Now more than ever, organizations know how much of a priority health and wellness is for their wellbeing. A Global Wellness Institute (GWI) report estimated that health issues among company workers cost the United States over $2 trillion a year. Over 70% of employers offer some type of health and wellness program to their workers and more are doubtless coming. It is important to note health and wellness programs can have only a limited impact on employee health and wellness if they are not executed correctly. So, how do organizations create wellness programs and wellness incentives that work to effectively improve employee health and wellbeing? Health and wellness incentive programs with high rates of success help motivate people to take personal responsibility for managing and improving their health and fitness, reduce absenteeism, improve productivity, and decrease health care costs. In the GWI study they present evidence that companies that were perceived by their employees as more “Caring” had much more successful health and wellness programs. One of the primary factors in deciding if a company was “caring” was whether or not that organization offered tangible incentives. This is supported by studies conducted by Johns Hopkins University’s Institute for Health and […]
Tag: health and wellness program incentives
How to Offer a Health and Wellness Incentive that Works
Workplace health and wellness is a huge priority. A Global Wellness Institute (GWI) report estimated that worker unwellness costs the United States $2.2 trillion a year. It is no wonder that over 70% of employers are offering some type of health and wellness program to their workers. Unfortunately, if not executed correctly, employee wellness incentive programs can have only a limited impact. This raises a question: How do companies choose programs that work to effectively create a change in employee health and wellbeing? What Makes A Health Incentive Program Work? Successful health and wellness incentive programs help motivate people to take responsibility for improving and managing their health and fitness. They not only help employees live healthier lives but also improve outcomes for the company, as well. This includes boosting productivity, reducing absenteeism, and decreasing healthcare costs. On a related note, great health and wellness programs demonstrate to employees that their employer cares for them and their families. One of the main factors in deciding if a company was “caring” was whether or not that company offered tangible incentives. This is supported by studies conducted by Johns Hopkins University’s Institute for Health and Productivity Studies (IHPS), which have shown that one […]