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Employees living with diabetes often face unique challenges, such as managing blood sugar levels, balancing medication, and preventing complications, all while maintaining their professional responsibilities. This condition can lead to increased absenteeism, reduced productivity, and rising health care costs.
In today’s workforce, chronic health conditions like diabetes are becoming increasingly prevalent. Diabetes affects approximately 6.4% of the US workforce, although prevalence varies by industry.1 Direct medical costs for employees with diabetes are 2.6 times higher than for people without diabetes.2 Employees living with diabetes often face unique challenges, such as managing blood sugar levels, balancing medication, and preventing complications, all while maintaining their professional responsibilities. This condition can lead to increased absenteeism, reduced productivity, and rising health care costs.
Employers must understand the importance of supporting their employees’ health and wellness-not only for their well-being but also for the overall productivity and morale of the company.
Although every employer should have access to and knowledge about preventing and managing diabetes, they often struggle to find the right resources to support their employees adequately. Many vendors and service providers offer various products and services, from glucose monitoring devices to wellness programs, but knowing where to start can be overwhelming.
To help employers navigate the growing challenges of diabetes, the Greater Philadelphia Business Coalition on Health (GPBCH) created a Diabetes Vendor Resource Guide, a useful directory intended to assist employers in addressing employees with diabetes and to provide them with available resources to meet their needs. This guide contains general information about diabetes, vendors who chose to participate, available resources, and links to national directories to help employers develop a comprehensive approach. Having valuable strategies in place, such as the National Diabetes Prevention Lifestyle Change Program (NDPP) and Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES), can be very crucial.
To prevent and manage diabetes, employers should incorporate the following initiatives to create a supportive and health-focused work environment:
Employers need to know that not everything has to cost a lot of money and that many valuable resources, such as those from the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Diabetic Association (ADA), are entirely free.
Supporting employees with diabetes is not just a matter of compassion; it’s a wise business decision. By taking the necessary steps, employers can create an environment that not only helps employees manage diabetes but also reduces the risk of developing the condition. This can improve overall workplace productivity and well-being, enhance employee satisfaction, and even reduce long-term health care costs associated with complications from this condition.
The GPBCH Diabetes Vendor Resource Guide can assist employers in achieving their goals by offering resources to help employees thrive.
References
1. Shockey TM, Tsai RJ, Cho P. Prevalence of diagnosed diabetes among employed US adults by demographic characteristics and occupation, 36 states, 2014 to 2018. J Occup Environ Med. 2021;63(4):302-310. doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000002117
2. Parker ED, Lin J, Mahoney T, et al. Economic costs of diabetes in the U.S. in 2022. Diabetes Care. 2024;47(1):26-43. doi:10.2337/dci23-0085