When selecting a wellness program, certain quality indicators should be considered in order to obtain maximum rewards. A program that suits one person or group may not be appropriate for others. Ultimately, employee wellness programs that provide the biggest rewards are those that give people the tools to maintain a healthy lifestyle through behavioral change, according to Ron Goetzel, Ph.D. and colleagues in May 2002 in the "American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine" journal.
Measurable Outcomes
Wellness programs have faced scrutiny regarding their ability to provide measurable results, Goetzel and colleagues note. Yet, the scientific research shows that employee wellness programs have been effective in providing long-term benefits to participant health. Wellness programs have the potential to improve employee productivity and reduce health-care costs for employers, Goetzel and colleagues add.
Case Study
One multi-million dollar organization established an employee health initiative that focused on disease prevention and health promotion through a model including behavioral modification to create positive health habits, according to Goetzel and colleagues. The company began in 1979 and sought to earn recognition as the company with the healthiest workers. It also focused on the highest risk factors occurring in its employees, which amounted also to disease management and early detection. The program was a success in part due to the behavior changes that it promoted that led to better health outcomes.
Qualities
The programs that brought the biggest reward were those that were appropriately designed, implemented well, and evaluated for improvement, as mentioned by Goetzel and colleagues. The people with the highest risks showed the greatest improvements in part because they had more area for improvement. Among the biggest risk factors were lack of exercise, smoking, having a high body weight, and poor nutrition. One markedly positive attribute of this program is that it fostered a focus on health education and the idea of individual responsibility; the idea that people can control their health-related behaviors. According to Goetzel and colleagues, an important aspect related to the effectiveness of a wellness program is that it stresses healthy living as a lifelong commitment. Even the American Heart Association promotes the use of wellness programs, according to the institution's researchers, Mercedes Carnethon, PhD, FAHA and colleagues in September 2009 in "Circulation." They specifically cite tobacco cessation, exercise, stress management, nutritional education, weight management, disease management, and heart health education as the most critical components of a cardiovascular and general health wellness program.
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