Abstract

The value of preventive maintenance for a firm's physical resources has been well established. In some companies management personnel still feel that preventive health maintenance is one area in which they should not become involved. They contend that since they are not in the "health business," their employees have to "roll with the punches" and assume personal responsibility for their own health. On the other hand, a growing number of business and industry executives encourage their firms to take an active role in preventive maintenance. These advocates regard such a plan as an investment designed to meet long-term competitive challenges and to help assure the successful, profitable operation of their firms. Although most jobs that require superior mental abilities do not demand above-average muscle power, a physically fit body does promote mental alertness, a necessary element for executive productivity. Since man's brain is not separated from his body, total physical fitness should be the goal of executives as well as firms concerned with their employees' well-being.