Employee Wellness Plans Broaden Focus to Include Employee Well-Being

This Huffington Post blog describes a shift in how employers think about wellness programs. To create healthy and productive workforces, organizations are starting to expand their benefits programs to focus on overall employee well-being. Employers are taking a more holistic approach to wellness by touching on additional aspects of an individual beyond the mere physical to include emotional/mental, spiritual and financial well-being.

A survey on Total Rewards and Employee Well-Being found that while a majority of employers offer traditional wellness programs, many are starting to sponsor programs that add to an employee's broader well-being. Indeed, it was encouraging to find that organizations are giving employees the tools they need to make behavioral changes that ultimately drive health care costs down, creating more productive and engaged employees. A majority (77 %) expect to increase the number of well-being programs and activities offered. Employer-sponsored well-being programs currently focus on physical fitness, stress reduction, work-life balance and financial education. Employers wanting to increase the chances for success ought to consider expanding eligibility for certain programs (such as financial counseling) to involve the employee's family members.