The Importance of Regular Health Checkups for Employees

The COVID-19 pandemic brought attention to the rising cases of burnout, stress, and anxiety in the workplace. This highlighted the critical need for employers to direct themselves more towards employee well-being; consequently, many organizations have sought improvement since then. 

In fact, the global workplace wellness industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.47% between 2023 and 2030, with more and more employers providing wellness programs to enhance productivity, morale, and overall business success.

One of the most effective ways to offer workplace wellness is through regular health checkups. These checkups help detect potential health issues early, reducing the risk of severe illnesses and ensuring timely intervention. They also promote a culture of care and responsibility, showing employees that their well-being matters.

In this article, we will explore the importance and benefits of regular health checkups for employees and businesses.

What is a Regular Health Checkup?

Regular health checks are medical examinations that evaluate your overall health status. Their purpose is to identify any potential health problems before they progress.

That is why they involve various physical, blood, and dental tests. The type of checkup depends on your age, gender, lifestyle, and medical history.

Key components of regular health checkups include:

• Physical Tests: Complete body check, including height, weight, pulse, and a general assessment of physical health.

• Dental Checkup: Oral health, such as examining for cavities, gum disease, and other dental problems.

• Blood Tests: Sugar levels, cholesterol levels, haemoglobin, etc., to check for diseases like anaemia, diabetes, or high cholesterol.

• Bone Density: Evaluates the strength and density of bones to check for conditions like osteoporosis, especially among elderly people.

• Blood Pressure Test: Examines blood pressure and evaluates the risks of hypertension or heart disease.

• Urine Tests: Detecting signs of infections, kidney problems, or other medical conditions that may not show obvious symptoms.

• Cervical Cancer Screening: Detecting early signs of cervical cancer, especially for women aged 21 to 65 years old.

• Vision Tests: Assessing eyesight to check problems such as nearsightedness or farsightedness.

Also read: Annual Health Checkups for Employees

Types of Health Checkups

Health checkups are customised as per the needs of the person. They can be divided into three categories.

1. Basic Health Check-up

These checkups help identify common conditions and lifestyle illnesses, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and excessive cholesterol. A basic health checkup gives an overview of your general health.

2. Full Body Checkup

As the name implies, a full-body checkup is a thorough examination of the entire body, including different organs and systems. It includes a variety of tests, such as imaging (X-rays, ultrasounds), specialised screenings, liver function testing, and heart screenings. 

So, full body checkups give a comprehensive picture of health, helping you find underlying issues that may not have obvious symptoms.

3. Specialised Checkups

Specialised checkups focus on particular health issues or systems, such as the heart, lungs, or reproductive organs. These are based on your medical history, family history, and particular symptoms.

Some examples of specialised checkups include mammograms for breast health, ECGs for heart function, and bone density tests for osteoporosis.

Also read: Types of Health Insurance in India

How Often Should Employees Get Health Checkups?

The frequency of worker health checkups is based on multiple factors, such as:

• Their health
• Age
• Gender
• Lifestyle
• Family history
• Medical history

The general recommendation is: 

• For employees up to 30 years of age and in good health, consider getting a health checkup every two to three years. 

• For employees above the age of 30 or with some existing health conditions, consider annual checkups. 

8 Reasons Why Regular Health Checkups are Important

You know regular health checkups help identify potential issues. But they do more than that! The importance of regular health checkups is as follows:

1. Identify Diseases Early

According to GOQii India Fit Report 2023, conditions like diabetes and cholesterol have increased in the last three years. These diseases often grow silently.

Regular checkups help identify these conditions before they turn into serious concerns. This also makes treatment simpler along with increasing the chances of a full recovery.

2. Lower Healthcare Costs

Worried regular health checkups cost a lot of money and time? You’re not the only one! While checkups may seem expensive, they become cost-effective in the long run. They give you peace of mind by detecting health concerns early.

In the long run, this enables you to avoid expensive procedures, medications, or hospital stays. 

3. Reach Your Health Goals

Having a health goal you want to achieve is natural. It may be to lose weight, reduce stress, create a healthy work-life balance, or more.

Health checkups help you achieve these goals. Your doctor helps you track progress, adjust your plans as per your current health status, and stay motivated.

4. Reduce Stress About Health

Health worries can be a constant source of stress. What if that headache is something serious? Is that tired feeling normal?

For 13% of Indians, one of their major reasons for stress is health issues. Regular checkups help here by taking away the guesswork.

You can find out the reason for that headache or why you are feeling exhausted. This knowledge ensures you can take the right steps towards your well-being.

Suggested read: 3 Important Preventive Health Checkups for Elder

5. Avoid Diseases from Progressing

Many serious conditions develop without clear symptoms. High cholesterol, hypertension, or certain types of cancer might not make you feel sick until it’s too late. 

Regular screenings ensure these silent diseases are caught on time. They also help eliminate further growth of these diseases, minimising their impact on your life. 

6. Prevent Health Issues

Regular health checkups give you information about what systems are working well in your body and what might need attention.

However, prevention goes beyond physical health. Many regular health checkups also include mental health evaluations. These evaluations enable you to identify stress, anxiety, or signs of depression. 

7. Get Tailored Health Advice

The thing with health advice is that what may work on one person may not work on another. This is where regular checkups help. 

Apart from regular tests, you will receive tailored recommendations based on your lifestyle, family history, and current health reports. 

8. Better Life Expectancy

Health checkups are essential for staying healthy. And a healthier life often leads to a longer one. By managing your overall health, checkups also improve life expectancy. They also address potential problems early and maintain your health over time.

Quick read: 5 Essential Preventive Health Checkups of Women

Benefits of Regular Health Checkups for Employees 

An employee health checkup is valuable for living a happy and quality life.  For businesses, this means a more productive workforce.

In India, 57% of companies provide employees with discounted health checkups, recognising the importance of wellness. Research shows that employees with higher well-being levels are more energized and productive, underscoring the value of such initiatives.

Here are the advantages of regular health checkups for employees:

• Early Identification: Regular checkups help workers identify prominent conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart problems early.

• Enhanced Workplace Morale: Routine checkups also increase workplace morale and satisfaction. When companies prioritise worker health, it sends a message that they care about their team.

• Reduced Healthcare Costs: Identifying health problems early helps workers avoid expensive treatments later. This benefits both employees and employers.

• Increased Productivity: Another benefit of regular health checkups is increased employee productivity. They prevent illnesses and minimise sick days while ensuring employees can perform at their best.

• Better Retention: Offering wellness programs, including health checkups, as a part of your perks also helps in retaining employees. They show that your care for them goes beyond their ability as employees.

• Boosts Well-being: Checkups help employees take the right steps on time, like balancing their diet, workout routine, and more. This helps in enhancing their overall well-being.

Also read: Online Lab Tests With Onsurity

Why Should Employees Prioritise Regular Health Checkups?

Prioritising regular health checkups isn’t always straightforward. Employees often face challenges such as costs, access to tailored healthcare, and balancing work commitments. Let’s discuss them: 

1. Cost Considerations

Many employees hesitate to schedule checkups due to financial burdens. While some companies offer health benefits that cover basic screenings, not everyone has access to such plans. 

2. Checkup Customisation

The same health checkups for everyone typically do not address individual needs. Some employees may have certain health conditions that require specialised tests and consultations.

Offering customisable and comprehensive insurance packages to employees can help here. You can take comprehensive group health insurance plans from companies like Onsurity to enable your employees to access tailored options.

3. Time Constraints

Employees often have busy schedules. They may juggle between balancing work and health.

Employers can help here by setting a dedicated day for health checkups, where all employees get their checkups done without worrying about meetings or deadlines. For large organisations a great option can be arranging department-wise healthcare checkup camps, ensuring minimal disruption to workflow.

4. Scalability 

In large organisations, it can be challenging for every worker to access health checkups. But, for small businesses, the costs associated with arranging health checkups can pose a significant challenge.

Onsurity’s Role in Promoting Employee Health 

Onsurity provides affordable employee healthcare and wellness benefits to businesses, including customised health checkup packages, group health insurance, teleconsultations, and preventive care initiatives.

Here are the benefits of selecting Onsurity for your health checkup needs:

• Accessible Coverage: Get facilities like group health insurance, health checkups, and wellness programs at affordable prices. The monthly subscription package is available for Rs. 145 per employee, and organisations with as few as three employees can also get it.

• Straightforward Booking: Book health checkups and tests for your employees at discounted prices with the Onsurity Super App. Enjoy discounts of up to 65% on different types of checkups single tests and packages.

• Customisation: Customise your coverage according to your team’s requirements. Onsurity’s professional team helps you get personalised solutions.

• Wellness Benefits: Give your team the facilities they require with Onsurity’s thorough coverage, like medical, dental, and mental health services at a small cost.

• Teleconsultations: Free teleconsultation services let your employees consult with top healthcare specialists in the comfort of their homes and offices.

As We Conclude

As workplace stress and sedentary lifestyles rise, regular health checkups serve as a proactive approach to maintaining a balance between personal health and professional excellence.

Regular health checkups allow you to identify diseases on time and manage well-being. They help workers stay healthy and happy, contributing to organisational success.

Supporting your workers with affordable health programs and regular health checkups can significantly enhance your team’s health and morale.

For comprehensive health checkup programs, reach out to Onsurity today!

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