Firms find it pays to keep employees healthy, Japan

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 09 Jul 2004 - 1:00 PDT

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An increasing number of corporations are stepping up efforts to maintain the good health of their employees.

The ongoing trend reflects a widespread recognition among domestic companies that a healthy workforce can help improve productivity and, eventually, raise overall performance. The drive to build healthy companies is finally making its mark in Japan--a move that may be particularly timely as the rise of merit-based promotion increases stress levels for salaried staff.

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Tackling problems

Starting this year, Keio Electric Railway Co. in Tama, western Tokyo, increased the number of health-related questions given to employees at annual medical checkups. Workers now have to fill in answers to about 50 questions on a checkup sheet. Some of the questions are directly work-related, asking about things such as the number of overtime hours worked.

Other questions probe staffers over whether they feel tired, stressed or sleepy, asking them if they suffer from feelings of uneasiness and irritability, or whether they lack concentration and tend to make a lot of mistakes. Until last year, such questions were asked orally in interviews during the checkups.

The company adopted the new system not only to discover what problems employees faced, but also in an attempt to gain an overall picture of the physical and mental health of staffers at all its branches. Under the new system, branch offices found to have a problem will get a visit from a company doctor who will speak with the manager and those employees who have reported problems. The doctor will then advise on ways to improve the situation. Continues.....the Daily Yomiuri