Offices in England might soon be invaded by weight loss vigilantes, who will conduct weigh-ins, meetings and nutritional seminars, all aimed at getting employees healthy. Weight Watchers UK has developed a scheme aimed at office workers in the UK, and it's expected that at least 500 companies will sign up for the program, according to this article from The Daily Mail.

Mads Ryder, the senior VP of Weight Watchers UK, says there are a number of benefits of helping employees shed excess pounds: "For the employer it will help cut healthcare costs and cut down on the number of days staff are off sick, and I don't think employees will have a problem with taking part. Losing weight makes you more confident about yourself and improves your ability to do your job." As for how they will go about helping employees lose weight, Ryder says, "We are about changing attitudes to food."

I think this is a great idea, but they should expand it by offering fitness classes as well. Do you agree?

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Keep lifting the fork to your mouth and you'll have to fork over some cash. This is essentially the message the state of Alabama is sending out to its 37,000+ employees.

The state has already had a policy in place where smokers can either quit their habits or they must contribute to the costs of their health insurance. Recently state employees were told that they have a year to get their BMI under 35 or else they'll be charged $25 per month toward their insurance costs.

The state also has an upcoming plan in place for 2010 where, if state employees don't take free health screenings the state offers for them, they'll also be charged. If employees take the screening and conditions such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol are found, the employees will be offered free doctor visits and wellness programs to help improve the problem. A year later, they'll be screened again and if there's no improvement, they will be charged, too.

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It;s comforting to hear that some employers reward employees for good health and solid activities that promote a healthy lifestyle -- but have you ever heard of an employer who punishes employees for bad and unhealthy habits?

The private lives of employees and the quality of work they perform at employers should be kept strictly separate -- right?

Do you agree that private companies should be able to somehow chastise employees for unhealthy habits like being grossly overweight or for smoking?

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The contestants on NBC's The Biggest Loser compete in the ultimate of weight loss challenges hopefully for the sake of overall health and fitness but first and foremost for money. Lots of money. The one who comes out "the biggest loser" at the end of the show takes home $250,000. That's quite a chunk of change. And quite a motivator too.

Money motivates. And employers are starting to capitalize on this fact by paying staff members to slim down. It beats paying medical and absenteeism costs for overweight employees. And it seems to work.

Studies show overweight employees who were compensated for their weight loss efforts lost more weight than those who received no monetary reward. Now it's not clear whether or not participants will keep the weight off or if this strategy will be profitable for companies in the long-term, but financial incentives are surely worth a try. Don't you think?

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My, how times have changed. Our grandparents, more likely than not, stuck with the same career their whole life. Our parents probably did the same, or maybe they changed careers once or twice. Yet people born in the last few decades can expect to change careers several times. Why is this? Some blame the changing economy, but I think it's all down to choice. Whereas our grandparents had to stick with a career over necessity, the possibilities are endless for young adults today and they no longer have to stick with something for the sake of their families. They can play the field, change their lives when they get bored.

Another aspect is the shift towards self-centered thinking. Young adults today take responsibility for their lives because they know that no one is looking out for them but themselves. Their employers certainly aren't going to go out of their way to accommodate an employee if it's financially difficult to do so. Loyalty seems to have faded out alongside disco.

So how do we navigate this changing workforce? eDiets has some great suggestions. Allow yourself flexible to change, take every chance you can to get ahead, and don't be afraid to look out for yourself. To read more, check out their article.

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I've always thought that if employers paid more attention to their employees health, it would do a world of good because there would be less sick days and more productivity while at work. Nutrition and fitness opportunities would be especially helpful because proper eating and exercise can increase alertness and energy, making someone much more able to conquer their tasks with enthusiasm. I know I am a better worker when I'm well rested, well fed and energetic.

So I think it's great that employers are starting to take the initiative to promote healthy living in their employees. One pioneer in this respect is the State of Virginia, which, according to this, offers information sessions, health education, useful tips and more to employees.

Most of us spend a huge chunk of our lives at work, so it only makes sense that healthy living is incorporated into that. What do you think?

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