Over the past several years, a trend has been developing in corporate America. This trend, that is sweeping organizations and corporations, is to take seriously employee-based wellness programs in an effort to find solutions to the declining health of employees and the rising health-care costs that ensue. Improving employee health and reducing health-care costs benefits employee and employer alike.
According to the CDC, 86% of current healthcare costs are associated with chronic diseases. Many of these could be reduced, such as heart disease, some cancers, stroke, diabetes, arthritis and obesity. These are the most costly, but also some of the most preventable diseases. Progressive action in the form of lifestyle changes including education, proper nutrition and exercise can aid in the prevention or reduction of these chronic and costly diseases. Corporate wellness programs can and do greatly impact these diseases, and lead to decreased healthcare costs for both employer and employee.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that 59% of the American workforce do not get adequate exercise, 50% have high cholesterol, 27% have heart disease, 26% are overweight by 20% or more and 24% have high blood pressure. With long workdays, high-stress work environments and the pressure of constantly increasing productivity, enabling workers to reach their personal health goals is a difficult task. This is where an on-site wellness program, on-site fitness facility or partnership with a local fitness center, hosting health fairs or a partnership with a local health and nutrition store can yield tremendous results within an organization.
A healthy workforce is proven to be a more productive workplace. Research studies suggest that a typical return on investment is $3 to $6 for every $1 investment into a corporate wellness program.
Corporate Wellness programs or internal wellness promotion should be viewed as a true investment in the most important piece of the puzzle of any organization: the employees. With that said, several internal benefits of driving corporate wellness could include the following list below:
- Reduction of absenteeism
- Increase in company morale & confidence
- Reduction of turnover
- Attracting high caliber talent
- Increased time utilization in the workplace
- Prevention of employee health-related issues
The Ultimate End of Year 8-Week Challenge is a total body transformation contest that is designed and driven by Ultimate Workout, Todd Smith Fitness, and Nutrishop Omaha.
Participating in the Ultimate End of Year 8-Week Challenge can positively impact your company with increased productivity, reduced health-care costs, decreased absenteeism, and increased company morale. Because most people spend more time at work than almost anywhere else, the workplace is the ideal setting to promote health and wellness. Promoting health and wellness yields positive results for the individual worker and for the company as a whole. A healthier workplace benefits all!
