Wellness Plans : Making the Case for Health Promotion Programs.

Major advantages of healthful workforce include –

• Lower Health Care Costs

• Decreased Injuries

• Decreased Absenteeism

• Improved Morale and Loyalty

• Higher Productivity

• Lowered Use of Health Care Benefits

• Decreased Workers’ Compensation / Disability

• Positive Perception in Community

• Reduced Turnover

• Increased recruitment for skilled employees

What’s NOT having a Health Promotion Program costing your business?  

Consider the health risk factors that are increasing chronic diseases for adults –

• 59 percent of adults are overweight or obese

• More than 60% of American adults don’t exercise regularly

• Greater than 75 percent of adults don’t consume the minimum recommendations for fruits and vegetables

• Heart disease is the most common cause of death and the leading cause of death in smokers

• 26 percent of workers announced they were often or very often burned out or stressed by their work  

Health Care Costs are Increasing –  Health Care costs are at a record high of $1.7 trillion with no signs of holding steady let alone decreasing.  The typical cost of annual healthcare spending is over $5,000 per individuals and with dependents nearly $10,000.  

Current data shows that healthcare related costs now cost North Carolina corporations thousands of dollars per worker, per year.

Most Illnesses can be Avoided –  Despite the fact that it sounds unbelievable, experts indicate that preventable disease makes up 60 percent – 70 percent of the entire burden of disease in the USA    

In North Carolina, it’s estimated that more than 53 percent of all deaths are preventable, and that 2/3 of all preventable deaths are due to tobacco use, lack of exercise, and poor nutrition.

Stress Levels are Increasing –   as corporation resources become less and businesses adopt leaner work practices, the effects of absenteeism and productivity lost have a greater impact.  

In a recent national poll, 78 percent of American Citizens described their jobs as stressful, and the majority felt that stress levels have become worse over the last 10 years. Furthermore, high levels of organizational stress can negatively affect a corporation by increasing injuries, absenteeism, and medical costs while decreasing productivity.  

Simple solutions like stress management education, flexible work schedules, quality social interaction, and increased participation in business decision-making can improve stress levels in the worksite.

What is the Upfront Cost and Time Investment for a Wellness Program?

The fee depends on the kind of Health Promotion Program implemented.  There are a few options to promote worker health with advantages and drawbacks of each.  The wellness program design depends on the goals of the wellness program, the corporation resources, and the community resources available.  

Improving dietary practices, increasing exercise levels, managing stress or addressing work life balance issues, and reducing/eliminating tobacco use, are main strategies for preventing many of the most common preventable chronic conditions.

The possibilities of how your organization addresses these issues are endless and can range from increasing employee awareness, which can include buying a few handouts on a variety of topics, and measuring walking distances around your facility.

Other possibilities include establishing organizational support like funding a fulltime occupational health expert or building an on-site fitness club.  

When well planned and based on your objectives, any of these health promotion programs can help you succeed.  Refer below to Health Promotion Program Design Choices for more ideas.