Company Wellness : Picking the Right Type of Wellness Program.

Studies show that untargeted health-promotion campaigns have little long-term impact.
Chronic conditions, which rob person and families of their health and happiness, represent major costs to corporations in the form of health care and disability costs, lost productivity, and absenteeism.
Health Promotion Programs should address risky behaviors that can help your staff members eat healthier, increase their level of exercise, help reduce stress, lower blood pressure (BP) and cholesterol, and quit smoking. Wellness programs should focus on helping staff members achieve and maintain their optimal health status.

Robust wellness programs focused on changing lifestyle behavior have been shown to yield a $3 to $6 return on investment for each dollar invested. It takes about three to five years after the initial wellness program investment to realize these savings.

Ninety-three percent of USA companies offer some type of wellness program for their workforce, but is it the right type?

Primary Kinds of Health Promotion Programs

Programs focusing on illness management. These health promotion programs monitor and treat specific illnesses. Disease management follows the 80/20 rule –  80 percent of health care costs are spent on 20 percent of staff.

Illness management is reported to have a $7 to $10 return on investment within a year.  The 20 percent of workers requiring the greatest medical expenditures today are normally different 20 percent who will cause the greatest medical expenses a year or two down the road.

Programs focusing on health enhancement and risk management. These wellness programs focus on lifestyle behavior change, and offer a $3 to $6 return on investment within two to five years, according to a 2004 report issued by the National Corporation Group on Health.

It’s crucial to note that a $3 to $6 return on an entire employee population produces a higher total savings than does illness management.

Good Data Drives Good Corporation Decisions

• Based on more than 120 scientific research studies, the National Company Group on Health stated that, within five years of wellness program implementation, overall benefit-to-cost ratios (return on investment) of –

• $3.48 in lowered healthcare costs per dollar invested.

• $5.82 in decrease absenteeism per dollar invested.