Published on May 21, 2021 American Heart
Association
Research shows that
workplace wellness programs that are designed to be more comprehensive are
linked to improved health and productivity outcomes, which benefit both
employees and employers.
So, what is a comprehensive
program? It’s not offering a smoking cessation program — even though these
programs are popular (69% of large firms self-report that they offer them) and
are important to encourage quitting among employees who smoke.
Rather, an effective
workplace wellness program is a comprehensive set of organizational policies,
programs, and environmental supports that make the healthy choice the easy
choice.
“An
effective workplace wellness program is a comprehensive set of organizational
policies, programs, and environmental supports that make the healthy choice the
easy choice.”
For example, studies show
that offering standing and treadmill desks as well as incentivizing physical
activity programs using free pedometers and prizes can improve fitness in the
workplace. A majority of employers report offering wellness programs, yet a
recent national survey by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found
that less than one in five worksites implement truly comprehensive programs.
For example, although 29% of
companies offer physical activity programs, only 15% offer depression and 20%
offer stress management programs, two conditions that are major drivers of
healthcare costs in the workplace.
In 2016, the American Heart
Association launched the Workplace Health Achievement Index to provide
employers with a checklist of 55 best practices which, collectively, create a
“culture of health” in the workplace.
These strategies include:
Employers who apply these
best practices to the extent possible are creating the conditions for
generating real return on their investment into workplace health programs.
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