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Haley Revels

Wellness in the Workplace


Current issues and solutions

Some major issues employers are focused on are, healthcare cost and productivity
losses. People with chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, cancer and stroke account
for 75% of the 2.5 trillion dollars spent on annual U.S medical care costs. Also, obesity is a major
health care cost, with 147 billion dollars spent in 2008 on weight related medical bills.
Productivity losses related to personal and family health problems cost U.S. employers 1,685
dollars per employee, per year, or 225.8 billion dollars annually. Studies are showing that
implementing and expanding evidence-based workplace health promotion programs offer
employers the opportunity to improve the health of Americans, which in turn will help bring
down healthcare cost and bring up productivity levels of employees.1
Participation could always be a concern for any employer implementing a wellness
program. Some employees might not want to participate. The 2013 EBRI/Greenwald &
Associates Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey, examined participation of wellness
programs. It was reported that the main reason why employees participated was for positive
reasons of improving or maintaining health. It was also found that the employees who did not
participate, reported that they could make changes on their own, and also because they didnt

have time. The survey then showed that employees would most likely participate if they were
offered a $250 dollar cash incentive or a discounted premium.2 Also, according to RAND
Employer Survey, employers who use incentives for participation in wellness screening
activities reported significantly higher participation rates than those who do not. 3 Incentives are
typically rewards offered in financial form as cash or health insurance premium surcharges, gym
discounts, or items like t-shirts, gift cards, tickets to events and coffee mugs. Incentives can also
be used as penalties, but it is not common. 84% of employers reportedly use incentives as
rewards rather than penalties.3
Cost could be another issue for employers wanting to implement wellness programs.
Having nutritionist, a wellness team or building a gym all cost money, so cost is something
every employer must consider. It is reported that using evidence-based worksite health
programs can yield on average, a $3 return on every dollar spent, over a 2-5 year period.1
There are also other ways to create cheap health and wellness programs, like a runners group,
or a weight loss group, which doesnt cost anything.
Employers and employees could also be concerned about discrimination issues involved
with a wellness program. In order to protect consumers from unfair practices there are
regulations that require health wellness programs to follow certain rules. Some of the rules are
that programs must have a reasonable chance of improving health or preventing disease, and
not be overly burdensome for individuals. Also, that alternative ways of qualifying for a reward
would have to be offered to individuals whose medical conditions make it difficult, or medically

inadvisable, to meet the specified health-related standard. There are many other rules and
regulations in place to protect employers and employees.4
In conclusion, evidence shows that workplace health programs have the potential to
influence social norms, establish health policies, promote healthy behaviors, improve
employees health knowledge and skills, help employees get necessary health screenings,
immunizations and follow-up care, which all results in reduced healthcare cost and gain in
productivity for America.5
References:
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site.
http://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/nhwp/. Accessed May 20, 2014.
2. Employee Benefit Research Institute Web site.
http://www.ebri.org/pdf/FF.263.Wellness.9Jan14.pdf. Accessed May 20, 2014.
3. Mattke S, Liu H, Caloyeras JP. Workplace Wellness Programs Study. RHAND Health.
2013; 18-20.
4. U.S. Department of Labor Web site.
http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/pdf/fswellnessprogram.pdf. Accessed May 20, 2014.
5. Federal Register. http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-11-29/pdf/2011-30649.pdf.
Accessed May 20, 2014.

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