Nearly half of companies nationwide now offer employees the opportunity to participate in biometric screenings in the workplace. These screenings, administered by licensed healthcare providers, typically measure body composition, blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose levels and other possible risk factors for chronic diseases. If your employer is hosting a health fair or biometric screening event, there are many reasons why you should sign up and take advantage of this opportunity:
- Learn more about your health. The results of biometric screenings can help you understand your risks for developing certain chronic diseases, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and more. You can then discuss this information with your doctor and establish a plan to address any health concerns.
- Establish a baseline. It is much easier to manage your health and wellness moving forward when you have a starting point to measure against. By participating in screenings each year, you can compare your results to those from previous years to track how you’re doing. For example, if you had low cholesterol last year but saw a spike this year, even if it’s still within normal range, you can bring this up with your doctor to determine any next steps.
- Protect yourself. Oftentimes, flu shots are also offered during health fairs or screening events. Getting a flu shot is a great way to take steps to avoid the flu and help protect those around you.
- Convenient access. By attending these screenings in the workplace, you can simply step away from your desk or workstation for 15-20 minutes and quickly receive detailed information about your health status, without having to leave work.
- Earn incentives. Many employers offer incentives if you complete a biometric screening. This could include a discount on your health insurance premium or cash to put toward healthcare expenses.
- It’s confidential. You can rest assured that all results from the screening are kept private and confidential.
- It’s free! These screenings are offered by employers at no cost to you, so why not take advantage?
The information provided by a workplace health screening can help you make healthy lifestyle changes and avoid developing serious health problems in the future. Contact your human resources department to find out if your company offers biometric screenings at the workplace.
For Health Advocate Members
If you’re a Health Advocate member whose employer offers our Biometric Screenings or Flu Shots, contact your HR department to find out when they will next be offered so you can sign up!
