Incentive - February 2008 - (Page 12)

IN THE NEWS Workplace Flexibility Leads to Healthier Employees eports on the benefits of workplace flexibility generally focus on how telecommuting or job sharing encourages a work/life balance that improves worker satisfaction and therefore retention. But new research by Joseph G. Grzywacz, Ph.D., of Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C., shows that employees with flexible schedules are also more likely to practice healthier lifestyle habits than those working traditional schedules. The study, titled “The Effects of Workplace Flexibility on Health Behaviors: A Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analysis,” was published in the Dec. 11 issue of The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Drawing data from Health Risk Appraisals completed by employees for a large pharmaceutical company, the researchers analyzed the correlation between lifestyle behaviors and levels of job flexibility. Looking at employees from all levels of the company, the study found that those with flexible workweeks had higher frequencies of physical activity, engagement in stress management programs, participation in health education activities and healthier sleep habits. Grzywacz explains that this study helps with understanding what effect workplace R flexibility has as an element of effective worksite health promotion programs. Stuart Slutzky, chief marketing officer for Destiny Health, a Chicago-based insurance company that runs incentive-based health programs in offices throughout the United States, has seen this correlation in client companies. “We find some employees respond very well in the morning, and others like to work out during midday,” says Slutzky. “So being able to take a flexible lunchtime and being able to possibly extend that and extend the workday later encourages [exercise].” Slutzky says he has seen that allowing employees freedom to schedule visits to the gym, yoga classes, or health education courses, improves the likelihood the workers will get more involved in these activities. He also notes that with studies showing that shorter commute times correlate with lower levels of stress, telecommuting and other drive-time reducers tend to leave workers in a healthier state of mind. Says Slutzky, “In the end, if you’re paying employees to work forty hours and they’re getting the job done, and at the same time they’re happier and healthier, [flexible scheduling] is certainly a great incentive to promote wellness.” —Alex D. Palmer The “R” Word B y the third week of January, leading economists, financial analysts and pundits had stopped talking about whether the United States is heading into a recession and started arguing about how serious the recession will be. That is a situation that poses both challenges and opportunities for the incentive industry. “In a downturn, manufacturers can reduce production, lay off employees and wait for demand to increase, or they can continue to produce and increase demand,” says James Feldman, president of Chicago-based James Feldman Associates. “Recession requires business stimulation to keep sales going—it is a perfect time for incentives, it is time to dig in more.” Typically, he adds, convincing customers of this “does not require a great amount of salesmanship.” That said, in past economic downturns, many companies’ first reaction has been a short-term, and shortsighted one: They cut “discretionary” expenses, notably incentive and recognition programs. Not everyone is worried. “The demand in five-star hotels has never been higher, and the U.S. market is still strong,” says David Hornby, commercial director of VisitLondon, the city’s tourism board. “The [destination management companies] who work a great deal with the U.S. market are also very bullish.” As for the broader economy, Feldman has a grim view of the likelihood of a recession: “I think [we’re] in it and I think anyone who thinks [we] are not is an idiot,” he says. “This is the tip of the iceberg. We don’t have relief in sight.”—L.J. 12 | Incentive | February 2008 | incentivemag.com http://www.incentivemag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Incentive - February 2008

Incentive Magazine - February 2008 Editor’s Note: Archie and the Boys In The News Cover Story: On The Ball Incentives Incentive Primer: How to Use Sporting Events Incentive Interview: Jim Avery on Doing the Right Thing Employee Empowerment Motivates and Pays Dividends Hospitals, Nurses Win With Flexible Scheduling Legal Ease: Safety Programs and Unions Case Study: The Weitz Company Retains Its Boomers Potentials: Here and Now Star Power in the Kitchen Awards: Gift Card Trends for the New Year Travel News The Manhattanization of Las Vegas Classics Renewed: Monaco and France Advertiser Index Off The Cuff: Tumi’s Mike Landry

Incentive - February 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.