CORPORATE AMERICA PROMOTES PICTURE OF GOOD HEALTH

Corporate America is promoting physical fitness and health in the workplace with incentive programs outside the workplace.

Executives, driven by concern over health-care costs, morale, absenteeism and other factors, are adding treadmills, exercise bikes, Nautilus machines and other exercise equipment to their list of essential corporate furnishings.

"Fitness is a benefit to the employees, the company and to productivity," said Tim Goodman, vice president of finance at Health Service Corporation of America (HSCA), which is in the process of opening an on-site fitness facility. "The more fit a person is, the less sick time there is, which means increased productivity."

Studies bear out Goodman's thinking.

"One study by Coors Brewing Co., indicated that for every dollar invested in health programs the company gets a return of $6.15," said Bill Logan, wellness coordinator for St. Francis Medical Center, which offers a number of incentive program for its employees. "The returns are in the form of lower medical expenses, increased productivity and lower absenteeism,"

The Coors study covers a dozen years of physical fitness and health programs for employees. Twelve years ago Coors renovated a vacant supermarket at the entrance to its headquarters in Golden, Colo., turning it into a 23,000-square-foot health facility that features exercise equipment as well as rehabilitation and counseling services. Coors, a self-insured company that budgets $1 million a year for its health programs, estimated that the program saved the firm $3.2 million last year.

According to national surveys, millions of Americans work out at least three times a week, doing everything from jogging and cycling to aerobics and weight lifting, in keeping with the fitness boom that began in this country two decades ago. Many of these Americans are doing it in connection with their jobs.

"Corporations are increasingly realizing the importance of fitness and health issues," said Doug Friese, of Universal Physique Fitness and Racquet Center, a Cape Girardeau firm that offers a variety of fitness-club memberships to area industries and businesses.

"We also do on-site fitness assessments for a company's employees, and will soon be getting into on-site workout programs," said Friese, who has operated Universal Physique for more than a decade."

Friese said that some area firms, instead of establishing their own fitness centers, provide health and fitness programs. "Many area firms subsidize employee membership in health clubs," said Friese. "We have corporations that pay 100 percent of membership fees; others pay 25, 50 to 75 percent. And most employees who pay can do so through a payroll deduction plan."

Some companies have constructed jogging trails or walking paths, some bring in aerobics instructions for on-site exercise, and others offer outdoor volleyball courts and once-a-week basketball facilities.

HSCA is one of the few companies in the Southeast Missouri area that has invested in on-site fitness facilities.

"We'll be opening the new center as soon as all the equipment is in," said Goodman. "Employees will have access to the center as early as 5 a.m. and until 9 in the evening."

The new center will be in a 20-by-30-foot room, and will include treadmills, exercise bikes, weight machines and other equipment.

"We'll encourage our employees to use the center," said Goodman. "It will include locker and shower facilities."

For HSCA, the center will be an additional employee benefit. "The use of the center will be free for employees," said Goodman.

St. Francis Medical Center and Southeast Missouri Hospital, which employ more than 2,500 combined, have worked out plans with local fitness firms for corporate rates.

"We don't have actual physical fitness equipment in the workplace, but we urge our employees to join a fitness program at corporate rates," said Logan. "We have agreements with HealthSouth Rehabilitation Inc. and Universal Physique, and St. Francis will pay half of the membership cost."

St. Francis also offers a lifestyle enhancement program, where employees can earn points toward monetary awards.

"The employee receives points for a number of things maintaining proper weight, giving up smoking, lowering cholesterol and others which could earn them up to $200 a year in awards," said Logan.

"We also offer an incentive program," said Debbie Leoni, director of the Fitness and Wellness Center at Southeast Missouri Hospital. "Our Personal Best program involves more than 200 employees who are keeping track of their physical and health lifestyle activities to earn points for special prizes such as T-shirts and sweat pants."

Participants can earn points with exercise, recreation, health screening and others.

"We've had great response to the program," said Leoni. "Typically a program like this attracts about 10 percent of employees. We're encouraged that we have attracted more."

Leoni also said Southeast has made arrangements for aerobic and exercise classes at various locations around town several times a week. "These classes are open to anyone for a small fee to cover cost of instructors," she said. "We have morning and night classes."

Corporations and companies are increasingly spending more money on fitness and other health issues, but most agree that it's more than a passing trend.

"It's the future," echo most company officials.

National surveys indicate that more than 80 percent of corporations with 750 total employment offer on-site physical fitness centers. That percentage is up from about 50 in 1985. Sixty-five percent of companies that employ 250 to 749 have on-site centers. That percentage is more than double the 32 percent offering facilities in 1985.

The study included indoor exercise areas, outdoor facilities, and special indoor space set aside for aerobics and exercise.

The future doesn't come cheap for setting up an in-house operation. Fitness experts estimate that a startup could run from $50,000 to $200,000 depending on the size of the center and equipment offered. Staffing and other operation costs could go another $30,000 to $100,000, depending on size of the operation and hours open.

"But it's an investment in employees," say experts. "In the long run it will help reduce overall medical costs."