Happy Employees

Running Head: HEALTH EMPLOYEES ARE HAPPY EMPLOYEES 1
Healthy Employees are Happy Employees
Student’s name
Institution Affiliation
HEALTHY EMPLOYEES ARE HAPPY EMPLOYEES 2
Executive summary
The case study titled “Healthy employees are happy employees” is suggestive of the topic
being covered where the management initiates a health promotion program for its employees.
Teow Boon Ling, the general manager of Cargo Community Network, starts the Workplace
Health Promotion Program from his belief that healthy employees (both mind and body) are
more productive with higher contribution to overall organizational growth. The implementation
of the program includes pervasive involvement and support from senior management with Teow
himself taking a lead role in setting an example by actively participating in the program.
Activities that include “Friday fruit day,” annual basic health screenings, health and activity
surveys and other activities aid in data collection for a more meaningful approach.
As with many other employee behavior change initiatives, there is the usual laxity of
employee participation, but the general manager remains hopeful and persistent. To encourage
participation, he also incorporates the workplace health promotion as a component in the
performance appraisal and improved policies that supported the incorporation of the program
into the organization’s culture. Participation in the program became an added advantage in the
process of determining bonus payouts as well as points, monetary tokens and award recognitions
given to participants. The management also worked on flexible working hours to allow
employees to participate in jogs and walks.
Introductions
Health is an important facet affecting the overall employee motivation, productivity, and
job satisfaction since it directly affects their ability to work. Ilmarinen & von Bonsdorff, (2015)
for instance found out that the health aspect is paramount in preserving and maintaining work
ability. As such, healthy employees have fewer instances of sickness absence, can work for
longer and as a result, demonstrate higher productivity. It is also expedient that those at risk of
losing their ability to work are identified and assisted in restoring and maintaining their
resources. This, in the context of CNN, could be achieved from the annual basic health
screenings that would provide data to identify such workers.
Another study by (Davis, Collins, Doty, Ho, & Holmgren, 2005) acknowledges that a
healthy workforce represents one of the most important economic assets in any one given
organization. Loss of economic productivity due to health occurs through three mechanisms:
inability to work due to disability or poor health, sickness absence and lost productivity at work
resulting from health problems. Combining sick days and lost productivity at work then results in
an overall decrease in the company's productivity. Teow appears to be well aware of this
correlation, which explains his unrelenting effort is advocating for workplace health, which he
notices at the end that it led to cheery, happy employees and improved team spirit.
Case study answers
Teow demonstrates a very desirable personality and leadership style, marked by
resilience, patience, and focus. He begins the program with a goal in mind and will not be
dissuaded by the initial laxity of participation by the employees. He leads by example by
remaining committed to the course of the program and puts in place policies to support the
initiative. From the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Teow has a great drive, extroverted,
intuitive, a thinker and perceiving as shown from his determination and drive. From the case
study, Teow ascribes to transformational leadership since he makes the changes he desires
happen in both self and others by participating in the program himself. He emphasizes on getting
the employees participate in the program and even establishes policies to support the initiative.
Additionally, Teow demonstrates having a clear vision of what he hopes to achieve in
this program and can communicate the same to workers so that they understand their role in the
program. He is courageous and self-motivated, remaining vigilant and consistent in participating
even when the employees are lax. He remains inspirational by participating in the program
himself and follows through even years after he started the program. All these are characteristics
of a transformational leader, but there are other characteristics such as vision, personalized
leadership, and image and trust building that may suggest he also, at least remotely, ascribes to
charismatic leadership as well.
Conclusion
Employees’ health has in recent years become an interest of organizations especially with
research that link it employee productivity and overall organizational outcomes. Health impacts
directly on workers ability to work and leads to a considerable decrease in their productivity. As
such, organizations have a role to play in ensuring that their employees are health as such would
translate to higher productivity and better organizational outcomes. In the case of CNN, the
managing director, Teow, acknowledges that “healthy employees are happy employees” and
even begins a Workplace Health Promotion program that aims at promoting health and healthy
lifestyle. The initial participation by employees in the program is dismal, but Teow demonstrates
effective leadership traits by participating faithfully in the program and putting in place strategies
that promote participation to include policies and incentives. The results are commendable, and
his resilience pays when he notices that the employees were more cheery, happier and there was
improved team spirit.

References
Davis, K., Collins, S. R., Doty, M. M., Ho, A., & Holmgren, A. L. (2005). Health and
productivity among US workers. Issue Brief (Commonw Fund), 856, 1–10.
Ilmarinen, J., & von Bonsdorff, M. (2015). Work Ability. In S. K. Whitbourne (Ed.), The
Encyclopedia of Adulthood and Aging (pp. 1–5). Hoboken, NJ, USA: John Wiley &
Sons, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118521373.wbeaa254

Happy Employees

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Happy Employees

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Happy Employees

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Running Head: HEALTH EMPLOYEES ARE HAPPY EMPLOYEES 1

Healthy Employees are Happy Employees

participation, he also incorporates the workplace health promotion as a component in the

employees to participate in jogs and walks.

screenings that would provide data to identify such workers.

Case study answers

Teow demonstrates a very desirable personality and leadership style, marked by

dissuaded by the initial laxity of participation by the employees. He leads by example by

Additionally, Teow demonstrates having a clear vision of what he hopes to achieve in

program. He is courageous and self-motivated, remaining vigilant and consistent in participating

charismatic leadership as well.

improved team spirit.

productivity among US workers. Issue Brief (Commonw Fund), 856, 1–10.

Sons, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118521373.wbeaa254

You might also like