Workplace allergies cost firms millions
Workplace allergies cost firms millions
Nearly nine in 10 workers are affected
They may not be as "sexy" as heart disease or diabetes, but allergies are costing U.S. employers millions of dollars a year, according to a recent survey. They’re more than a mere nuisance for employees, according to respondents; they significantly affect health and performance in the workplace.
The survey, conducted by Lincolnshire, IL-based Hewitt Associates LLC, a management consulting firm specializing in human resource solutions, incorporated responses from 2,039 employees at more than 30 large employers. According to the study, increased absenteeism and reduced productivity as a result of allergies may have cost U.S. companies over $250 million in 1998. Other survey findings include the following:
o 88% of respondents said they suffer from allergies;
o 40% of employees who suffer from allergies say they miss an average of one to five days of work a year due to symptoms;
o 83% of survey respondents say they are not as effective at work due to allergy symptoms — on average, they estimate they are 26% less effective when affected by them;
o The average number of workdays employees report they’re affected by allergies during a year is 68.7.
Employees who use non-prescription medication say they most often miss work because of drowsiness, while those who use prescription medicine to alleviate their symptoms say they most often miss work because of planned doctor appointments.
"When you combine the cost of missed workdays with reduced productivity, we estimate that companies can lose an average of $2,000 a year per allergy sufferer," says Camille Haltom, MS, a health care consultant with Hewitt. To calculate its figures, Hewitt began with a national average wage. Then, it extrapolated its numbers based on the self-reported responses. "When you factor in lost work time, productivity, and replacement costs, we estimate there are seven to 10 times more dollars at stake for lost productivity than for actual absenteeism," Haltom explains.
She concludes the lost time and productivity figures are the survey’s most significant findings. "They are what represent the significant costs [of allergies], and yet they do not typically show up on most employers’ radar screens." Allergies, she adds, typically affect people who otherwise may not be "high-cost" in terms health care. "But when they lose productivity, they become high-cost."
Looking for a solution
Employers should pursue these key strategies to fight the impact of allergies in the workplace, says Haltom: Improve employee education and carefully evaluate your health plans. "Education is probably the No. 1 strategy. An educated population can accomplish a great deal in terms of avoiding allergens and/or managing their allergic conditions."
If you don’t have an in-house health educator, you can partner with a local health care provider. "Quite often, area hospitals or local HMOs might offer work site education programs or printed materials," she says.
Also, a number of pharmaceutical firms would be willing to partner with you in a disease management program," she observes. Schering-Plough, Glaxo Wellcome, and Hoechst Marion Roussel all offer such programs, she says.
"Companies should also take a close look at their health plans and review what types of coverage they offer employees who are affected by allergies," Haltom advises. "For those who need careful management of symptoms, there should be coverage for doctor visits — testing if needed — and prescription medication."
This is more than just a health and productivity issue, she notes. "It could become a job satisfaction issue if employees become dissatisfied with the provider."
[For more information, contact: Camille Haltom, Hewitt Associates LLC, 100 Half Day Road, Lincolnshire, IL 60069. Telephone: (847) 771-6887. Web site: www.hewitt.com.]
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