Hälsosatsning på engelska

I DN har de idag en artikel om de ekonomiska effekterna av stegtävlingar. Det får mig att tänka på den inlämningsuppgift i affärsengelskan som jag tyckte var roligast förra året, Assignment 2: Memo report.

Bakgrunden var att företaget pga ökade kostnader för ohälsa gjort en hälsosatsning med en stor belöning till dem som fullgjorde Stockholm maraton. Nu skulle vi skriva en rapport om huruvida det var ett lyckat grepp eller ej och om satsningen borde göras permanent.

Jag vet inte riktigt varför, men det här tog tag i min fantasi. Jag såg företaget och de anställda framför mig. Satsningen fick namnet Health In The Long Run. En av de anställda (en ganska rundlagd man, 50+ med ett ansikte högrött av ilska) var så upprörd över det, som han tyckte, elitistiska inslaget att han kallade det Hitler-programmet (på grund av initialerna). Det kunde jag naturligtvis inte ta med i rapporten, men så här blev den:

Following the instructions of the CEO I have examined the effects of the Health In The Long Run Programme to assess whether it should be a permanent part of the company’s health scheme.

Only two employees (2.7%) signed up for the programme. One left the company three weeks before [the] Stockholm Marathon and was therefore no longer eligible for the programme. The other was unable to complete the race.

According to our Controller, the programme has had no effect on health care costs. In fact, the costs have kept increasing at the same rate as before. On the other hand, the total costs of the programme itself amount to 5,000 SEK for two entry fees and a return ticket to Stockholm.

When the programme was announced the HR Manager was flooded with reactions on an unprecedented scale; 66 individuals (88.0% of all employees) contacted her regarding this matter. While very positive to a health improving initiative, all of them were critical to this particular programme. The most common reasons given were that this type of programme had nothing to do with improving general health and that the programme was elitist. Instead, 59 suggested a wide range of other types of programmes for the future, including dietary advice and an in-house trainer. The most popular idea, put forward by 55 individuals (73.3% of all employees) as a cost-effective initiative that everybody could participate in, was some sort of walking competition where the employees would get pedometers from the company. One even provided an elaborate handicap system to even out differences in weight and age.

The Health In The Long Run Programme has not had the desired effects on the health of the employees or the company’s health care costs. In addition, it has stirred up a lot of negative emotions among the staff. For these reasons I cannot recommend this as a permanent arrangement. However, there is clearly an enormous interest among the employees in some sort of health improving programme. In my opinion the suggested alternative programmes should be evaluated to see if one or more of them can be implemented next year.