Find out about various tests done during employee health checks, under physical, blood and cholesterol tests.
Having healthy employees is an advantage to the employer since it translates to fewer sick days and higher productivity. The employees also benefit by being encouraged to lead healthy lifestyles and the early detection of any illness or risk factors. Conducting health checks also makes employees feel valued in an organization, and it is likely to promote loyalty and engagement. Therefore it is vital that an employer ensures that the employees undergo health checks in order to detect any illness and encourage a healthy lifestyle in addition to improving employee engagement.
Employee health checks consist of conducting various checks that include tests such as blood pressure and reading, lifestyle analysis, cholesterol tests and blood tests. The employees are then advised on how to lead a healthy lifestyle. In case any disease or risk factors are detected, the employee is referred to the doctor.
Physical tests conducted
An employee undergoes physical tests to check vital signs that signal how healthy a person is. The procedure does not require any drawing of blood and can be done using basic medical equipment such as a stethoscope and a thermometer. Some of the tests conducted include.
- Blood pressure. The normal is 120/80. A figure above 140/90 indicates high blood pressure.
- Vision screening for checking eye sight.
- Lung function tests. These detect lung or heart diseases. The presence of wheezes, crackles or reduced breath sounds should cause concern.
- The test checks heart rhythms and chest pains. The normal heart rate is between 6o to 100.
- BMI tests for checking whether an employee is overweight.
- Waist circumference.
Lifestyle analysis and family history
The employee lifestyle is checked in various areas for health risk factors. This can be combined with family history. The process is usually done as an interview or filling of a questionnaire. The family history sheds light on possible health problems an employee can encounter. Lifestyle analysis is done in areas such as:
- Alcohol intake
- Physical activity
- Smoking habits
- Sexual health
- Diet
Blood tests
Blood tests are taken to analyze the health of an employee further and to detect any illness an employee could have. These include:
- Blood count. The test provides information about red and white blood cells and platelets to check conditions such as anemia.
- Urinalysis or urine test consists of some tests done on the urine to find more information about an employee’s health. Urine odor, color, clarity, glucose, protein, and pH are some of the tests.
- Blood group
- Blood glucose for checking diabetes.
- Liver profile
Cholesterol tests
The test checks the level of cholesterol in the blood. High levels increase risks for strokes and heart attacks. The test is important especially if an employee has heart disease risk factors.