A leaked internal memo from M. Susan Chambers, Wal-Mart’s executive vice president for benefits, sent to their board of directors suggests several cost cutting ideas.

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To discourage unhealthy job applicants, Ms. Chambers suggests that Wal-Mart arrange for “all jobs to include some physical activity (e.g., all cashiers do some cart-gathering).” The memo acknowledged that Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, had to walk a fine line in restraining benefit costs because critics had attacked it for being stingy on wages and health coverage. Ms. Chambers acknowledged that 46 percent of the children of Wal-Mart’s 1.33 million United States employees were uninsured or on Medicaid.

While this might sound scandalous, and certainly sounded that way if you listened to CNN talking about this (then again, CNN makes almost everything it reports on seem scandalous) I think it’s a good thing striving for a more healthy workforce. Wal-Mart could go further by providing their employees with health club memberships. These health clubs are popping up everywhere so why not be out striking deals?

Having healthy employees is a good thing, but the word “applicants” does ring ominously to me. I’m not sure by the Times article just what they mean by that.

No offense to Wal-Mart employees who are in shape, but I’ve seen several overweight, out of shape Wal-Mart employees. Heck, I’m overweight and out of shape. This is a real problem not just at the local Wal-Mart, but all over the world.

I’ll tell you who is fattest in the wallet at least: it’s the five heirs that make up the richest Americans top ten list.

Seriously, it shouldn’t just be employers that have a vested interest in their workforce getting into better shape physically, it should be the employees too. Making them pay a few bucks to do this might encourage them to use these health services. Wal-Mart can negotiate some great health club plans for their employees and should do so. Heck, they could build health clubs nearby so their employees could work out nearby.

Of course, a raise in pay to cover this increased health cost would sure be nice. Maybe Wal-Mart should look into that as well, if they aren’t already doing so.

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