Worksite Wellness ProgramsWorksite Wellness Programs

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

For example, last year 53% of large businesses offered health risk assessments (HRAs) for their staff, up from 35% just two years earlier, according to a Mercer survey. Change is being driven by cost, but Worksite Wellness Programs a win-win solution for both businesses and workers.

Here are other Worksite Wellness Program trends organizations are implementing:

More organizations are integrating Worksite Wellness Programs into their benefits plans. If they want the best plans or the lowest personal costs, they need to participate in the Worksite Wellness Program and meeting minimum goals.

More organizations are offering workplace weight loss programs as part of the Worksite 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 Worksite Wellness Programs designed to assist workers with chronic health conditions: health coaches, nurse advice lines, telephone counseling, and self-study guides

Companies are providing more online Worksite Wellness Program interventions and health information resources

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

Many organizations are providing fitness programs, either in the community or workplace, as a component of their Worksite Wellness Program.

Corporations are providing more prizes, rewards, and incentives getting engaged in Worksite Wellness Program activities

Some organizations are adding emphasis to maintaining health. It’s one thing to lose weight or stop tobacco; 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 Worksite Wellness Program return on investment (ROI).

Wellness organizations are providing great resources for companys’ 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 medical care expenses and productivity. Ohio State University announced that they expect to save $30 million dollars with their comprehensive Worksite Wellness Program over the next 5 years!

Worksite Wellness Programs and prevention are sound ideas whose time has come. Health promotion is more fun and less expensive than treating disease.

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