The emphasis is on health improvement and wellness maintenance, rather than treating on treating disease alone. Wellness promotion strategies reduce employee demand for higher-cost health-care services, improve productivity and reduce sick days. Employees get a sense that the company cares about them, which fosters loyalty. An employee will feel more favorably towards a company that supports him or her during a time of sickness with physical therapy and adequate services, so the employee does not have to worry him or herself 'sick' over wondering where he or she will get care.
FedEx offers a telephone hotline staffed by nurses 24-7 so employees can call with health-related questions. As it is a service-based, delivery organization FedEx is in operation around the clock, particularly during the holidays, and this service takes into consideration the reality of employee's lives.
Reasons that solution will work
FedEx as a company demands punctuality and regular attendance: its business focuses upon providing consistent, high-quality service. Its employees must be punctual -- and present 'on the job.' Employees who are sick or who are stressed about getting sick and lacking adequate healthcare coverage are less productive employees. Employees without coverage...
Having a strong healthcare policy that suits employee needs is in FedEx's interest.
Conclusion
It is also in FedEx's interest to encourage wellness, as this reduces sick days. Employees who work out and have their illnesses under control are more alert, productive, and energized. Employee health literacy is facilitated with the use of the nursing hotline, and by giving extensive knowledge about benefits packages to employees, so they choose the 'right' package for their needs. Having the hotline also ensures that complaints are treated quickly -- an employee who realizes he or she in need of an antibiotic after work who gets the prescription for the medication by 8pm is more likely to come in on time to serve his or her shift the next day than someone who has to wait in line at a clinic in the early morning. FedEx's expansion of its healthcare policy was thus beneficial for the company and employees alike, and a demonstration that employee and employer interests are not invariably at odds.
References
Benefits. (2010). U.S. jobs. Google. Retrieved August 2, 2010 at http://www.google.com/international/en/jobs/lifeatgoogle/benefits/#hw
