Holistic Workplace Wellness

Although employers across the board saw health plan costs rise for a variety of reasons in 2017, small employers (less than 500 employees) were especially vulnerable to cost effects, according to a national survey from Mercer.

The number of employees that undergo catastrophic medical events with more than $1 million in medical claims increased 87% between 2014 and 2017. Employers cannot rely on ROI-based programs to manage this growing financial risk.

For many office-based employees, a normal day consists of sitting hunched over a computer keyboard. Try this simple office yoga sequence, which can be completed in a just few minutes at a desk, to improve employee physical well-being and increase productivity.

12 Thai boys and their coach who had been trapped in a cave were rescued by Thai Navy SEALs. When they were first discovered, they were reportedly meditating. The widely shared video of the moment the boys were found below went viral because so many people were shocked by how calm they were.

According to a list from Employee Benefit News on 15 trending workplace benefits, employee wellness and perks continue to take center stage. It shows that employers recognize the impact wellness benefits have on recruitment, retention, productivity, and business success.​

The rise in popularity of HDHPs has been widely reported, being driven by employers and employees wanting to keep premiums affordable. However, many employees with HDHPs do not have the financial means to cover the deductible, resulting in unforeseen medical expenses putting them in turmoil.

UnitedHealthcare recently published the results to its annual Wellness Check Up Survey. Most notably from the results, 62% of employees with wellness programs felt their wellness program increased their productivity and 56% reported having taken​ fewer sick days because of their program.

Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, and JPMorgan Chase announced that Dr. Atul Gawande will be the leader of their new health care venture. Since many employee wellness programs include clinical tests and interventions, companies would be wise to reflect on Dr. Gawande’s thoughts on health care.

Surveys and reports identify financial wellness as a key area of focus for wellness programs. Most employers satisfy the financial wellness needs of their employees with initiatives that “check the box” and are better than nothing, but it should come as no surprise that they have limited efficacy.