Key Elements of Successful Employee Wellness Programs
Despite widespread adoption and recognized benefits, why does skepticism still cloud the effectiveness of employee wellness programs?
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Corporate wellness programs are growing in popularity, not just in large companies but also in small, medium enterprises. Employers are learning of the benefits that they stand to gain from the implementations of wellness programs. Here are some statistics that support the utilization of these programs.
Current State of Affairs
- Employee well-being is a vital part of business plans for 78% of employers (VirginPulse, 2017)
- 46% of U.S. worksites offer some type of health program to employees (CDC Workplace Health in America Survey, 2017)
- Almost 30% of employers offered a program to promote physical activity, 19% to help with tobacco cessation, and about 17% have weight and obesity management programs (CDC Workplace Health in America Survey, 2017)
- Half of companies agree that workplace wellness programs can help reduce costs (IHC, 2016)
- Nearly 70% of employees would participate in workplace wellness programs if provided by their companies
- More employees take part in lifestyle management programs, but it is disease management programs that saved the most money for employers (RAND, 2014)
Improving the Health of Employees
- 53% of employees with wellness programs noticed an improvement in their health (UnitedHealthcare, 2018)
- 67% reported reduced body weight, and 30% said it helped them detect a disease (UnitedHealthcare, 2018)
- 56% of employees had fewer sick days because of wellness programs (UnitedHealthcare, 2018)
- Wellness plans help improve overall employee health behaviors (NCBI, 2012)
- 31% of employees with a wellness program would devote an hour each day to their health (UnitedHealthcare, 2018)
- 8 of 13 studies on workplace wellness programs found improvements in physical activity, 6 of 12 in diet, and 3 of 4 in mental health (AJMC, 2012)
- 6 of 7 studies on tobacco, and 2 of 3 on alcohol found positive effects and significant reductions (AJMC, 2012)
- 5 out of 7 health risks improved after a year of participating in a wellness program (NCBI, 2015)
Financial Benefits of Workplace Wellness Programs
- Well-designed wellness programs lead to a return on investment (ROI) of $1.50 to $3 per dollar spent over a timeframe of two to nine years (US Chamber, 2016)
- For every dollar spent on wellness programs the company saves $5.82 in lower employee absenteeism costs (ISDH)
- Companies reported an average drop of 26% in health costs (IHC, 2016)
- And a reduction of 30% in workers’ compensation and disability management claims (IHC, 2016)
- Sixty percent of respondents reported that workplace wellness programs reduced their organization’s health care costs (US Chamber, 2016)
- 63% of employers offering wellness programs reported increased financial sustainability and growth (IFEBP, 2017)
- Companies with highly effective health and wellness plans are 40% more likely to report better financial performance than low-effectiveness companies (SunLife, 2012)
- 62% of participants in a wellness plan said that it helped them lower healthcare costs (PRNewswire, 2016)
Benefits Across the Organization
- Companies with an employee engagement program enjoy 233% higher customer loyalty (AberdeenGroup, 2015)
- 70% of employees enrolled in wellness programs have reported higher job satisfaction than those not enrolled in the companies’ program (Aflac, 2019)
- Employees are more likely to recommend a company that supports well-being efforts as a good place to work (APA, 2016)
- Companies that had an effective wellness program had an average of 28% reduction in sick days (IHC, 2016)
- Employee morale is cited as the most improved (54%) metric from implementing wellness plans (Hub, 2017)
- About 77% of employees think that workplace wellness programs positively impact the company culture (Forbes, 2013)
- For 25% of employers, the top goal of wellness benefits is increased productivity by maintaining a healthy workforce (Aflac, 2018)
- More than 9 in 10 workers say they feel more motivated at their job if their leaders support well-being efforts (APA, 2016)
53% of people with access to wellness programs said they improve their health. (UnitedHealthcare’s 2018 Wellness Check Up Survey)
Employees said wellness programs have helped them:
- For 88% to pay more attention to their health.
- For 67% to lose weight.
- For 62% with productivity.
- For 56% to cut down on sick days.
- For 30% with detecting disease.
73% of employees who do not have access to wellness programs wanted access, and 42% were “very interested.” (UnitedHealthcare’s 2018 Wellness Check Up Survey)
85% of Baby Boomers wanted access to wellness programs. (UnitedHealthcare’s 2018 Wellness Check Up Survey)
31% of people with access to wellness programs were willing to devote an hour or more a day to their health, compared to 26% without access to a wellness program. (UnitedHealthcare’s 2018 Wellness Check Up Survey)
27% of employees own activity trackers. (UnitedHealthcare’s 2018 Wellness Check Up Survey)
89% of employees practice meditation, or mindfulness. (UnitedHealthcare’s 2018 Wellness Check Up Survey)
90% of employees understand the connection between hearing and overall health. (UnitedHealthcare’s 2018 Wellness Check Up Survey)
Only 16% of employees recognize the connection between lifestyle choices and chronic health conditions. (UnitedHealthcare’s 2018 Wellness Check Up Survey)
Implementing a corporate wellness program is a solution that benefits everyone. Both companies and employees experience a boost in morale, health, and productivity.
Written by shortlister editorial team
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