Wellness Programs Can Be Provided By Employers As A Service Under Discretionary Benefits

Allow employees to register for company-sponsored classes and programs to help them manage their weight, reduce stress, stop smoking, and manage other health

Employee health and wellness definition. According to Chenoweth (n. d.) “the health status of your employees directly influences their work behavior, attendance and on-the-job performance . . . improving employee well-being will result in a more productive workforce” (p. 1). The purpose of an employee wellness program is to promote healthier employees who because they are healthy are happier more productive employees (Danna & Griffin, 1999). Wellness programs have positive outcomes for both the employer and the employee (Danna & Griffin, 1999). According to Chenoweth (n. d.) “for wellness initiatives to succeed, they must be an intrinsic part of an organization’s culture” (p. 1).

The Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010 to make sure that most people had medical insurance. With this new healthcare system came the responsibility that individuals would have to take initiatives to try to stay or get healthy. The preventative care portion included in the Affordable Car Act is a big item and very important in health care reform and very positive for the American people. Wellness in the workplace has become a very important issue to help reduce companies medical cost, and to help employees get on track to know their numbers, get healthy, and have a positive healthy mental attitude. Many employees do not understand or know how to get healthy and live a healthy lifestyle. With the rising cost of healthcare relating to

The Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010, with the intent of ensuring that most people in the United States have medical insurance. With this new healthcare system came the responsibility that individuals would have to take initiatives in an effort to stay healthy or at the least, increase their level of activity and health awareness, making them more responsible for their own wellness. The preventative care portion included in the Affordable Care Act is one of the fundamental items of the law and is a particularly meaningful, very positive attribute in health care reform for the American people. Wellness in the workplace has become an essential issue to help reduce companies’ medical cost, and to help employees get on track to know their numbers, get healthy, and have a positive healthy mental attitude. Many employees do not understand or know how to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. With the rising cost of healthcare, especially relating to people not taking care of their bodies, wellness in the workplace has become even more critical. Author Lori Breiner (2007) “believes wellness in the workplace has economic benefits for organizations, because if workers are healthy, they miss less time from work.” Breiner’s theory would suggest that better health increases productivity and profits in the workplace.

In recent years, health has become an increasing concern as obesity rates climb around the world, and especially in the United States. According to the World Health Organization (2015), obesity rates have doubled since the 1980s and will continue to rise if this trend continues. There are many factors that contribute to this obesity epidemic, which include larger portion sizes, more processed foods, changes in technology, and fewer jobs that require manual work. As waist sizes are growing, so are concerns for the future of our world and action is being taken by many companies to improve the health of their employees. In recent years laws have been passed through the Affordable Care Act to promote wellness programs in the workplace.

Foremost, the healthier a society is, the more productive employees are, which boosts revenue. When an employee’s health is in question, an employer may actually lose 77 percent of productivity, making the loss greater than that of health care expenses. These numbers go up with the combination of lack of exercise, 96 percent loss, and unhealthy eating habits, 93 percent loss, said a study from Brigham Young University, according to an article in a 2012 Education Letter. The study included “those who did not believe their workplace environment would support them in becoming physically and emotionally healthier were more likely to

Triumph Industries Inc. should be aware that according to Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) signed in 2008, generic screening is not allowable. This act protects Americans against discrimination based on their genetic information when it comes to health insurance and employment [5].

Health and wellness in the work place is a vital part to a company’s success. Employees who are healthier and more productive are less likely to call out from sickness. There are not many companies that have affordable health care coverage for employees. More companies should make healthcare affordable for their employees and their family. Research has been done on how effective health and wellness programs can be in the workplace. Throughout the reading these points will be discussed. The effectiveness of health and wellness in the workplace will also be spoken of. Health and wellness activities in the workplace will be a positive move for companies and employees.

This will allow for increased spending in other areas of our company, creating a more productive budget. In addition, participation in the Wellness Program will provide employees that are able to work more often and more efficiently. This will undoubtedly increase productivity and decrease turnover. With 39,000 employees in the United States and 30 foreign nations, it is imperative that we maintain healthy and productive employees. Because of these significant benefits, it is crucial that we maintain and improve participation in the program. However, there are several concerns that may hinder such participation: 1. Despite Whirlpool’s guarantee of confidentiality, many employees do not trust the company with such private information. a. Employees have expressed their fear in the use of the information. They are concerned that their health status may negatively affect their position in the company. b. Although it is assured that no records are kept, employees fear the leak of private health information to their peers. If information was leaked, they fear the effects on their reputation and social standing within the company. 2. In order for the new addition to our program to be successful, it is important that we stress the benefits to our current employees. a. If our employees do not

My company, for example, will soon begin open annual enrollment for benefits. During this time all employees are offered the chance to discount their portion of health care costs by participating in wellness activities. These activities include, blood pressure screening, cholesterol screenings, weight and measurements as well as a survey to determine our habits. The company doesn’t demand that a person lose weight or watch what they eat. However, they do offer resources to help maintain your health.

Research indicates that employers can increase employee retention, increase employee productivity, and reduce employee healthcare costs by implementing a workplace wellness program.

Setting the stage for starting a workplace-based wellness program will be the most difficult part. The program can be achieved by getting upper management support and forming a wellness/health services unit to help plan, promote, implement and maintain the program.

Health and wellness in the workplace is crucial to business success. Increasingly, it is recognized that the workplace itself has a powerful affect on people’s health. When people are satisfied with their job, they are more productive and tend to be healthier. When employees feel that the environment at work is negative, they feel stressed. Stress has a large impact on employee mental and physical health, and in turn, on productivity. Companies that promote healthy lifestyle habits for employees to improve their health, often take the success of the company to heart and are likely to be absent less often for health related reasons.

Providing these unusual benefits is based on the idea that “…in a 2008 survey of 628 employer groups conducted by Buck Consultants, 74% of U.S. companies cited reducing health care costs as their number-one motivator. But there are many other reasons. Other motivators identified in the survey included improving employee productivity, reducing health-related absences, improving employee morale, and retaining employees. Health and efficiency have a clear relationship—healthy employees take fewer sick days and are more productive at work—and businesses are starting to take notice.”

There are dozens of benefits of wellness programs. Employee wellness program plays an important part in every organization. It helps reducing the rate of illness and injury among the employees. Unhealthy employees in an organization experiences a lot of work related injuries, stress or back pain. These type sicknesses if not taken seriously may lead to serious illness such as heart disease or diabetes. This may also force an individual to discontinue working. Employee wellness programs’ helps such employees and reduce the rate of absenteeism. For example, 18% decrease in absenteeism was recorded at Coors Brewing Company after appointing a wellness program within their