While 60% of adult Americans live with one or more chronic conditions people are living their lives, working, being productive, and finding ways to live their best lives.
Everyone brings unique skills and strengths that add value to communities, society, and their job. Employees with diabetes or prediabetes are no exception.
To help maximize health and productivity, employers can offer benefits and accommodations. Here’s why benefits and accommodations are important and what you can do as an employer or plan.
How Providing Accommodations and Benefits Help
Enhanced productivity: When employee health needs are met, people can perform at their best. Supporting diabetes management leads to better focus and energy levels, resulting in increased productivity.
Healthier workforce: Encouraging a healthy lifestyle, including proper diabetes management, contributes to a healthier workforce, reducing absenteeism and lowering healthcare costs for both employees and employers.
Employee loyalty: Providing accommodations and support for employees with diabetes or prediabetes fosters a sense of loyalty and commitment. Employees are more likely to stay with employers who show interest and empathy in the health needs of employees.
Accommodations and Benefits
Here are some key benefits and accommodations to consider offering for people with diabetes or prediabetes to enhance productivity, foster a healthier workforce, and strengthen employee loyalty.
A better diabetes management solution: Diabetes can be difficult and time-consuming, both externally and internally. Providing a diabetes management solution as part of your employee benefits can decrease the stress and cost burdens that sometimes hold people back from achieving diabetes health goals. Your investment in a solution should
- cut costs for your company and remove costs for members
- provide the tools necessary for monitoring and managing blood sugar
- include individualized care and clinical support.
Flexible scheduling: Offering flexible work hours can accommodate medical appointments, blood sugar monitoring, and meal schedules.
Break times: Allowing short breaks for blood sugar checks, administering insulin or medications, or snack consumption are extremely important for anyone with diabetes of any type.
Accommodation for meals and snacks: Treatment for all types of diabetes include food management. When blood sugar is high, food choices matter. When blood sugar is low, access to glucose is critical. For many, mealtimes are planned and consistency is essential. Employers should allow people with diabetes or prediabetes to keep food nearby and accessible.
Education: One of the big deterrents preventing people from improving health is lack of education. As people learn more about a health condition they live with they become better prepared and equipped to manage that condition. Adding benefits that provide health education, particularly from clinical experts who can personalize education and care, can go a long way toward better population health.
Workplace wellness initiatives: Far-reaching wellness programs can benefit all employees. These programs will promote healthy lifestyles and overall well being.
An empathetic work environment: Maintaining a flexible and empathetic work environment can reduce stress and contribute to the overall satisfaction of employees with diabetes or prediabetes.
By supporting employees with diabetes or prediabetes and implementing reasonable accommodations, employers can create a more inclusive and health-conscious workplace that benefits both employees and the organization as a whole.
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