Chronic diseases will be a heavy burden on business over the next 25 years warns a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The Working Towards Wellness:  The Business Rationale report, supported by World Economic Forum, said that businesses should implement workplace wellness programmes to offset the rising cost of chronic diseases, including direct medical costs and indirect costs associated with lost productivity.

It states that in an interdependent global economy, chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and respiratory illness, are creating a significant societal risk that threatens health systems and economic sustainability.

PwC analysis found that productivity losses, associated with workers who have chronic disease, are as much as 400% more than the cost of treating chronic disease. Losses in productivity include disability, unplanned absences, reduced workplace effectiveness, increased accidents and negative impacts on work quality or customer service.   

Moreover, the incidence of chronic disease is growing at an astonishing rate. Globally, chronic diseases represent more than half (57%) of all deaths annually, and this is expected to rise by 23% over the next 20 to 25 years, while deaths due to other causes are expected to remain roughly stable through to 2030.  This progression of chronic disease is occurring despite the fact that these diseases are largely preventable. While the relative burden of chronic disease is still greatest in industrialised countries, the convergence of the global economies and the Western influence on lifestyles throughout the world will increasingly impact emerging economies at a similar rate.

Michael J. Thompson, principal, global human resource services, PricewaterhouseCoopers said:  “Workplace wellness is evolving from a project for the human resources department to a priority for the C-suite and drawing the highest levels of attention of senior management and government.  Global companies already engaged in wellness programmes are demonstrating that these programmes are a way for them to enhance attraction, retention and the loyalty of employees, while reducing their own health costs, improving productivity and supporting their social commitments.”