A wellness program refers to a system that many employers set in place to assist employees with various aspects of health and fitness. A wellness program is basically an investment in the most valuable asset a business has, which is its employees. Wellness programs offer a wide range of benefits to both employee and employer.
Program Features
Employee wellness programs can include many different services as part of the overall package. Some features of many programs include back care, fitness, weight loss, smoking, blood pressure control, stress management, nutrition and health risk. Free screening for different cancers, reduced gym membership fees and free seminars are some ways that employers try to extend help to employees.
Employee Benefits
The American Institute for Preventative Medicine reports that boosts to employee morale, overall health and less job-related accidents are the primary benefits to employees. For smokers or employees who are obese, your life expectancy may increase by many years if your wellness program assists you in removing negative lifestyle choices.
Stats
According to the Employee Health Promotion website, 93 million days of work are lost each year due to back issues. Medical problems related to smoking account for $26 billion a year in expenses for corporations. Statistically, smokers are twice as likely to suffer an accident on the job, and have a 50-percent higher likelihood of being hospitalized for any reason. Each year, 45 million workdays are lost because of vehicle accidents. The American Institute for Preventative Medicine says that on average, 62 percent of all businesses offer a wellness program of some sort.
Employer Benefits
The employers benefit just as much or more than the employees by instituting a wellness program. Costs for many personnel-related issues drop once the results of a wellness program are seen. Employers can expect to notice less employee turnover, higher productivity, fewer workdays lost to illness or injury, and lower health insurance claims.
Considerations
The size of a particular company is the largest indicator of whether a wellness program will exist. You can contact the human resources department of any company you are considering submitting a resume to, and ask if they have a wellness program if you would like to know up front.
Member Comments