Wellness Program Incentives

A Employee Wellness Program is a multi-faceted program to assist and support employees in starting healthier lifestyles.  This could possibly include rising employee awareness on health subject matters, scheduling behavior change programs, and/or starting organization policies that support health-related objectives.  Programs and policies that reward increased physical activity, tobacco use prevention and cessation, and healthy meal selections are a few examples.  

Dimensions of Wellness

Wellness is much more than fitness alone.  In addition to physical fitness, the ranges of ideal health include:

   • Spiritual Dimension of Wellness,
   • Emotional Wellness,
   • Social Wellness,
   • Intellectual Dimension of Wellness

These ranges are frequently illustrated as a “life wheel” with examples of health components that include fitness, nutrition, purpose in life, financial health, social well-being & reinforcement systems, stress management, mind-body health, career planning and continued learning.   The key behind personal health is keeping the “life wheel” in allignment.  A comprehensive workplace wellness program addresses most, if not all, of these ranges.

Why Company Health Promotion Programs?

workers invest a great deal of time working, and the fact of the matter is that our traditional work-week is increasing.  In fact, the typical American now labors about 47 hours every week.  In addition, technologies such as modems, laptops, cell phones, voice and email have made vague the line between life and work.  These realities diminish the amount of time that the average worker is able to devote to wellbeing and health pursuits, and yet workers are expected to be top of their game when at work.

A current study from the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses found that workplace wellness or Employee Wellness Programs are thriving in assisting staff members to make positive health changes due to several factors such as convenience, environmental support, and co-worker or social acceptance.  

What’s the Connection between Wellness and the Workplace?

Programs and policies that encourage healthy lifestyles are able to make a large difference on employee wellness AND have an impact on the business’s bottom line.  Studies have found that for each dollar invested by employers in Company Wellness Programs/wellness programs, there were savings between $1.49 to $4.91 with a average savings of $3.14*.  In business jargon, that’s more than a 3:1 minimum return on investment – a number that is tough to ignore, and a best practice that must draw serious consideration from employers.  In fact, a Company Wellness Program literature review published in Health Promotion Practitioner Journal found:

   • 19 research studies found a 28.3 percent reduction in sick time
   • 16 research studies determined a 5.6:1 return on investment
   • 23 showed a 26.1 percent decline in healthcare costs
   • 4 found a 30% decrease in direct healthcare and workers’ compensation claims

There is little doubt that a all-inclusive wellness program optimized to meet a company’s specific needs can save money by decreasing absenteeism, decreasing medical care expenditures, decreasing employee turnover, and building productivity.

• The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2003