Wellness Programs Finally Catching On with Companies

A Fox Business News article describes how companies are finally seeing the impact of health and wellness on their bottom lines. Sustained healthy behaviors among employees have a lot to do with improving a company’s bottom line, experts say, and health buzz culture is the necessary first step to a two-year return on investment that typically reaps $3 in savings for every $1 paid in administrative costs. Kyle Rolfing, founder and president of RedBrick Health claims the computation takes into account “soft” numbers—about a third that reflect productivity. But soft numbers don’t always pass muster with CFOs, but Rolfing says employers can expect a two-to-one return in the same two years if productivity is taken out of the equation.

Wellness plans typically offer health-risk assessments, 24-7 nurse hotlines, health fairs and screenings as well as online, over-the-phone and on-location coaching to help employees establish a baseline health status and determine where and how to invest their time.

Health engagement technology company Redbrick Health’s RedBrick Journeys program uses social tools to enhance personalization and cultivate desired behaviors into simple, small steps geared to each individual. “Identification and stratification effectively create a personal health map in real-time,” says Rolfing. “And reducing behaviors to small choices makes tasks easy to accomplish and interactions fun.”

Employees engaged in integrated programs receive encouragement for participation not only through lower health premiums but also rewards for engagement. Humana Rewards include items such as iTunes gift cards, health equipment like pedometers and heart monitors, movie tickets, hotel stays or small kitchen appliances.

Back in the 1980s, only 1 in 10 employers understood that prevention turned back the dial on more than 70% of disease states.  Experts agree that this is the first time the economy has tanked and wellness program spending is up.