Is Your Company Forward Thinking?

Forward-thinking companies are busy implementing work site wellness programs and incentivizing their employees to participate.  More than ever, companies that step up to address healthy lifestyle solutions have been able to avoid significant expenses and  in many cases stop rising health care costs. 

If it's not already, wellness needs to be a part of your company's strategic plan alongside safety, insurance and retirement benefits. Employer sponsored wellness programs are not only important; it is urgent to minimizing and managing risk. Your insurance broker knows this and has most likely already given you a call asking what your overall health care plan is. No budget? If your company doesn’t have a budget for wellness don’t be shy; ask your employees if they would be willing to pay for a work place wellness membership or webinar if you provided work time to participate.  The above chart demonstrates how wellness successfully fits into the overall  management plan.  

According to AdvertisingSpecialty Institute Today, 90% of employers are offering some sort of wellness program to their employees hoping to reduce medical costs. However, only 10% of wellness programs are result-oriented which supports healthy lifestyle strategies to promote permanent lifestyle changes.  The other 85% of wellness programs are activity focused.  This accounts for the modest results from some programs and the slow development of a healthier employee population.  According to a study by Towers Watson and the NationalBusiness Group on health, effective wellness programs create healthy employees who stay with their company.  

So how about your company? Are a significant portion of your employees getting healthier? 
If not, let’s focus on what will create a healthier population in the workplace and 
we'll all feel better, look better and get more work done.

Your partner in health,