From the Guidelines
To calculate an employee health index, consider factors such as physical health metrics, lifestyle habits, mental wellbeing, preventive care, and absenteeism/presenteeism rates, with a typical weightage system allocating 30% to physical health metrics, 25% to lifestyle habits, 20% to mental wellbeing, 15% to preventive care, and 10% to absenteeism/presenteeism, as supported by the most recent study 1. When calculating the employee health index, the following factors should be considered:
- Physical health metrics, such as BMI, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels
- Lifestyle habits, including exercise frequency, nutrition, sleep patterns, smoking, and alcohol use
- Mental wellbeing, encompassing stress levels, work-life balance, and job satisfaction
- Preventive care, including regular check-ups, vaccinations, and screenings
- Absenteeism and presenteeism rates A point system can be used to score each factor, with higher scores indicating better health. For example:
- BMI within the normal range (18.5-24.9) might score 5 points, while obesity might score 1 point, as recommended by the American Heart Association 1
- Regular exercise (150+ minutes weekly) could score 5 points, while sedentary behavior scores 1 point, as supported by the study on physical activity trends 1 The final health index is calculated by multiplying each factor's score by its weightage percentage and summing the results. This approach provides a comprehensive assessment of employee health that balances physical and mental aspects while recognizing the importance of preventive measures and productivity impacts. Organizations should customize these factors and weightages based on their specific workforce demographics and health priorities, as suggested by the study on worksite wellness programs 1.
From the Research
Factors Considered in Calculating the Employee Health Index
The Employee Health Index is a multi-dimensional evaluation system that assesses the health status of occupational populations. The factors considered in calculating the Employee Health Index include:
- Individual characteristics
- Health knowledge
- Health behavior
- Health skills 2 These primary indicators are further divided into 13 second-level indicators and 41 third-level indicators.
Weightage and Point System
The weight coefficients of the four primary health dimensions are relatively close, with "health knowledge" being slightly higher 2. However, the exact weightage and point system used in calculating the Employee Health Index are not specified in the available studies.
Health Indicators and Data Sources
The health indicators used in population-based health indexes vary widely, and there is no consensus on the most appropriate methods for combining them 3. The sources of data for these indicators are often routine data sources, such as health screenings and self-reported questionnaires 4, 5.
Validation and Reliability
Only a few studies have addressed the problem of validity in population-based health indexes 3. The accuracy of employee self-reported health data has been found to be limited, with underreporting of health risks being a common issue 5. Objective health metrics, such as those obtained from health screenings, can provide a more accurate assessment of employee health risks 5.