IELTS Work and Careers

Employers are always seeking ways to enhance their employees' productivity, and subsiding healthy pursuits may be one way of achieving this. There are arguments on both sides, however, which we will discuss here.
On the one hand, it might be said that if workers are fitter and less stressed, their working time will be more efficient, leading to higher levels of output and service. Furthermore, the work/life balance of the staff will hopefully be improved, because their leisure time will be more fulfilling.

This may even be more motivating than pay increments, perks, or financial rewards such as bonuses or incentives which may be hard to attain. Finally, feeling healthier may lead to better job satisfaction which is in itself a motivating factor. Conversely, the problem with such leisure-based subsides is that their efficacy is virtually impossible to quantify. For example, with target-related payments, employees can at least see whether the objective are reached or not.

It might also be said that, if this budget was spent on (for instance) on the job training or day release programmes, the employees would achieve better career progression and have better job prospects. These matters are all easier to measure, especially in performance reviews and appraisals, and may even help to reduce the risk of redundancy if the company restructures, downsizes or outsources its workforce.

Overall, it seems that, while health-related subsides are superficially attractive, the lack of measurability is a substantial drawback. Spending funds ongoing training would appear to be a better use of company or Human Resources budgets.