In 2009 93% of companies with more than 200 employees offered at least one wellness program within their health benefits. (That’s up more than 88% from 2008.) Out of those companies surveyed by The Kaiser Family Foundation, 63% thought that their wellness programs improved employee health and about half thought they reduced costs.
The American Heart Association also recently sent out a policy statement on workplace wellness that claims, “Research shows that companies can save anywhere from $3 to $15 for every $1 spent on health and wellness within 12 to 18 months of implementing a workplace wellness program.”
The American Heart Association went on to detail several of the most typically successful wellness programs including, but not limited to, these:
- Weight management
- Stress management/reduction
- Early detection/screening
- Work environment changes that encourage healthy behaviors and promote occupational health and safety
However, the Association also noted that 60% of employees said the economy has affected their ability to take care of their health, just adding one more reason to skip a trip to the dentist or cancel a gym membership.
So how do employers mobilize their employees to participate in these programs? USA Today reported that IBM offers a $300 rebate for participation. IBM also had the Health Management Research Center at the University of Michigan analyze their wellness program efforts and impact. According to IBM’s Director of Well-being (how’s that for a title?), their wellness initiatives resulted in $80 million in reduced health claims.
A different approach, but a financial incentive nonetheless, PepsiCo introduced a $600 surcharge for smokers. That resulted in a tenfold increase in participation in their smoking-cessation program. (The quit rate was 34%.)
Wellness isn’t just about helping workers shed pounds or to finally kick their smoking habit to the curb. For large and small organizations, it is very important to remember that the way employees are managed affects their well-being. Offering flexibility to a great employee dealing with a difficult personal issue, or showing in small ways that you really care also falls under wellness (and being a decent human being).
I will leave you with an except from the book Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements by Tom Rath and Jim Harter. It provides plenty of food for thought and a perspective that, I for one, find hard to argue with:
“ … the most progressive leaders not only understand that they are in the business of boosting their employees’ wellbeing, but they also use this knowledge as a competitive advantage to recruit and retain employees. They know it will be easier to attract top talent if they can show a prospective employee how working for the organization will translate into better relationships, more financial security, improved physical health, and more involvement in the community.
Leaders can’t just tell employees that they care about their well-being. They have to take action if they want to see results. And this requires continual measurement and follow-up to help workers manage their wellbeing over time. Just as the most successful organizations have worked systemically to optimize their levels of employee engagement, they are now turning their attention to employee wellbeing as a way to gain an emotional, financial, and competitive advantage.”
