implemented workplace yoga for his own office employees.3
Bertolini utilized yoga in his own life to overcome the pain of
a severe neck injury from a skiing accident. Through his own
rehabilitation and, now, observation, he estimates the increased
productivity and lower healthcare costs yield nearly $3,000.00
in annual savings for each of his employees. This is, in part,
based on Aetna’s calculation that “high stress” employees
require annual healthcare costs of $2,000.00 on average
higher than “average stress” employees. Specifically, Bertolini
credits yoga with helping Aetna lower employee health benefit
costs by 7% in 2012.
Fitness Challenges
Aside from office yoga, my research concluded many organizations employ fitness challenges (i.e. based on weight loss,
“steps”, or smoking boycotts) with a cash or vacation reward.4
Whichever tactics law firms choose, it is important to realize
there are convenient and low-cost routes to reducing employee
stress, increasing productivity, improving health, and adding
energy to the office environment. Since health insurance is
largely employment-based in the legal industry, “wellness”
initiatives also appear quite capable of achieving substantial
savings in the long run.
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3
“Severe Ski Accident Spurs Aetna CEO to Bring Yoga to
Work,” http://www.cnbc.com/id/100569740
4
April 2016 interview with employees from Stanley,
Black, and Decker, Inc., who wished to remain anonymous.
@atlantabar
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