5 Ways to Address Health and Wellbeing in the Transportation Industry

5 Ways to Address Health and Wellbeing in the Transportation Industry
September 17, 2024 10 mins

5 Ways to Address Health and Wellbeing in the Transportation Industry

5 Ways to Address Health and Wellbeing in the Transportation Industry

The transportation and logistics industry faces unique challenges which can negatively impact employees' health. A cultural shift to more tailored wellbeing strategies can improve health outcomes and boost company performance.

Key Takeaways
  1. Employees in the transportation and logistics industry encounter distinct health-related working conditions, including long shifts, restricted mobility and hazardous tasks.
  2. Addressing these health challenges requires innovative wellbeing strategies, such as preventative care and addressing chronic sleep loss.
  3. Investing in employee wellbeing can reduce the overall burden of disease, improve health outcomes and enhance employee performance and retention.

The transportation and logistics industry plays a vital role in today's society, ensuring the distribution of goods and movement of people. However, its unique working conditions — long and sometimes isolating shifts, limited mobility and potentially dangerous tasks — can present distinct challenges to the physical and mental health of employees.

Poor health leads to burnout, high-cost claims and an increase in employee turnover. It can also affect insurance claims and performance. Not to mention, recruitment challenges are intensifying for various roles within the sector.

Companies should therefore prioritize the health and wellbeing of their people, making it a key component of future workforce plans. However, with ever-evolving employee needs, traditional wellbeing solutions may not be enough. An innovative, more tailored approach will be the way forward.

Rising Health Challenges in Transportation and Logistics

Commercial Shipping and Cruise Liners

Working on a ship presents physical hazards that can be especially challenging for older employees. The vessel's constant motion increases task demands, disrupts sleep, and can cause balance loss, seasickness and falls. According to Gallagher, 53 percent of seafarers in the UK are aged between 40 and 61, a trend that is reflected globally, making it hard to recruit enough new officers to replace those retiring.1

Older crew members may also struggle to pass medical examinations and can grapple with issues of solitude and mental health challenges. However, health problems can arise at any stage in life, and are often neglected until they become severe. Companies could benefit and save resources by conducting regular health screenings. From an insurance standpoint, there's a direct link between the health of employees and a reduction in claims.

Long-Distance Trucking and Aviation

Maintaining healthy habits is a challenge on extensive journeys. Studies in Europe and the United States of long-haul drivers have found they are more likely to have a poor diet on the road compared to at home and the job lends itself to a sedentary lifestyle. Amid a shortage of truck drivers across the globe, it's crucial for companies to incorporate health and wellness initiatives into their hiring strategies to help attract the talent they need. Similarly, aviation industry professionals face difficulties maintaining a healthy lifestyle through extended flights and irregular sleep patterns.

Mining, Oil and Natural Gas

Employees in mining, oil and natural gas industries experience vast lifestyle challenges, including long periods away from home that may result in a disregard for personal health. According to various government and research reports, the rigorous nature of work in mining is linked to lung disorders, carpal tunnel, tendonitis, neurotoxic disorders, hearing loss, dermatologic conditions and more.2

Quote icon

Investing in employee wellbeing and fatigue management not only improves health outcomes, but also enhances performance and reduces the financial impact of errors on assets and brand reputation.

Chris Bhatt
Chief Commercial Officer of Transportation and Logistics, Global

Here are five ways that transportation and logistics companies can tailor their health and wellbeing initiatives for their workers.

1. Get laser-focused on preventative care.

Tackling common health hazards requires a dedicated approach to workplace health services. Allocating resources to specific preventative actions, regular health check-ups and focused health programs can protect employees from common risks. Regular preventative care helps address concerns around hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, asthma and musculoskeletal discomfort. This not only reduces the financial impact of health-related absences, but also fosters a safer and more efficient work atmosphere. For example, sending cancer screenings to the homes of long-haul truckers to ensure they can maintain their health despite the challenges of their work environment is an excellent way to mitigate potential health problems. Providing virtual care for employees with chronic conditions that are away for long periods of work can also build a healthier workforce. Employers should consider offering virtual wellness coaches to help employees gather biometric data, set goals and create action plans.

2. Address mental health through benefits and support.

Mental health challenges faced by employees in this sector include depression, loneliness, anxiety and stress.3 Long hours away from home, limited access to toilet facilities and demanding delivery times contribute to these issues. For those with caregiving responsibilities, leaving family for extended periods takes an enormous toll. In the U.S. among working-age adults, the transportation sector has the fourth-highest suicide rate. This issue is particularly pressing in male-heavy fields like trucking, as men make up almost 70 percent of suicide deaths.4

Wellbeing programs can address and treat mental health in different ways. For example, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is considering suggestions to make it easier for pilots and air traffic controllers to report mental health issues. This effort by the committee expands upon the FAA's focus on pilot mental health.5

Employers can further promote mental wellbeing through initiatives, such as resilience training on topics like managing depression, anxiety, stress reduction and harassment. Virtual classrooms offer tailored mental health education with individual follow-up sessions. Encouraging open discussions around mental health and providing access to resources, like counseling and support groups, also helps to foster a supportive work environment.

12-20

In the U.S., the average life expectancy of truck drivers is 12 to 20 years lower than the general population.

Source: Journal of Transport & Health

Aon recently worked with a large U.S.-based airline where data analysis revealed that mental and emotional illbeing conditions were responsible for 4 percent of long-term disability claims.

3. Promote a healthy diet.

There can be serious difficulties maintaining a healthy diet while on the job, especially for long-haul truckers, crew members on ships, pilots and flight attendants.

A U.S. study found truckers have higher obesity, diabetes and cholesterol rates than the national average.6 A similar study of 404 long-haul truckers in Germany, a key transport hub, revealed nearly 46 percent were overweight and 30 percent obese. They consumed more energy drinks, sausages and canned foods on the road than at home.

To combat unhealthy eating habits while on the job and enhance productivity within their workforce, employers can organize a variety of initiatives — from organizing seminars on healthy lifestyle practices to partnering with vendors to provide meal discounts at airports or truck stops for long-haul truckers. There are also a variety of sustainable weight management services employers can offer through supplemental health benefits, ranging from lifestyle support to medication.

4. Ensure physical activity is available and encouraged.

While the transportation industry is often seen as physically demanding, many workers have sedentary lifestyles that lead to health issues such as high blood pressure, obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Keeping up with a fitness routine can prove difficult on board a vessel, truck, plane or oil rig. Truckers, for example, are often unaware of where they can safely stop to exercise, or they feel pressure to continue driving to meet tight deadlines.

Employers should recognize the connection between physical fitness and job performance and consider ways to encourage a healthy lifestyle. This may include outfitting work conditions with space to move aboard vessels or making it easier to know where it is safe and convenient to stop for exercise. Wearable technology has become more accessible and affordable, improving the ability to track health goals and health-related metrics like blood pressure and heart rate. Some employers are even collaborating with fitness companies to offer access to discounted memberships aimed at improving drivers' health and wellness.7 One such initiative can provide personalized daily workouts through an app that considers each driver's current fitness level, with exercises that can be performed inside or outside the truck, or even at home. The app also offers a habit-based nutrition coach that works with drivers to help them lose weight and increase energy by finding healthier food options on the road at any food outlet.

5. Address chronic sleep loss.

Transportation workers frequently experience irregular and interrupted sleep, which can lead to fatigue, insomnia and various sleep-related issues. Sleep deprivation causes higher accident and injury rates, as well as lower job performance. Recent research finds automobile crashes are influenced by demographics and health factors, including age, gender, lower back pain, heart conditions, stress, sleep conditions, diabetes and obesity. As a result, commercial motor vehicle drivers are considered at high risk or vulnerable within society.8

Airline workers deal with similar sleep-related problems, with factors such as loss of sleep, disruptions in their circadian rhythm and heavy workload contributing to fatigue. These issues can cause impaired alertness, decreased performance and long-term health issues.9 Long shifts, often with irregular hours, are likely responsible for some of the drowsiness, fatigue, and compromised mental and physical health seen in the aviation sector.10

Employers should assess and track chronic sleep fatigue, which is particularly relevant to claim losses in industries such as aviation and trucking. Businesses that do will secure more investment for initiatives aimed at ensuring employees get the necessary rest, including recovery sleep after extended shifts, to maintain their job performance and overall safety.

27%

of employees in the logistics sector said they had to take leave from work due to unmanageable stress or mental health issues.

Source: Randstad’s 2023 Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace

Tracking Claims Data to Invest in Wellbeing

The escalating costs of healthcare are affecting people worldwide. By identifying the drivers behind these increases, businesses can take steps to support their employees in mitigating and preventing health risks. For example, if a company identifies a rise in Type 2 diabetes among its staff as the primary driver of increasing health expenses, it could implement weight management programs to help manage these costs. Diabetes leads to substantial insurance claims due to the extensive treatments required for its complications. Furthermore, mental health issues have become the leading cause of insurance claims, while cardiovascular diseases continue to be prevalent and costly due to the immediate care they necessitate.

While these health conditions are complex, they can be managed with a targeted strategy that addresses the specific challenges and needs of the workforce in the transportation and logistics industry. Aon recently worked with a large U.S.-based airline where data analysis revealed that mental and emotional illbeing conditions were responsible for 4 percent of long-term disability claims. To address these costs and promote a healthier workforce, we helped the airline create a proactive and integrated disability program. The result was a reduction in the duration and number of mental health disability claims compared to the industry average.

40%

of accidents linked to fatigue include commercial vehicle drivers.

Source: BRAKE

Quote icon

Addressing these topics in a proactive way can be a culture change for many organizations and individuals in these industries. However, employers have the power to lead and support this transformation.

Kembre Roberts
Senior Vice President, Health Solutions, North America
Aon’s Thought Leaders
  • Chris Bhatt
    Chief Commercial Officer of Transportation and Logistics, Global
  • Carlos Ferreyra
    Head of Advisory and Specialty, Health Solutions, Latin America
  • Avneet Kaur
    Head of Advisory and Specialty Practice, Health Solutions, Europe, the Middle East and Africa
  • Kembre Roberts
    Senior Vice President, Health Solutions, North America
  • Stephen Rudman
    Head of Marine, Commercial Risk Solutions, Asia Pacific

1 What does the ageing seafarer workforce mean for shipping’s risk profile?
2 Selected Health Issues in Mining
3 Impact of work and coping factors on mental health: Australian truck drivers’ perspective
4 Fleets Can Support Drivers’ Mental Health Through Awareness, Communication
5 FAA Statement on Mental Health and Aviation Medical Clearances Rulemaking Committee Recommendations
6 Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
7 Transfix Announces Partnership With The Trucking Fitness Company
8 Health and wellness of long-haul truck and bus drivers: A systematic literature review and directions for future research
9 Fatigue in Aviation: Safety Risks, Preventive Strategies and Pharmacological Interventions
10 Fatigue and Sleep in Airline Cabin Crew: A Scoping Review

General Disclaimer

The information contained in this document is solely for information purposes, for general guidance only and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although Aon endeavors to provide accurate and timely information and uses sources that it considers reliable, the firm does not warrant, represent or guarantee the accuracy, adequacy, completeness or fitness for any purpose of any content of this document and can accept no liability for any loss incurred in any way by any person who may rely on it. There can be no guarantee that the information contained in this document will remain accurate as on the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No individual or entity should make decisions or act based solely on the information contained herein without appropriate professional advice and targeted research.

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