Wellness Program Blog

The most common evaluation performed in Company Wellness Programs is heart health assessment.

The evaluation can include a written heart health test, Blood Pressure (BP) measurement, cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol test, glucose (blood glucose), weight, educational materials specific to diet, nutrition, exercise, blood lipids, smoking, and weight.

The health professional conducting the evaluation then supports a consultation and helps set objectives with the colleague.

Initially introduced by Halbert Dunn in the 1950’s, wellness became a popular buzzword during the late 1970’s and received considerable academic attention in the 1980’s.  Company Wellness Programs for workers became more widespread during the following decade, and credible evidence for their economic viability began to be published.  There have now been over 100 published studies on this topic and a number of systematic reviews.

Health risks aggravate costs.  Medical Insurance costs escalate with both age and number of risks present.8,10   The number of risks is also strongly related to sick leave absenteeism, Worker’s Compensation costs, short-term disability, and reduced productivity (“presenteeism”).

Early Company Wellness Programs were relatively basic and typically produced a return on investment of less than one dollar for every dollar spent operating the program (ROI = <1:1).8 Such programs might be characterized as “fun-oriented”.  Participation is entirely voluntary, and there is no particular focus on the reduction of specifically identified elevated risks.  Interventions and activities are not customized, and there is no emphasis on the management of health costs.  These programs are typically site-based only, lack options to address all of the primary behaviorally-related health risks, and lack multimodal presentation.  Minimal or no incentives/rewards are provided to workers for participation, and services to spouses and family members are not available.  Most such programs lack meaningful assessment.

More conventional programs are “activity-oriented” and have determined an ROI of between 1:2.5 and 1:3.5.8 These programs may have a greater emphasis on health and risk reduction, although the efforts are relatively broad and not customized.  They may have some generalized emphasis on health cost management, although not necessarily aimed at specific elevated risks.  Most are site-based and voluntary, with spouses included only rarely.  Modest incentives/rewards may be utilized to bolster participation.  Formal assessment may be weak.

The newest and most economically viable programs are “results-oriented” and exemplify the health and productivity management model.  These programs consistently produce return rates of 1:4 or greater within a 12-24 month period.8   Such programs are strongly focused on the reduction of specifically identified elevated risks and the management of health costs.  They are generally voluntary, but use strong monetary and other incentives/rewards to encourage participation.  They are multi-component in nature (address all primary risks), and have both worksite and virtual modalities of operation.  The interventions are highly targeted and individualized, and provided to spouses as well as workers.

For employers, the cost of offering health care insurance for their workers is of great effect.  Those costs have been growing at yearly rates between 6% and 14%. Chapman’s 2007 systematic review stated an average decline in medical care costs of 26.5% as a result of Company Wellness Programs.  His review covered 60 of the most scientifically valid studies, with an average of 3.77 years of study.

Rates of Absenteeism due to illness is another cost driver.  Chapman’s review reports an average decline in sick leave of 25.3%.   Cost for Worker’s Compensation was reduced by 40.7%, and disability costs by 24.2%. There is also an emerging literature on the costs of presenteeism (reduced productivity).11,13  In one study, every risk reduced through a wellness program provideed a 9% decline in presenteeism (and a 2% decline in absenteeism).

Some employers have achieved a zero percent growth in medical care costs across at least brief periods of time.10  Doing so requires 90-95% participation of the employee population in focused wellness pushes, with 75%-85% of the workers falling into the low risk category.10  Although robust efforts to decrease the risk status of those in moderate or elevated risk categories must be made, the needs of currently healthy workers must be addressed as well to avoid increases in risk-status.

Given the size of the federal workforce, valuable cost savings in the government’s contribution to health care insurance premiums for workers could be achieved if a majority of that population were participating in active wellness programs.  Similarly, improvements in absenteeism, worker’s compensation, disability, presenteeism, and turnover as a result of robust Company Wellness Programs would provide substantial fiscal advantages for the government.

References

1.    Aldana, Steven G.  (2001)   Financial Impact of Company Wellness Programs:  A Comprehensive Review of the Literature.   Am J Health Promotion 15(5):296-320.
2.    Chapman, Larry.  (1998)   The Role of Incentives in Health Promotion.  The Art of Health Promotion  2(3):1-8.
3.    Chapman, Larry.   (2003)   Biometric Screening in Health Promotion:  Is it Really As Important as We Think?  The Art of Health Promotion  7(2):1-12.
4.    Chapman, Larry.  (2005)   Meta-Evaluation of Company Wellness Programs Economic Return Studies: 2005 Update.  The Art of Health Promotion, July/August, 1-15.
5.    Chapman, Larry.   (2006)   Employee Participation in Company Wellness Programs and Company Wellness Programs:  How Important are Incentives, and Which Ones work Best?   North Carolina Medical Journal   67(6):  431-432.
6.    Chapman, Larry, Lesch, Nancy, and Passas Baun, Mary Beth.   (2007)   The Role of Health and Wellness Coaching in Company Wellness Programs.   The Art of Health Promotion, July/August, 1-12.
7.    Chapman, Larry.  (2007)   Proof Positive:  An Analysis of the cost-Effectiveness of Worksite Wellness.  Northwest Health Management Publishing, Seattle, WA.
8.    Chapman, Larry.  (2007)   An In-Depth Look at the Economic Evidence for Rewarding Health Behavior Change.   Workshop presentation at the World Research Group “Rewarding Healthy Behaviors for Health Plans and Employers” Conference, Orlando, FL, January 23-24.
9.    Edington, Dee.   (2001)   Emerging Research:  A View from One Research Center.  American Journal of Health Promotion 15(5): 341-349.
10.    Edington, Dee W.  (2007)   Health Management as a Serious Business Strategy.  Presentation at the World Research Group “Rewarding Healthy Behaviors for Health Plans and Employers” Conference, Orlando, FL, January 23-24.
11.    Pelletier, Barbara, Boles, Myde, and Lunch, Wendy.  (2004)  Changes in Health Risks and Work Productivity.   Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 46(7): 746-754.
12.    Pelletier, Kenneth R.  (2005)   A Review and Analysis of the Clinical and Cost-Effectiveness Studies of comprehensive Health and Disease Management Programs at the Worksite: Update VI 2000-2004.  JOEM 47(10)1051-1058.
13.    DeVol, Ross, Bedroussian, Armen, et. al.  (2007)  An Unhealthy America:  The Economic Burden of Chronic Disease.  Report released by the Milken Institute.   www.milkeninstitute.org.
14.    Partnership for Prevention.  (2008) Investing in Health:  Proven Health Promotion Practices for Workplaces.   http://www.prevent.org/images/stories/2008/investinginhealth_finalfinal.pdf.

Business America is increasingly investing in employee wellness because it is great business.  In order to meet productivity demands, employers must rely on a healthy, productive workforce to succeed in the highly competitive global marketplace.  Over a hundred studies in both corporate and governmental settings have documented the economic advantages of Company Wellness Programs, including reduced absenteeism, reduced injuries and workman’s compensation costs, reduced medical care costs, reduced employee turnover, as well as improved productivity, greater worker satisfaction, and improved morale.1-10

The more recent literature reflects improvements in wellness programming along with greater return on investment.  In general, the more focused and intensive the program, the greater benefit realized.  To enhance their effectiveness federal government Company Wellness Programs may be able to incorporate some of the features described.  Employee wellness programs determined to have positive returns on investment often include the following features:

1.    Health and productivity management model
Programs characterized by this model focus attention on identification and reduction of specific risks or behaviors such as smoking, lack of physical exercise, excess weight, unhealthy diet, elevated blood lipids, high Blood Pressure (BP), stress, depression, and so on.  High-risk workers are specifically targeted for intervention, although the most efficacious programs also direct efforts towards healthy workers in order to maintain their low-risk status.  This model emphasizes outcomes as opposed to simply offering wellness activities for their own sake.

2.    Health risk appraisal
Use of a computerized health risk appraisal (HRA) instrument with individualized feedback and recommendations is almost universal in efficacious programs.  Workers take the questionnaire each year in countless cases.  The HRA serves to increase awareness, offer direction, and innervate people to better specific behaviors.  In some cases, the customized report is directly linked to appropriate resources related to identified risks.  Research indicates that the use of an HRA is effective if it is followed by some kind of educational or therapeutic intervention for identified risks.  It often serves as the entry point into wellness programs.

3.    Biometric Testing
Many programs combine the results of the health risk appraisal with measurement of each employee’s biometrics, including weight and Body Mass Index (BMI), Blood Pressure (BP), blood lipids, fasting glucose, and assorted other metrics.  Combining the results of the HRA with biological measures results in a more accurate risk profile.   Computer health risk appraisals often incorporate biometric data in their risk analysis.

4.    Incentives
workers are usually given monetary or other valuable rewards for completing an HRA, participation in a program or class, specific accomplishments such as stopping smoking, losing weight, or exercising, and for maintaining healthy status and/or behaviors.  In countless cases the monetary incentives/rewards are associated with reductions in health care insurance premiums.  Some programs use disincentives as well as incentives/rewards, such as charging workers who use tobacco higher rates for their health care insurance contribution.

5.    High participation rates
Successful programs use incentives/rewards to drive participation rates up.  They also market their programs extensively, and may use contest or challenge strategies to heighten enthusiasm and bolster participation.

6.    Wellness coaching
workers with identified risks or desire to better their health habits may be periodically coached via phone by trained health and wellness coaches.  Health Coaching helps workers set and achieve realistic lifestyle-related objectives including those approaching stress, work life balance, smoking, weight, physical exercise, and various behavior modifications.  Three or more sessions are generally provided.  In some intensive programs, the coaching extends to actual disease management intervention for workers with identified elevated-risk diseases.

7.    Multiple formats
Programs may offer wellness content in web-based, paper, and seminar formats to offer stimulating variety and alternatives in order to accommodate the needs of all workers.  In addition to onsite physical exercise and healthy eating activities, on-line programs, e-mail reminders and notices, printed newsletters and materials, and company classes are common dissemination strategies.

8.    Upper Management support
Enthusiastic and frequent endorsement by management is essential to achieving high rates of participation.  When senior executives are wellness role models themselves the effects of endorsement are enhanced.

9.    Frequent contact
Successful programs have frequent contact of some sort with every employee.  This may be through marketing efforts (e.g., posters, e-mail notices, reminders, or messages, etc.), bulletin boards, newsletters, employee meeting presentations, discussion in new employee orientation, supervisory sessions, etc.   The key is to enhance employee awareness of health and wellness opportunities and reinforce the corporate emphasis on wellness through frequent and multiple “touches”.

10.    Open enrollment
To bolster high participation rates workers must have easy access to the wellness programs and activities.  Open and uncomplicated enrollment processes achieve this.  Some employers automatically enroll all workers and then allow those who do not wish to take part to “opt-out”.  This practice has been determined to boost enrollment rates in some settings.

11.    Family participation
Many programs bolster spouses and other family members to take part in the company wellness activities and to adopt a healthy lifestyle along with the designated employee.  It is far easier for the employee to have a healthy lifestyle if his/her family does so as well.

12.    Smoking cessation
Because smoking and other tobacco use is the number one threat to health it is essential to offer workers effective and convenient assistance with quitting.  Access to smoking cessation pharmaceuticals is often part of such programs.  In-house programs offer the most convenient access to these services, although on-line or phone-based programs may be available as well.

13.    Exercise
Regular physical exercise is a core component of every wellness program.  Workers must be strongly encouraged to engage in regular physical exercise.  Most programs provide either periodic or continuous worksite opportunities, and some locations have worksite gyms, swimming pools, walking trails, etc.  Discounted or paid memberships to community exercise facilities is a common alternative to worksite facilities.

14.    Weight management
Because obesity is a primary threat to health it is imperative that programs offer effective assistance with weight management.  Robust encouragement from management to shed excess weight is valuable.  Internet based programs, workplace programs, or discounted access to weight management programs in the community may all be available.  Long-term follow-up is essential for maintenance of weight loss.

15.    Stress management
Workplace stress is perhaps the most common issue among workers and a primary contributor to absenteeism, presenteeism (reduced productivity), and low morale.  Almost all efficacious wellness programs offer assistance with personal and workplace stress.  Some programs refer workers to outside resources for more weighty conditions like depression and anxiety disorders, but most offer web-based or frequent worksite general stress reduction programs.  Some employers endeavor to structure the work environment to minimize stress, both physically and operationally.

16.    Wellness screenings/immunizations
workers are actively encouraged to complete recommended medical care screenings for Blood Pressure (BP), blood lipids, BMI, colorectal and breast cancer, and others.  Annual influenza immunizations are also encouraged.  Some sites offer these services at the workplace.  Incentives are often awarded for completion of these screenings/immunizations.

17.    On-Site medical care
Actual provision of onsite primary care medical services is a growing trend.  The rapidly escalating costs of medical care insurance for workers has stimulated this trend.  Some employers have saw that it is less expensive to offer primary care services themselves than to fund those services through health care insurance.  On-Site care also reduces the amount of time workers would otherwise spend away from the workplace getting such services.

References

1.    Aldana, Steven G.  (2001)   Financial Impact of Company Wellness Programs:  A Comprehensive Review of the Literature.   Am J Health Promotion 15(5):296-320.
2.    Chapman, Larry.  (1998)   The Role of Incentives in Health Promotion.  The Art of Health Promotion  2(3):1-8.
3.    Chapman, Larry.   (2003)   Biometric Screening in Health Promotion:  Is it Really As Important as We Think?  The Art of Health Promotion  7(2):1-12.
4.    Chapman, Larry.  (2005)   Meta-Evaluation of Company Wellness Programs Economic Return Studies: 2005 Update.  The Art of Health Promotion, July/August, 1-15.
5.    Chapman, Larry.   (2006)   Employee Participation in Company Wellness Programs and Company Wellness Programs:  How Important are Incentives, and Which Ones work Best?   North Carolina Medical Journal   67(6):  431-432.
6.    Chapman, Larry, Lesch, Nancy, and Passas Baun, Mary Beth.   (2007)   The Role of Health and Wellness Coaching in Company Wellness Programs.   The Art of Health Promotion, July/August, 1-12.
7.    Chapman, Larry.  (2007)   Proof Positive:  An Analysis of the cost-Effectiveness of Worksite Wellness.  Northwest Health Management Publishing, Seattle, WA.
8.    Chapman, Larry.  (2007)   An In-Depth Look at the Economic Evidence for Rewarding Health Behavior Change.   Workshop presentation at the World Research Group “Rewarding Healthy Behaviors for Health Plans and Employers” Conference, Orlando, FL, January 23-24.
9.    Edington, Dee.   (2001)   Emerging Research:  A View from One Research Center.  American Journal of Health Promotion 15(5): 341-349.
10.    Edington, Dee W.  (2007)   Health Management as a Serious Business Strategy.  Presentation at the World Research Group “Rewarding Healthy Behaviors for Health Plans and Employers” Conference, Orlando, FL, January 23-24.
11.    Pelletier, Barbara, Boles, Myde, and Lunch, Wendy.  (2004)  Changes in Health Risks and Work Productivity.   Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 46(7): 746-754.
12.    Pelletier, Kenneth R.  (2005)   A Review and Analysis of the Clinical and Cost-Effectiveness Studies of comprehensive Health and Disease Management Programs at the Worksite: Update VI 2000-2004.  JOEM 47(10)1051-1058.
13.    DeVol, Ross, Bedroussian, Armen, et. al.  (2007)  An Unhealthy America:  The Economic Burden of Chronic Disease.  Report released by the Milken Institute.   www.milkeninstitute.org.
14.    Partnership for Prevention.  (2008) Investing in Health:  Proven Health Promotion Practices for Workplaces.   http://www.prevent.org/images/stories/2008/investinginhealth_finalfinal.pdf.

The costs of medical care have been rising more than 10 percent each year for several years. A substantial amount of the money spent in the medical care system treats costly illnesses and diseases.

• Approximately 95 percent of the $1.4 trillion that we spend as a nation on health goes to direct medical care services, while about 5 percent is allocated to preventing disease and promoting health.
• Potentially, 50 percent to 70 percent of all diseases are avoidable as they are associated with modifiable health risks.
• In an effort to optimize employee health, decrease avoidable medical care utilization and enhance work achievement, and in turn decreased medical care costs and better employee satisfaction and retention, many employers are creating, or are interested in creating, Company Wellness Programs for workers.

The advantages of workplace wellness are well documented. Greater than 120 research studies repeatedly show themes such as improvements in health outcomes coupled with high returns on investment (ROI). Some primary findings include the following:

• Savings of $3.48 in reduced medical care costs per dollar invested.
• Savings of $5.82 in decrease absenteeism costs per dollar invested.
• ROIs of at least $3 to $8 per dollar invested within five years of program implementation.
• Lifestyle behavior modification programs: $3 to $6 ROI within 2 to 5 years.
• Self care, decision support programs: $2 to $3 ROI within a year.
• Disease management programs: $7 to $10 ROI within a year.

By offering health improvement programs, employers are not only offering an additional service for workers, but they are also gaining monetarily. Furthermore, the impact of a health improvement program goes beyond decreased medical care cost and ROI. A health improvement program can affect productivity, absenteeism, morale, recruitment success, turnover, and medical care costs.

• Source: Rees, C., and Finch, R. (2004). Health Improvement: A comprehensive guide to designing, launching and evaluating workplace programs. National Business Group on Health, 1 (1), 1-7.

25% Jump in Employer Interest in Employee Health and Wellness

Worksite wellness for their workers, employers are discovering, is great for the health of their employers as well. Company Wellness Programs help to cut the costs associated with poor employee health, which include absenteeism, loss of productivity and poor work quality.

A current Hewitt Associates survey of over 500 United States employers indicated a valuable paradigm shift in how employers view health benefits for their workers. Of those surveyed this year, 88% are committed to instituting long-term medical care assistance programs (over the next 3-5 years) for their workers, with the objective of boosting the health and productivity of their workforce. This represents a 25% growth in interest in Company Wellness Programs over 2007.

A strong offering of Company Wellness Programs to meet the demand has resulted. Health assistance providers have broadened their programs with tools that address general lifestyle factors, physical, social and psychological health factors. Programs look to predict chronic conditions in their workers and give them the tools and the information to prevent it. Companies also demand a way to measure the effectiveness of their medical care spending.

“Self-care is our motive,” says Vic Lebouthillier, president of progressive health and wellness provider Exan Wellness.”We really believe giving workers tools to help them manage their own health, and promoting the advantages, while giving people resources to reach out for help is the key to efficacious lifestyle modification. Corporations are also telling us they need a cost-effective way to deliver Company Wellness Programs. The sort of program we have developed over years delivers the highest medical care return on investment.”

Combining workplace wellness promotions, web-based assessments and health trackers, web-based health information, phone conferences and self-help groups, and access to a wide variety of health professionals, is behind the success of the Exan program. “Having web-based statistics about workers’ health also makes it easier to track the bottom line – ROI” says Vic Lebouthillier.

“Companies are moving beyond their traditional role as a provider of medical care benefits to advance holistic programs that pinpoint the specific health needs of their employee populations, drive employee behavior modification and eliminate barriers to healthcare,” says Jim Winkler, leader of Hewitt’s health management consulting practice.

However, in a separate survey of 30,000 workers, 74% said that, although they felt their company had an obligation to help them be aware of how to use their health benefits program, only 12% felt the company had any right to tell them how to be healthy. Based on these results, employers need to drive home the fact that improved health is better for their workers as well as the company. It’s a win-win situation.

Employers and workers did discover common ground when it came to future medical care. Both surveys indicate that 95% of workers be aware of that their taking care of their health today will impact future medical care payments. A similar percentage also be aware of the valuable of early detection and prevention when it comes to saving on medical care costs.

Cost is valuable for most employers as well. Over 80% of those surveyed made cost mitigation a priority for 2008, but those reductions did not involve shifting responsibility for medical care onto workers. Although 64% of employers have transfered costs to their workers, only 17% aim  to do so in the next 3-5 years. Similarly with health reimbursement accounts, 20% now offer these, but only about 5% aim  to use them in 2008.

These survey results indicate employers are getting more proactive in helping their workers to shift behaviors and take ownership of their own health futures. This is obviously great for the wellness of workers, but also for the wellness of the employers they work for. Almost half the employers surveyed were convinced that changing health behaviors was key to improved productivity and decrease absentee rates. Over 60% aim  to institute programs that help workers modify and/or sustain a healthier lifestyle. Almost of these employers will also use data and measurements to be sure their medical care strategies meet their medical care objectives?

Research spanning more than a decade has consistently determined Company Wellness Programs to be monetarily effective and that every dollar invested on a corporate wellness program can return $2.30 and $10.10 by reducing absenteeism, sick day usage and by lowering insurance costs. Additionally it is noted that there are marked improvements in employee effectiveness and productivity in employers that implement a Company Wellness .

Healthy employers enjoy improved employee morale and an improved ability to attract and retain key people. Additionally, workers are more alert and productive. For instance, Coca Cola reports that they save an estimated $500 a year per employee once they implemented a physical activity program in which 60% of their workers take part. Coors Brewing Business stated that workers who participated in their Company Wellness Programs reduced their absentee rate by 18%.

workers enjoy their share of advantages from Company Wellness Programs too. A healthy lifestyle affects every part of a person’s life, including their work environment. Company Wellness Programs result in fewer injuries, less human error and a work environment that is more harmonious and relaxed. Additionally, workers who work at a company that implements a Company Wellness  know that their company is concerned about their wellness and health. Workers often report a decline in their stress levels due to Company Wellness Programs.

As workers feel better, more relaxed, more valued and more human to their company; they enjoy a growth in productivity. This growth in productivity, while productive to the company, is also important to the employee as it increases their own sense of self worth and confidence levels. Workers who feel efficacious and who feel that they accomplish objectives are central happier and in a better frame of mind.

The advantages of Company Wellness Programs, both tangible and intangible, are evident. It is a wise move for a company to implement a Company Wellness , particularly when they incorporate some form of mental health aspect into it. This also has social advantages as domestic violence and child abuse is determined to be decreased in areas where wellness programs are implemented. These days, a company can almost not afford to have some sort of wellness program to offer to their workers.

Some of the top wellness programs currently in use today include:

Health Risk Assessments or HRAs

Health Risk Assessment is a top corporate wellness program currently in use globally. Companies that implement it determine the safety and health problems of workers by the assessment of appropriateness of the facilities and equipment against the needs of the workers.

It can, for example, guide the company into determining how the air quality within an office room affects the users and then help the assessment group to come up with the measures essential to correct the concern. An HRA can also evaluate the level of exposure workers have to certain hazardous or dangerous materials and practices.

Immunizations

This isn’t always practiced in every country since there are regions where government sponsored immunization shots are available. However, it has also become an valuable component of the top Company Wellness Programs in countless employers in North America.

Immunization shots, such as those used to combat flu, for example, are provided to workers for no cost.

Employee Assistance Program(EAP)

Employee Assistance Program(EAP)s consist of a wide variety of services. It can range from offering educational resources to workers regarding health problems to sponsoring health services and medical care. In countless employers, medical and insurance have also become a staple part of their benefits system.

In-house nutrition and diet drives

This is another wellness program that employers use, particularly those that offer in-house commissary or cafeteria services. Instead of serving richer, high-calorie fare, cafeterias offer options for a healthier diet, usually in the form of low-calorie foods and sugar substitutes.

In-house employee wellness newsletter and campaign drives

One of the top wellness programs that employers can implement is a self-powered tool using a newsletter to encourage wellness, coupled with a visible campaign. The campaign may be done periodically and focus on a specific topic, such as smoking hazards, cancer, stress, carpal tunnel syndrome, safety in the workplace, etc.

The employee wellness newsletter in itself can be an effective means to deliver information to workers or members of a company but it is far from perfect. Some workers, for example, may not read the newsletter entirely or even pay attention to it. If the problems outlined in the newsletter are promoted through an active and highly visible campaign, it will be easier to maximize positive results.

Exercise and physical activity drives

Another top wellness program for employers is one that involves physical activities. Companies often sponsor exercise-related activities such as marathons and company sports programs to bolster workers to remain fit or lose excess weight. In mid- to large-sized employers, employers may even pay for fitness center memberships or in-house exercise facilities.

Rewards and Incentives

Some of the top wellness programs implemented by employers involve Rewards and Incentives. This involves company-sponsored programs that reward workers for achieving specific wellness-related objectives. Participation in health campaigns and signing up for wellness programs are two of the most usually rewarded schemes. Rewards can range from special recognitions to over time acquired points (for bigger rewards) to specific gifts. In a few cases, cash may also be used.

However, incentive systems have had mixed reactions and levels of success. But it continues to be one of the top choices among employers who are willing to modify it in order to fit their unique needs.

Peer Pressure

In countless employers, employers take advantage of peer pressure in order to bolster workers to take part in wellness programs. This is currently one of the favorite Company Wellness Programs currently in use today and growing in popularity. Peer pressure is often leveraged to help encourage competitions referring to workplace wellness and to persuade workers to be active in company-sponsored wellness fairs.

High rates of employee turnover and the costs of sick days are increasingly taking bites into company profits. The high cost of recruitment programs only adds to the challenges that these problems in total cost the average company. Many employers are finding the solution to these challenges by improving job satisfaction, team building, and the implementation of programs that give a decline in these costs.

It has become increasingly clear to most managers that a well designed wellness program / physical activity program with a strong nutritional and fitness lifestyle emphasis will directly meet this need. Upper Management’s objectives for a productive wellness program must be viewed through the perspective of increased employee productivity, decreased absenteeism due to health related causes, improved employee morale, decreased utilisation of company subsidised health benefits, enhanced group cohesion and effectiveness and a reduction in turnover due to lack of job satisfaction. It is obvious that an improvement in any of these areas will have a positive impact on the monetary status of any organisation.

The benefits from an workers point of view can be seen in improved health, increased energy levels, decreased body fat, a more youthful fit body, an increased ability to handle work related stress, greater feelings of confidence and morale and more social groups at work contributing to greater feelings of satisfaction with their work and workplace.

To be most productive a wellness program needs to achieve both management’s and employee’s objectives, and this can be accomplished through a program that will offer the individual employee with an awareness of their current physical condition and attitudes to fitness and wellbeing, and the benefits of attaining a fitter, healthier lifestyle, and a plan that will allow them to achieve the essential changes to their physical condition that can be applied in the context of their life and work.

The Bottom Line – Company Wellness Programs

Reduced Rates of Absenteeism – Dupont reduced absenteeism by 47.5% over six years for the participants of their company fitness program, (Health Behaviour, March 1992).

Reduced Health Care Costs – Steel case showed a decline in medical care claim costs of 55% for corporate physical activity program participants over non-participants over a six year period – an average of $478.61 for participants vs. non-participants who averaged $868.88, (The Am. Journal of Health Promotion, Sept/Oct, 1991).

Reduced Turnover – Turnover among physical activity program participants at the Canadian Life Assurance Business was 32.4% lower over a seven year period compared with non-participants (Canadian Journal of Public Health, Jan/Feb, 1988).

Positive Return on Investment – Blue Cross Blue Shield of Indiana observed that its company physical activity program had a 250% return on investment; $2.51 for every $1 invested over a five year period (American Journal of Health Promotion, March, April, 1991).

Studies have repeatedly determined that all-inclusive Company Wellness Programs, or Company Wellness Programs, can decrease medical care and insurance costs, lower absenteeism, and better effectiveness and productivity. Other advantages determined in studies include improved ability to attract and retain key personnel, greater employee allegiance, and improved public perception of the company.

Health Care and Insurance costs

A number of studies offer evidence of decreased medical and insurance costs for participants in Company Wellness Programs, particularly wellness programs involving physical activity.

For $30 per person, the Bank of America healthcare claims with an physical activity program alone, saving $500 per employee per year for the workers (60%) who joined their HealthWorks physical activity program. Prudential Insurance Business reports that the company’s major medical costs dropped from $574 to $312 for each colleague in its wellness program.

Decreased Rates of Absenteeism

Rates of Absenteeism has been determined to be impacted by wellness programs. The evidence indicates a significant decline in absenteeism and resultant dollars saved as a result of employee fitness programs.

Pacific Bell’s FitWorks program decreased absent days .8 percent to save $2 million in one year. FitWorks members also spent 3.3 days less on short-term disability for an additional savings of $4.7 million.

Focusing Company Wellness  efforts on elevated-risk workers is able to lead to better results. A national manufacturing company reports a decline of 12.2% in illness days for these workers.

A 2-year study by The DuPont Corporation of the effect of its all-inclusive Company Wellness  on absences among workers reports that blue-collar workers at intervention sites had a 14% decline in disability days vs. 5.8% decline for controls. There were a total of 11,726 fewer net disability days.

Enhanced Performance, Productivity and Morale

A number of employers with Company Wellness Programs report documented improvement in job attitude, work effectiveness, energy level, and/or overall morale among program participants–all essential factors in enhancing productivity.

A Johnson & Johnson study observed that employee attitude changes were greater at Company Wellness  intervention sites with significant positive attitude changes noted in the categories of company commitment, supervision, on the job conditions, job competence/security, and pay/benefits.

In a Canadian government study, the Canada Life Assurance Business experimental group realized a 4% growth in productivity after starting a company physical activity program, compared to the control group. Further, 47% of program participants stated that they felt more alert, had better rapport with their co-workers, and generally enjoyed their work more.

Swedish investigators saw that mental effectiveness was significantly better in physically fit workers than in non-fit workers. Fit workers committed 27% fewer errors on tasks involving concentration and short-term memory, as compared with the effectiveness of non-fit workers.

The Bottom Line

The following sample of Company Wellness Programs wellness program results have been stated by individual employers:

Business: Dollars Saved/Dollars Spent

• Bank of America (Fries): $5.96/$1
• PacBell: $3.10/$1
• Wisconsin School District Insurance Group: $4.47/$1
• Prudential Insurance: $2.90/$1
• Bank of America (Leigh): $4.73/$1
• General Mills: $3.50/$1

Summary

There is mounting evidence that a large portion of the billions of dollars now being spent by employers on health-related costs is avoidable by means of Company Wellness Programs. Well-planned, all-inclusive Company Wellness Programs (Company Wellness Programs and Company Wellness Programs) have been determined to be cost-effective, particularly when the Company Wellness Programs is matched to the health problems of the specific employee.

Free Company Wellness Programs and Low Cost Health Management Alternatives

Establish a no cost Company Wellness  or run a efficacious health management program in the office for little or no expense to your company. The advantages of workplace wellness and learning how to implement a health management program at work are numerous. The articles on health management have generated a variety of questions, mostly from wellness providers but also from employers trying to implement their own wellness workplace programs. There are a number of things to do to implement a efficacious health management program at work.

Recommendations for Starting a Free or Low Cost Company Wellness

Prior to starting a low cost or no cost wellness program for your company, learn more about what workers desire. Survey workers to learn more about their wellness problems. Keep the survey confidential to safeguard employees’ identities. Typically the most popular workplace wellness topics are smoking cessation, weight loss problems and heart and blood lipid health.

Look for Company Wellness  Freebies

Discover who will come in for no cost to talk to workers and explore partnerships with outside agents linked with workplace wellness. By way of example, contact a local branch of a well-known weight loss company and ask if someone is able to come in and talk to workers. Look for agencies that are willing to come in and talk about topics related to wellness at no expenditure to workers, in exchange for something from you.

Find Company Wellness  Partnerships

Working with a weight loss company to set up a speaking engagement for workers is an excellent opportunity to explore a potential wellness partnership. The weight loss company may say that if 10 workers join the program, they will have regular gatherings at company headquarters for the people who joined. The weight loss group also may offer company workers a discount if several people join the program.

Nonprofits an Untapped Health Leadership Resource

There are also plenty of nonprofit agencies who would be thrilled to visit a company to discuss health management. But it’s up to you to offer them something in return. By way of example, if the MS Society came in and talked about the signs of MS, the company could offer to organize an MS walk (in keeping with company health management objectives, right?), or an auction with employee and company-donated items where the proceeds go to MS. The people at the nonprofit agencies would be glad to open a dialog with your company and to talk about what they would want in return for a speaking engagement. In countless cases, they won’t need anything at all for a first meeting.

Gathering Data and Analyzing Company Wellness  Results

Gathering data and analyzing results of a Company Wellness  is able to be tricky because of HIPPA laws. However, if at least 10 workers joined the weight loss program, or 20 people take part daily in the all-new “Let’s Walk a Mile at Lunch” program, that sort of progress is able to speak strongly to management. And, company successes will potentially give management more incentive to offer money for additional health management and Company Wellness Programs in the future.