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Type 2 diabetes<\/a> is more than a personal health challenge. It\u2019s a growing workforce challenge, too.\u00a0\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Diabetes costs the U.S. economy approximately $413 billion annually, including more than $106 billion in lost productivity<\/a>.1 With over 38 million Americans living with diabetes and nearly 95% of those cases being type 2, the condition can impact productivity, increase health care costs<\/a>, and affect employee well-being.2\u00a0\u00a0\n<\/p>\n This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for employers. With the right tools and support, employers can play a pivotal role in helping their workforce manage and even work to improve their type 2 diabetes.\u00a0<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how a strategic investment in employee health<\/a> can help drive measurable outcomes and long-term savings for employers and their workforces.\u00a0\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Why employers should take action\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Employers have a unique opportunity to influence the trajectory of type 2 diabetes within their workforces. In Pennsylvania, 10% of adults are currently living with diabetes, and an estimated 91,000 more will be diagnosed each year.1\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n By investing in proactive, data-driven health strategies, organizations can help employees work to improve their condition, prevent disease progression and reduce potential and costly complications of type 2 diabetes. This not only benefits individuals, but it may help lower health care costs and boost productivity.\u00a0\u00a0\n<\/p>\n The business case for type 2 diabetes management<\/a>\u00a0\n<\/p>\n When employers take a strategic approach to type 2 diabetes care, the results can be transformative. Programs that combine technology with clinical support have shown measurable improvements in employee health outcomes. Programs like this may enable employers to lower financial risk while supporting employee health. These efforts may also contribute to higher employee satisfaction and retention, which are critical metrics in today\u2019s competitive labor market.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Supporting whole-person wellness\u00a0\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Supplemental benefits can support better overall health outcomes. For example, people living with diabetes are at higher risk of certain oral health conditions like gum disease,1 but regular dental visits can help prevent or treat gum disease. Diabetes can also increase the risk of vision loss,2 but most diabetes-related vision loss can be prevented with early detection and treatment. Yet, 60% of people with diabetes do not get annual eye exams.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n