Pre-employment medicals manage workplace risk by ensuring employees can meet the physical demands of a job. Since they help identify health and safety risks, they are to the benefit of both employers and employees. Important Employer Benefits Find the best candidates Reduce insurance costs + satisfy insurance companies Minimise long-term absenteeism Increase loyalty and morale Attract top talent Important Employee Benefits Ensure you’re fit for the role Reduce the risk of injury Catch health concerns early Have confidence in the rest of your team Set a baseline of health Continue reading for more on these employer and employee benefits that make pre-employment medicals a win-win for the whole workforce. What is a Pre-employment Medical? Pre-employment medicals help maintain the health and safety of the workforce. The assessment lets employers know if any given candidate is medically suited for a position. The medical assessment also informs employers how they can best accommodate newly-hired employees throughout their time with the company. Pre-employment medical assessments are an investment in the financial health of a business, as they prevent and mitigate future risks to the health and safety of a company and its employees. They are arranged and paid for by the employer before a candidate is hired. Pre-employment medicals can include several different tests depending on the physical demands of the job, the industry, and the role the candidate will fill. Pre-employment medical assessments include a range of tests, such as: General fitness tests Driving assessments Hearing tests Vision tests Drug and alcohol screening Employer Benefits of Pre-employment Medicals 1. Find the best candidates Pre-employment medicals ensure all prospective employees are physically and mentally fit for the job they are about to undertake. Hiring a candidate who does not fulfil the physical and mental requirements of a role not only endangers the prospective employee, but everyone around them. Pre-employment medicals are especially important for industries that are at a high risk of injury or death, such as the transportation industry or the building and construction industry. 💡 More about the Importance of Pre-Employment Medicals for the Transportation Industry. 💡 More about the importance of Pre-Employment Medicals for the Building and Construction Industry. 2. Minimise long-term absenteeism Your company cannot be successful if your employees aren’t able to complete their work due to illness or injury. The longer health concerns are left unchecked, the graver they can become. Identify potential health risks early to minimise long-term absenteeism from illness or injury. This early investment will save your business both time and money long-term. 3. Reduce insurance costs + satisfy insurance companies Investing in pre-employment medical assessments is considerably less expensive than paying out an insurance claim. Workplace illness and injury cost the Australian economy tens of billions of dollars every year. It’s because of this that insurance companies are beginning to ask more and more questions about the health of your employees. Investing in preventative measures now mitigates future financial risk and provides assurances to insurance companies too. 💡 Learn more in our article Why Insurance Companies Want Pre-Employment Medicals. 4. Increase loyalty and morale Pre-employment medicals aren’t only about protecting your business’s bottom line. They also demonstrate to current employees, prospective employees, and the public your compassion and concern for your team. Respect the health and wellbeing of your entire workforce. Employees who feel cared for are more likely to return the favour and treat their time with your company favourably. 5. Attract top talent The best want to work for the best. With continual investment in the wellbeing of your workforce, you demonstrate to prospective candidates that they will be valued and cared for during their time with your company. Investing in corporate social responsibility strengthens your brand and shows you have more on your mind than money. Employee Benefits of Pre-employment Medicals 1. Ensure you’re fit for the role Being fit for a position should be of as much importance to employees as employers. If a job requires a certain level of health and physicality, it’s in the best interest of the employee that they meet those standards. Know you are fully qualified for and capable of a new job before you begin. If an employee gains a position they are not medically suited for, it will present issues throughout employment and could lead to workplace injury. 2. Reduce the risk of injury Failing to meet the physical and mental requirements of a job can cause workplace health and safety risks for the employee and the rest of their team. From hearing assessments to general fitness tests, a pre-employment medical verifies a candidate’s health and wellness in order to prevent workplace injuries. These checks are especially critical for workplaces that have a high risk of injury and death. The industries with the highest number of worker fatalities (over a ten-year span) are: Transportation, postal, and warehousing Agriculture, forestry, and fishing Construction Manufacturing Industries that require driving, the operation of dangerous machinery, or handling hazardous equipment are more at risk of workplace accidents. If you work in or are seeking work in these industries, take care to observe the risks and consider carefully if you are physically and mentally suited for the role even before you undergo a pre-employment medical assessment. 3. Catch health concerns early No one likes to think about their own mortality, but ignoring the threat of illness doesn’t make it go away. The earlier you catch a potential health concern, the better chance you have of treating and even beating it. Heart disease is an unfortunate example of a condition that is preventable if managed properly. One fifth of Australians aged 45-74 years are at high risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke in the next five years. According to the Heart Foundation, many heart-related deaths are preventable with proper heart health care. 💗 Learn more in our article Taking Care of Your Heart Health at Work to Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease. 4. Have confidence in the rest of your team If you are asked to undergo a pre-employment medical, it means that the rest of your team’s fitness has also been assessed. You can have peace of mind that each of your colleagues are up to the physical and mental requirements of the job just as you are. It doesn’t need to be your own mistake that causes injury to your person. Pre-employment medicals let you know that everyone you work with is capable of and prepared for their duties. 5. Set a baseline of health Know where you stand. Undergoing a pre-employment medical lets you know the state of your health before joining a company. Should your health deteriorate in the time following your employment, you will be better able to determine the cause of illness. If you have an injury or condition that could worsen because of the tasks at your new position, a pre-employment medical doesn’t necessarily throw you out of consideration. Rather, it informs your future employer about how they can better accommodate you during your career. 💡 Learn how to come prepared and what to expect during your pre-medical assessment. Regular Onsite Health Checks are a Win-Win Too Pre-employment medicals are only one aspect of a safe and healthy workforce. Routine health checks help businesses and employees keep up with developing or potential health concerns on an ongoing basis. An employee health check accounts for a range of check-ups that identify potential risks to the health and wellbeing of a workforce. Just like pre-employment medicals, on-site health checks are to the benefit of employers and employees. Another win-win! Health Check Employer Benefits Reduce workplace-related injuries and illness Reduce employee sick days and downtime Reduce insurance costs and workers’ compensation claims Support an aging workforce Support mental health in the workplace Save money long-term Health Check Employee Benefits No-cost medical assessment Reduce the risk of injuries and illness Identify health conditions early Monitor concerns from aging 💡 Learn more about these benefits in The Importance of Employee Health Checks. Continue Supporting Your Workforce Mistakes due to tiredness in the workplace are preventable when businesses invest in workforce health and safety. Learn more in Signs of Fatigue in the Workplace: How to Prevent and Manage Symptoms. Learn how employees and employers can Reduce Sedentary Behaviour at Work to limit long-term health risks, including increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, and excess body fat. Workforce Health Assessors offers comprehensive pre-employment, pre-placement, and periodic medical assessments tailored to the needs of your business. We organise, perform, and report on all health assessments and medicals to help you determine the suitability of candidates for your business and mitigate risks in the workplace. Our tests are carefully designed and vary depending on the specifications of the role a candidate will fill. Learn more about our pre-employment medical services, ongoing employee health checks and other health assessment services.