04 Jul The cost of hypertension to your business

Understanding the effects chronic lifestyle conditions have on your businesses is essential to minimising your risks and lost revenue to extenuating costs. When an employee is taken ill with a chronic condition, the effects on the business will begin to appear, resulting in absence from work (absenteeism), reduced productivity while at work (presenteeism), short-term disability, indirect costs, or costs that are incurred outside of health services delivery.

Hypertension is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions and is a primary risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Understanding the risks and cost implications to your business due to hypertension is important in making a sustainable and healthy change.

A study by Unmuessig et al. (2016) on the impact hypertension has on productivity uncovers the cost implications to your business. This study is of particular value for both employers and policy makers interested in understanding the impact of hypertension on workplace productivity and to design health plans specifically targeted at promoting preventative care, improving medication adherence, improving health status, and eventually reducing the burden of lost productivity.

This study found that from the large sample of employees, 31.7% of employees had hypertension risks, 51.6% of these were uncontrolled. Uncontrolled hypertension refers to the untreated condition, implying no monitoring or medication has been administered to the employee. All employees with hypertension had reported a higher loss of productivity, than those without, and those with uncontrolled hypertension reported significantly more lost productivity then those with controlled hypertension.

Identifying and understanding the risk to the individual and to the business is important for sustainability in your employee health, but also for the business. As explained in a study by Wagner et al. (2012) on controlled vs. uncontrolled hypertension, those with newly diagnosed or less severe hypertension are more likely to adhere to medications and as a result reported less reduction in workplace productivity. Intervention at an organisation level is an effective way to reduce health inequalities in the working population. Providing employees with the information and education on the importance of hypertension and the longevity required in monitoring and self-care will provide lasting results.

Providing regular blood pressure checks is a simple and effective way for your staff to monitor their health. Speak to us today  if you would like more information on how our 4-minute automated Health Checks on the medically certified SiSU Health Station can save the lives of your employees and improve your workplace productivity.