Company Health and Wellness Program Tends

Companies are no longer able to trim extra savings out of their medical insurance programs, and most  companies have been cost shifting, asking workers to cover more of their health care costs. Health  insurance costs continue to climb (10 percent or more per year) at 2-3 times the general inflation  rate. With nowhere else to turn, companies are – more than ever – looking to get workers engaged in  Employee Wellness Programs as a means of slowing health care costs and improving productivity.

For example, last year 53 percent of large companies provided Health Risk Assessments (HRAs) for their  staff, up from 35 percent just two years earlier, according to a Mercer survey. Change is being driven  by cost, but Employee Wellness Programs a win-win solution for both companies and workers.

Here are other Company Health and Wellness Program trends organizations are implementing:

More companies are integrating Employee Wellness Programs into their benefits plans. If they want the  best plans or the lowest personal costs, they need to participate in the Company Health and Wellness  Program and meeting minimum objectives.

More companies are offering onsite weight loss programs as a component of the Employee Wellness  Program, especially after Duke University’s new research showing the high cost of overweight workers  and increased cost for worker’s compensation for sedentary and overweight workers.

Companies are offering more Employee Wellness Programs designed to assist workers with chronic health  conditions: health coaches, nurse advice lines, telephone counseling, and self-study guides

Companies are offering more online Company Health and Wellness Program interventions and health  information resources

More companies are offering regular onsite employee health screenings including cholesterol, glucose,  A1c, blood pressure, weigh-ins, and other checks as a component of their Employee Wellness Program.  Some Employee Wellness Programs even include bone-density checks and skin cancer screenings.

Many companies are offering fitness programs, either in the community or onsite, as a component of  their Employee Wellness Program.

Corporations are offering more prizes, rewards, and incentives getting engaged in Company Health and  Wellness Program activities

Some companies are adding emphasis to maintaining health. It’s one thing to lose weight or stop  smoking; it’s another to maintain these changes. Helping workers stay engaged and maintain their health  changes is important for long-term success.

Companies are putting more emphasis on keeping healthy people healthy rather than just working  primarily with high-risk individuals. Research shows this approach results in a greater Company Health  and Wellness Program return on investment.

Wellness companies are offering great resources for employers’ workers over the Internet – online  wellness centers, monthly health and wellness newsetters, wellness challenges, online points tracking  systems, virtual fitness programs, online wellness coaching or interventions, interactive health  calculators, healthy recipes, even downloadable health tips for your iPod.

Companies who are becoming more proactive are making a big impact on their future health care expenses  and productivity. Ohio State University announced that they expect to save $30 million dollars with  their broad-based Company Health and Wellness Program over the next 5 years!

Employee Wellness Programs and prevention are sound ideas whose time has come. Wellness is more fun and  costs less than treating disease.

References: TIME in partnership with CNN, “Businesses Help Workers Lose Weight.” Website accessed July  2007.