Chronic Illness – a threat or opportunity for your organization?

It’s pervasive.

Nearly 1 in 3 North Americans have a chronic illness.  If you manage more than a couple of employees, chances are that some of them are challenged by a chronic condition.

It’s growing

Due to demographics, environment, and advancing medical technology, there are more and more people with chronic illness in the workforce each day. The cost of chronic illness to productivity is expected to rise dramatically in the next twenty years. In the United States alone, the cost to productivity is already over a trillion dollars.

“Productivity-loss associated with workers who have chronic disease are as much as 400 per cent more than the cost of treatment. 

Losses in productivity include disability, unplanned absences, reduced workplace effectiveness, increased accidents, and negative impacts on work quality and customer service.” -PricewaterhouseCoopers

It’s invisible.

96 per cent of those with chronic illness show no visible symptoms.

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It’s poorly understood

Health care, insurance and organizational policies have long been based around acute illnesses which are visible, follow a predictable course and are often of relatively short duration. Chronic Illness is invisible, unpredictable and long-lasting. For the first time ever, chronic illness is taking over from acute illness as the primary health threat to the population.

In some cases it’s the law

Most of the 70+ chronic illnesses defined by The World Health Organization can be considered disabilities under Canada’s Employment Equity Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Understanding Chronic Illness

A major health study shows that most employees with chronic illness don’t maintain their health properly at work due to stigma or lack of flexibility.

It’s important for your managers and supervisors to be aware of the impact that chronic illness has on your employees and how to foster a flexible, understanding culture that allows them to be their best while ultimately reducing costs due to illness and presenteeism.

An opportunity for competitive advantage

Companies that understand chronic illness and make the necessary changes to their culture will reap huge competitive advantages. Imagine being able to attract and keep the best employees while reducing insurance costs. Imagine the “productivity” gap between you and your competition. The opportunity is there.

Chronic diseases are the greatest threat to the nation’s health and leading driver of death, disability and health costs. By investing in needed resources for those with complex chronic illness, employers can reduce medical costs and absence and improve presenteeism.

Joseph Marlowe, Monica Maeyer and Jennifer Greer, Aon Consulting, “Complex Chronic Illness: An Essential Target in Health Cost Management,” WorldatWork Journal, Third Quarter 2009

Understanding the differences between chronic and acute illnesses and how they effect your employees is crucial. As a former award-winning journalist,  manager and long-time survivor of chronic illness, Jason Reid is ideally suited to teach your managers and supervisors about the biggest productivity problem facing business today.

For additional information and rates contact info@sickwithsuccess.com or fill in the form below. We will get back to you promptly.