workplace wellness

workplace wellness,

The workplace wellness program is offered by some employers as a combination of educational, organizational, and environmental activities designed to support behavior conducive to the health of employees in a business and their families. It consists of health fairs, health education, medical screenings, health coaching, onsite fitness programs and/or facilities and educational programs designed to change employees' behavior in order to achieve better health and reduce the associated health risks.

While the stated goal of workplace wellness programs is to improve employee health, many U.S. employers have turned to them to help alleviate the impact of enormous increases in health insurance premiums experienced over the last decade. Some employers have also begun varying the amount paid by their employees for health insurance based on participation in these programs.

Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who studied successful strategies to prevent cardiovascular disease estimated that over a two-to-five year period, companies with comprehensive workplace wellness programs and appropriate health plans in place can yield $3 to $6 for each dollar invested, all while reducing the likelihood of employee heart attacks and strokes.

(source:wikipedia)