This Week's Herman Trend Alert Demand-Driven Workforce Development

The Herman Trend Alert June 6, 2007 The Obesity Challenge and its Solutions Recent studies corroborate our previous Herman Trend Alerts that obese employees are more expensive than those of normal weight---in both healthcare and workers compensation costs. Not surprisingly, according to a study released by the Medstat Group in Ann Arbor, Michigan, obese workers had a substantially higher incidence of metabolic, circulatory, musculoskeletal, and respiratory disorders. Moderate to severe obesity was also associated with 21 and 75 percent annual healthcare cost increases, respectively. Those percentages translated to dollar increases of $670 and $2,441. In another study, published by Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, obese employees had more lost workdays, higher medical costs, and more workers compensation claims than their non-obese associates. To be more specific, obese employees had more than twice the number of workers compensation claims than other workers. As a result, their medical costs were seven times higher, as well. To make matters worse for employers, obese employees were absent from work for 13 times the number of days than their trimmer counterparts. When you consider the challenges of a tightening labor market, these data are truly eye-opening. Employers are caught in a tight spot. But just when you thought there was no hope, we have a vertical workstation that allows desk-bound employees to work and get their exercise simultaneously. It’s a workstation fixed to a treadmill; employees may walk and do their jobs at the same time. Invented by Mayo Clinic research endocrinologist Dr. James Levine, it’s a great way to get exercise and get the work done, too. The product has the reasonable price of $2000. The Mayo study found the workers burned about 100 calories an hour---twice their normal metabolic rate. In an eight-hour shift, workers could burn an extra 800 calories per day. On an annualized basis, that translates to the loss of 50 additional pounds. The small study group of 15 people had sedentary jobs and never exercised. As futurists, we expect to see more products like this one to help obese employees and others reduce their weights and employers reduce their expenses. What’s next? A bicycle under your desk? © Copyright 1998-2008 by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." DON'T BE LEFT BEHIND! If you've been thinking about attending our valuable Employee Retention Specialist Certificate Program, don't delay--only three spaces remain. With the employment market heating up, many positions are literally impossible to fill. Attend this course and you will learn dozens of low-/no-cost valuable strategies to attract and retain the talent you need. Recertification credit from HRCI. Next program: May 22-23, Charleston, SC. Call Carol at 336-282-9370 or visit http://www.employeeretentionspecialist.com. GET INSIDE THE MINDS OF YOUR EMPLOYEES Find out what's really going on inside the hearts and minds of your employees. Our InnerViews interviewing service uses SPHRs and PHRs, certified human resource professionals to probe for the information you really need to know. Exit and Stay Interviews, as well as Why-Didn't-You-Take-Our-Offer Interviews. Call Rosalie Catalano at 937-648-1918 or read more at: http://www.hermangroup.com/retentionconnection/exit_interviews.html. NEW BABY BONUS Book Joyce to speak on the West Coast in 2008 and receive 100 of her books of your choosing. There is a new baby in the family, Spencer Jay, and Joyce would appreciate more opportunities to watch him grow. For more about Joyce, visit http://www.hermangroup.com/joyce.html or call Joyce at 336-210-3548. Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers. New subscribers are welcome. There is no charge for this public service. The Herman Trend Alert is received by over 30,000 subscribers in 78 countries, in addition to other websites and printed magazines. Do you enjoy receiving this weekly e-mail update? Contact us about our co-branded Trend Alert service. Click here to sign up for the Herman Trend Alert. Subscribe or Unsubscribe to weekly Herman Trend Alert View this week's Herman Trend Alert Archived Weekly Herman Trend Alerts

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