Enjoy these health and wellness articles which were written by industry leading wellness experts / wellness consultants to assist you in learning more about corporate wellness programs / employee wellness programs.
Wellness Program refers to the systematic approach endorsed by an organization designed to enhance the health of the company and its most important asset: its employees. In order to reach the greatest health improvement and cost containment potential, corporate wellness programs may include initiatives based in the workplace as well as in the employee's community, clinic, and home.
Wellness Program efforts may take the shape of awareness education, behavior and lifestyle change, and the creation of supportive environments. The ultimate goal of corporate wellness is to create a culture that values and meets both individual and organizational needs for health improvement. (1)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that over half of all premature deaths in adults in the United States are from lifestyle-related causes. Less than one-fifth of premature deaths are from problems that are treatable through traditional medical care. (2)
Healthcare costs in the United States now consume 2 trillion dollars. Employers are instituting corporate wellness programs in order to hold down these costs. The most popular types of wellness program are focused on:
- disease management / prevention,
- health wellness newsletters,
- nutrition counselling;
- programs focusing on healthy lifestyles,
- smoking cessation,
- weight loss,
- cancer screening;
- health club discounts/onsite health club;
- employee health screening
A number of wellness programs are also beginning to add substance abuse prevention strategies.
In 1987, 65% of U.S. workplaces with 50 or more employees had at least one wellness program activity. Today, most large corporations have complete corporate wellness programs, and many small- to mid-size firms offer some type of wellness program. (3)
Employers are becoming more involved in promoting the health of their workers. In 1996, 89% of employers had some type of wellness program, up from 64% in 1992. The most common wellness program initiatives were:
- smokefree workplace (80%)
- education/training (78%)
- health risk assessments (76%)
- special programs (71%). (4)
A study of 8,334 employees who participated in Procter & Gamble’s wellness program had significantly lower health care costs (29% lower total and 36% lower lifestyle-related costs) when compared with non-participants in the third year of the wellness program. Similarly, in the third year of the wellness program, participants had significantly lower inpatient costs, fewer hospital admissions, and fewer hospital days of care compared with non-participants. There were no differences noted in the first two years of the wellness program. (5)
It has been shown that 60-90% of all visits to health professionals are for some sort of stress-related disorder. Employers invest in stress reduction programs in order to minimize these costs. Wellness programs that have been shown to give the highest rate of return for the employer include: stress reduction, smoking cessation, and nutrition. (2)
- Association for Worksite Health Promotion (http://www.awhp.org), October 1998.
- Finkel, M .L. (1996 ). Healthcare, a basic guide: Cost management, 3rd ed. Brookfield, WI: International Foundation of Emplo yee Bene fit Plans.
- Gemign ani, J. (199 8). Best pr actices that bo ost productivity. Business and Health March: 37-42.
- Caldwell, B. (1998). Managed care firms slow to implement wellness initiative: Some try to measure cost effectiveness. Employee Benefit Plan Review May:44-46.
- Goetzel R.Z.; Jacobson, B.H.; Aldana, S.G.; Vardell, K.; and Yee, L. (1998). Health care costs of workplace health promo tion participa nts and non -participants. Journal of Occupational Environment Medicine 40(4):341-346.