Open AccessLifestyle Medicine and Worker Productivity
Author(s) -
Wayne N. Burton,
Dee W. Edington,
Alyssa B. Schultz
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
american journal of lifestyle medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1559-8284
pISSN - 1559-8276
DOI - 10.1177/1559827620948008
Subject(s) - productivity , medicine , inefficiency , investment (military) , work (physics) , environmental health , economic growth , economics , engineering , mechanical engineering , politics , political science , law , microeconomics
The issue of employee productivity has become a major concern for companies. Inefficiency can occur at every stage of production either as poor design, worker limitation, or other factors. It is generally assumed that a healthy worker is more productive than an unhealthy worker. As early as 1776 Adam Smith observed and published in The Wealth of Nations that poor worker health was a detriment to industrial productivity. The objective of this article is to review the literature documenting the gain or loss of productivity related to the health of workers, as well as any lifestyle management strategies that can be used to improve employee health and productivity. The impact of employee obesity, smoking, physical activity, sleep, and behavioral health on productivity will be explored. By identifying and addressing health risks that impair worker performance, lifestyle medicine professionals can demonstrate a significant return on investment by creating a healthier and more productive work force.