, so employers can concentrate on the latter four
objectives.
Best Practices for Global Companies
Bethea highlights the following best practices followed by the
participating multinational corporations as considerations for
employers when implementing a successful global health and wellness
program:
- Consider the Business
Drivers. Think about the factors that drive an organization’s
interest prior to implementing a health and wellness program. When
launching a global strategy, keep in mind that business drivers are
likely to vary depending on cultural and political influences. Also
consider developing a program that serves as an extension of the
company’s brand, mission or philosophy.
- Evaluate Progress. In
addition to identifying business drivers to influence, outline the
outcomes the company hopes to achieve. Know the health-related
indicators that give the overall profile of a facility to help
embed health and wellness in the culture of the organization, and
track program participation from the onset. One measurement tactic
might be to embed health questions that examine markers of
well-being in the company’s annual survey to measure success.
- Balance Corporate Goals with
Government Mandates and Cultural Expectations. Once a company
has identified its overarching goals at the corporate level and in
each country, it can be helpful to engage local partners as part of
the implementation plan. Finding a balance between standardized
processes and branding with some elements that are customized
locally can be key to success, and engaging local employees in
different regions may encourage greater participation. Be open to
various methods of implementation depending on a location’s
culture.
By incorporating these best practices during the planning and
implementation stage of any health and well-being program,
employers will have in place a framework to build a global program
that is locally flexible and maximizes its benefits to both
employers and employees.
Methodology
Six in-depth telephone interviews were conducted from March –
April 2010 with US and foreign corporate heads of health care
initiatives at four multinational companies. The companies range in
size from 40,000 - 90,000 employers, operating in 50-130 countries
including the Americas, Western and Eastern Europe, Africa, the
Middle East, Australia, Southeast Asia and Asia Pacific. Reviews of
company materials and key health issues, current benefit offerings,
and cost-containment strategies in developing countries also
informed the study.
About MetLife
MetLife is a subsidiary of MetLife, Inc.(NYSE: MET), a leading
provider of insurance and financial services with operations
throughout the United States and the Latin America, Europe and Asia
Pacific regions. Through its domestic and international
subsidiaries and affiliates, MetLife, Inc. reaches more than 70
million customers around the world and MetLife is the largest life
insurer in the United States (based on life insurance in-force).
The MetLife companies offer life insurance, annuities, auto and
home insurance, retail banking and other financial services to
individuals, as well as group insurance, reinsurance and retirement
& savings products and services to corporations and other
institutions.
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