Holistic Workplace Wellness

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.

March is the National Nutrition Month. While all workplace wellness programs should touch upon nutrition year-round, it is not a bad idea to dedicate a whole month to educating employees on the topic.

Already popular in the consumer market, genetic disease risk screening is entering employee benefits. While the consumer testing market may be driven by peace of mind, personal health, and/or general curiosity, employers approach the cost-benefit analysis from a completely different perspective.

The 9th annual Health and Well-being Survey from Fidelity Investments and the National Business Group on Health showed that more than two-thirds (67%) of companies are expanding their wellness benefits beyond traditional physical activity programs.

The 2018 Consumer Health Mindset Study explores new and emerging topics related to the health mindset of consumers to help employers create effective benefits​ strategies, including how employees perceive employer wellness programs. Since 2014, perceptions have​ significantly improved.