A Quick Definition of Employee Wellness Programs

Rising health care costs have employers everywhere looking for ways to save money and still provide their employees with the coverage they are wanting.

One of the ways to meet both goals is to implement an Employee Wellness Program.  When it’s set up correctly, a wellness program can increase productivity, boost moral, and reduce stress.  They help employees get and stay healthy, so your costs for your plan go down.

If you are trying to decide if you want to implement one for your company, then the first step is understanding what they are, so here’s a quick definition to get you started:

Defining Wellness

The term “Wellness” is used a lot, but it’s typically misunderstood.  When it comes to wellness programs – it refers to the process towards becoming aware of unhealthy habits, and learning what you can do to increase your health.  It’s not about simply “being well.”  It’s about being proactive towards better living.

Wellness On A Company Scale

A Wellness Program takes those same values and applies them to a set of principles, incentives, and evaluations that can be implemented company-wide to improve the health and morale of your workforce.

For example – you might implement a yearly physical screening that focuses on early detection of common ailments, like high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Typical programs will include things like: stress management, blood pressure screening, cholesterol screening, smoking cessation programs, physical fitness, and nutrition.

How You Benefit

After implementing a wellness program, you can typically expect to see:

• A decrease in sick and absent days
• A reduction in the number of work-related injuries
• A reduction in the number of repetitive strain injuries
• An increase in productivity
• and a decrease in worker’s compensation claims

If you have any other questions about implementing an employee wellness program for your company, just give us a call, and we’d be happy to help.  http://www.ebs-consulting.com/contact-us/