is this right or wrong?

Question

I work for a large company, we have been informed that our health benefits will be reduced because many of our fellow workers are overweight, smoke and are not getting enough exercise creating rising costs to manage everyones healthcare.
Our company wants to use our restroom facilities to advertise healthfull motivational messages to encourage people to make positive changes in their lives, including talking paper towel dispensers and posters with the hope of improving their work forces health and reducing their health insurance costs while maintaining the same care and benefit levels.
Some people object to this so-called invasion of their privacy in their sacred breakrooms and restrooms.
PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THIS COMPANIES POLICIES. your opinions are very very important.. Thank you.

Answer 1

i think that's right....if fatty won't take care of himself and smokin' sally thinks puffin a fat one is okay, then they should suffer for it,,,healthcare is for healthy people that get burned or have injuries not for lung cancer..........

Answer 2

I hardly think a poster in a break/restroom is an invasion of privacy. However, if a paper towel dispenser tried to give me advice everyday I would probably disable the feature forcefully. I can't stand stupid machines that talk.

But get real a poster or the like isn't going to change anyone; it's a waste of money. The company should find a way to provide people with opportunities to be active. Maybe a basketball goal or other fitness toys for breaks, hiring an yoga/martial arts instructor to offer a class on site before or after work, organizing after work softball games or even a bowling night. I think any one of these ideas would be more effective than posters and talking machines.

Answer 3

Talking paper towel dispensers, that to me sounds
bizarre. Its unfortunate, that if the company does go
that route, of cutting health benefits, that others that
do not have the same habits/lifestyle have to suffer.

Signs/Posters can be good, how about offering
discounts or free passes to some of the health
facilities around? Or perhaps even getting a
health facility in the building?

Jude:2

Answer 4

If it's gonna save you guys money in the long run, why not? It's not like they're peering over the stalls as you do your thing and whispering 'Hey! Hey! You know, if you hadn't eaten that large hoagie with extra mayo, you could spend less on health care!' You might recommend, rather than the expense of talking paper towel racks (gimme a break!) a company fitness class, or exercise routine. Try to talk people into signing up for exercise sessions before or after work, and get everybody's fitness and metabolism up. That would be more effective.

Answer 5

I think there are more healthful ways to encourage healthwise habits than this.

The workplace is full of stress and having restrooms lecture people in the few moments of relaxation they might have in their workday is going to deprive people of even that relief.

The company could bring in outside resources to help their workforce. Weight Watchers has groups in some workplaces; other places put in or define walkways and routes to encourage employees to exercise during lunchtimes. That Quiet Company you're seeing on television and in magazines has gym facilities for their employees and contributes the joining fee for employees who want to join the YMCA.

As a mother who knows that nagging her family doesn't work AT ALL, but more constructive approaches work better, I'd say the company is not on track to a successful program

Answer 6

Personally I think that the company has the responsibility to it's employee's to encourage them to take better care of themselves. They should start by locking down the elevators and making everyone who wants to work there walk of the 6 flights of stairs. If they can encourage employees to make positive changes in thier lives, then they should go all out. What about starting work 30 minutes early and using that time for exercise. Just think of how many wide awake people there would be then? Quit your bellly aching. Get on the ball and get on with life.!!!

Answer 7

First of all, this is not an invasion of privacy (you are on company property). Secondly, their costs are being reduced by your higher contributions. Third, insurance rates go up based on the history of the group claims. The line that your company gave you is B.S. They just want to save money on their health benefit costs.

Answer 8

First of all, I would look over company policies. If not, ask your supervisor if they are so worried about the employees being healthy why they don't give you memberships to the gym and stress relief seminars and help quitting smoking. It seems wrong that the healthy employees are getting the shaft due to unhealthy ones, but if I recall, getting health benefits is rare now a days anyway.

Answer 9

Instead of employers making health insurance part of everyone's benefit package, I think there should be a preliminary exam first before an employee qualifies for the company insurance. Those will the least risk pay the lower premiums. Higher risk pays higher premiums. It's completely fair and very subjective, so no one can cry about being discriminated against.

Answer 10

hmmmm... there are nasty people out there who could lay the messiah of all dumps and still not wash their hands, however i see this as their choice and that should not affect their health benefits. also, smoking, being overweight/ not exercising is lifestyle choices and i don't think that should affect health benefits either. the company is not wrong in placing talking paper towel dispensers (snigger) and motivational messages in bathrooms, however, and i find nothing wrong in that. you even notice television channels like cartoon network and nickelodeon running ads to to encourage kids to make healthier choices.

in a nutshell, health benefits = bad, motivational messages = ok

Answer 11

Hate to Break the Bad News...It's the EMPLOYER'S Breakroom and Bathroom, They BUY your Privacy at whatever per hour, and within Legal Limits, what Benefits they offer to keep one there, is called Business.
You can Bring this up to such Groups as the ACLU, who can bring Pressure to Bring companies to Listen to Employees Opinions. Though, as this is to Promote Heath, I think you have an Uphill Battle to get Support.