Strategy may improve ROI on wellness programs

Thursday, 01 September 2011 16:00

For many administrators, the first thing they want to know before implementing an employee wellness program is the return on investment (ROI) the company will receive.

An article on a website for the Human Resource Network states that wellness initiatives only need to reduce employee health risk factors by less than 1 percent in order to see savings on health insurance. In fact, the news source estimates that a 0.2 percent reduction in risk will typically earn companies their money back on the program over a five-year period.

There may be some strategies that can help businesses see an even better ROI, according to the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA).

First, administrators can review their organization's policy to see if a wellness program is covered by their insurance company. Additionally, wellness dollars available through some employee health benefit packages can provide incentives for workers to participate in programs that promote well-being.

Companies can also consider implementing policies that encourage healthy behavior, such as smoking bans. WELCOA reported that one organization was even able to fix their elevator to move slowly, prompting workers to take the stairs instead.