Good employees make calculated decisions. They take the time to analyze the details of any given situation and act accordingly. We’re guessing your workforce is full of these good employees.
One of the more complex wellness activities is a biometric screening. These screening events are an excellent tool for your employees and for your company. They can provide a baseline on which to build your wellness program. They can also be used to analyze your program’s progress.
To help ease the minds of your analytical employees, we want to lay out the pros and cons of attending a biometric screening. Share this list with your employees to help them get a jump start on making an informed decision about their participation in your wellness program.
Pros of Attending a Biometric Screening
You will learn your individual health metrics. From height and weight to cholesterol and glucose, a biometric screening event is a great one-stop-shop for learning your biometric numbers. Not only that, but the health professionals at each event can explain to you what those numbers mean and how they affect your overall health.
You might earn an incentive. This pro is only true at certain companies. Many wellness programs have integrated incentives in some way. A lot of incentive criteria include attending your biometric screening. Check with your wellness team to learn the details about incentives at your workplace.
You can track your progress. If you’ve attended a screening in the past, or you have a health goal of some sort, a biometric screening is a great method for keeping tabs on your progress. The scale only says so much when it comes to healthy living. Looking into some of the more intricate indicators like bloodwork can be a more accurate portrayal of your overall health.
You can get motivated. Motivation can come from a couple different parts of a biometric screening event. One involves the simple act of going to the screening. Taking that step can be a tangible indicator that you’re ready to take more steps towards a healthier lifestyle. Similarly, speaking with health professionals can help provide you with some clear, distinct direction. Based on your individual health status, they’ll guide you to some healthy behaviors that might make the most difference in your life.
You can get a break from work. Sometimes the best part of a biometric screening is the fact that it’s a few minutes you get to spend away from your desk. Breaking up the workday can make you more efficient in the long run. It can also work wonders for your mental health and stress levels. If nothing else is appealing, a break from work definitely should be!
Cons of Attending a Biometric Screening
Your results can be intimidating. Many participants simply don’t want to know their results. There is a sense of peace in ignorance when it comes to health. Some people might be shocked by how their daily habits are truly affecting how their body functions.
It wouldn’t be like us to not provide a silver lining, though. On the same note, you might be surprised by how your small healthy habits play a positive role in your life. You also might be surprised by the sense of positivity and forward-thinking our health professionals have. You won’t be scolded or shamed for any of your numbers. We want to help you learn about your health and move towards a healthier lifestyle one small step at a time.
You worry about privacy. This is a valid concern. Health information is very sensitive. You might be concerned that receiving a screening at work isn’t the most private option, or that your information could be shared with your employer.
We train all of our health professionals and take a variety of precautions to ensure your privacy at your biometric screening. As far as information sharing, your employer will never have access to your individual health data (unless you tell them of course!). They receive aggregate or group results to ensure they’re helping the entire workforce as best they can.
You can get motivated. This is largely a pro. But we know there’s a little part of you that worries about the hard work that accompanies newfound motivation. It’s true that creating a healthy lifestyle takes a little work, so we definitely understand your concern.
We believe health can be found in the smallest of habits. As you build more small, healthy habits, they begin to add up to a healthy lifestyle. It will take some work. But it’s not impossible. And it’s definitely worth it.
Needles can hurt. With all of this talk about blood work, you probably caught on that needles might be involved. Depending on what your employer decided, there will be either a finger stick or venipuncture blood draw. Both of those things can cause a little pain.
In our (admittedly biased) opinion, the short-lived pain is worth the long-lived benefits that come from it. That needle poke opens up doors you might not have known existed. It can open your eyes to what health really means in your life. So again, it’s definitely worth it.
Ultimately, the choice belongs to you, your coworkers and your employees. Attending a biometric screening can be intimidating. We totally get that. Allowing your employees to weigh the pros and cons, and ultimately make a calculated decision can decrease some of their uncertainty and give them a sense of control over a potentially scary situation.
Share this list with your employees. Do they have any other pros or cons they value? Let us know in the comments below!
