Employee health and well-being should be a top priority for any organization that wants to attract, engage, and retain its talented employees. There are many reasons for this, and one of the most important is that it shows employees that they are a valued part of the company and that their employer cares about them.

There is broad consensus in recent scientific literature that workplace health promotion and prevention interventions make an important contribution to promoting and maintaining employee health. These interventions can reduce health risks, decrease sick days, and promote awareness of healthy lifestyles.

There is also consensus in the professional literature that workplace health promotion pays off for companies by reducing costs associated with low productivity, employee dissatisfaction, and absenteeism due to illness. In fact, the benefits of implementing a targeted initiative are many times the amount invested. This is called Return on Investment, or simply ROI. It is, therefore, an expression of how many times the amount invested is recouped. The latest studies show that the ROI ranges from 1:2.5 to 10. If a company spends 100,000 DKK on prevention, the return can be expected to be at least 250,000 DKK.

Detailed knowledge—such as each employee’s health status, readiness, and motivation—is needed to tailor future efforts and achieve the necessary benefits. And this is where health screenings have proven to be particularly useful. This is evident from a major cost-benefit analysis conducted by three experts in health economics in collaboration with the Copenhagen Consensus Center under the leadership of Bjørn Lomborg. The ROI is estimated to be 1:23, making health checkups by far the most effective activity companies can invest in.

Health Check at 3F Works

According to Jane Korczak, vice president of 3F, the union carried out a project involving several thousand members from 2010 to 2013, which had a clear impact.

“The project has given many thousands of people with limited education a better life because they receive treatment and counseling that they otherwise would not have received,” says Jane Korczak.

The study, which included 6,000 employees—most of whom had little formal education—at 50 workplaces, found, among other things, that one in three cleaning assistants was referred to their personal physician for further treatment.

In total, one in five was advised to see their own doctor, and one-third of these individuals were referred directly to medical treatment following their doctor’s visit.

“When a health screening can identify such a large proportion of cases, it’s a good investment for society,” says 3F’s vice president.

Health screenings reduce mortality!

Three leading researchers have described the value and effectiveness of health screenings in the Danish Medical Journal. And there is no doubt that workplace health screenings, combined with related health initiatives, are effective. The three researchers are:

Torsten Lauritzen is a general practitioner, professor, and Doctor of Medicine at Aarhus University, Department of Public Health, Division of General Practice.

Knut Borch-Johnsen is Deputy Director at Holbæk Hospital and holds a Ph.D. in Medicine.

Annelli Sandbæk is a general practitioner, professor, and Ph.D. at Aarhus University’s Department of Public Health, Division of General Practice, and a member of the Danish Council for Prevention

Why do health screenings/health profiles work?

One of the most important benefits of workplace health screenings is PREVENTION. It’s about detecting health issues that might otherwise have gone unnoticed. Blood pressure and cholesterol measurements can identify employees at higher risk for heart disease, and once employees are aware of their risk factors, they can take action. The value of health screenings thus lies in screening and identification, as well as motivation for lifestyle changes. When these issues are addressed early, it can prevent future health problems that could lead to long-term illness.