Wellness Programs.

Corporate Exercise Plans Improve Staff Member Wellness

Instituting a wellness program improves the health of workers, lowers worker absenteeism and saves the corporation money, too. Learn more about starting an worker wellness program in the office.

Benefits of Wellness Programs

• A company investment of $100-$150 per staff member annually to participate in an staff member wellness program can save corporations $300 to $450 for each staff member every year, according to Ron Goetzel, Director, Cornell University Institute for Health and Productivity Studies.

The savings can take several years to actualize, says Goetzel, and are seen in decreased health expenditures.

• the Wellness Councils of America stated a $24 return for every $1 spent on a business wellness program for small companies.

• According to a 2005 survey by the Art of Wellness, businesses who instituted employee wellness programs realized a 30 percent reduction in medical and absenteeism costs in less than four years.

A successful wellness program begins with business leaders. Company owners should lead by example, taking part in their corporation’s corporate fitness program and working closely with a wellness coach.

Company leaders should make certain workers are well aware of their wellness efforts, posting weight loss results or smoking cessation results on company intranet or bulletin boards for everyone to see.

Staff Member Wellness Programs that Really Work

• Be sure to encourage workers to kick begin their own wellness programs by visiting their doctor. A complete physical should include information about blood sugar, cholesterol levels and general health.

• Target specific health-related concerns in a corporate fitness program. Information about how to fight obesity, use of tobacco, alcoholism and drug abuse must be at the forefront of an worker wellness program, along with related conditions.

• Hire a wellness coach to instruct workers on how to lead a healthy lifestyle.

• Reward employees for participating in company wellness programs. Let employees accrue wellness points that they can redeem for prizes.

Make the prizes healthful, too- a free massage, private training session with the corporation’s wellness coach or health food gift certificate encourages even healthier lifestyle choices.

• Acknowledge worker wellness leaders in corporation newsletters, in posted bulletins and on the corporation intranet.

Business Wellness Programs Yield Big Results

For company owners who want to increase employee participation in a company wellness program, consider Johnson and Johnson’s approach.

Faced with only 26% of workers participating in their worker wellness program, Johnson and Johnson offered workers a $500 discount on health insurance costs when they completed a health risk profile.

The number of workers participating in the Johnson and Johnson corporate fitness program jumped after they offered the incentive — to more than 93%.

Ron Goetzel encourages those looking to pitch a corporate fitness program to company leaders to use basic facts about the benefits of worker wellness programs as part of their argument.

Keep it simple, and share results from other corporation’s employee wellness program success stories.