Section One
Some organizations, such as hospitals, may need to make
other nontraditional investments, such as in programs that
reduce the incidence of employee burnout. Such programs may
involve support and close monitoring of the self-esteem of
employees working in jobs having high potential for burnout.
Because low self-esteem appears to be a cause of burnout, as
well as a result, a downward spiral can occur without
interventions to enhance burned-out employees’ self-esteem.^108
Finally, a more indirect health-related investment has
been made by Sunbeam Oster Housewares, Inc. Sunbeam
found that premature births were dramatically increasing its
health care costs. During a two-year period, six premature
births cost its health care program $1.2 million. As a result of
finding that its employees were not well versed in prenatal
care, Sunbeam established an on-site health clinic, required
periodic checkups of pregnant employees, and made such
employees attend an instructional program. The decline in
health care costs was dramatic. Average medical costs per birth
declined from $27,000 to $3,500 over a five-year period.^109
However, it is easy to visualize situations in which such
programs could be viewed as an undesired intrusion into the
privacy of employees.