Health and wellness aren't just New Year's resolution buzzwords, they're becoming crucial to business owners as health-care costs continue to climb. The solution for many organizations is to implement wellness programs, which not only improve employees' health but can also result in a more productive work force.
Offering a program that improves your employees' waistlines as well as your organization's bottom line isn't as daunting as it may seem, says Paula Sauer, vice president of Care Management for Medical Mutual of Ohio. In fact, you may already have resources available of which you weren't even aware.
"Your first step should be to evaluate the services available through your company and utilize the programs, such as your health plan or EAP (employee assistance program)," Sauer says. "Many people think of their health plan as simply a claims-processing shop, but today, so many health plans and EAPs have a full spectrum of offerings their customers just don't know about."
You may also want to ask employees about informal health-related activities they may take part in to see if they can be implemented throughout the whole company. "For example, some of your employees may belong to Weight Watchers or have a lunchtime walking club, so it might work to formalize these programs as part of your overall wellness plan," Sauer suggests.
Promoting wellness in your company doesn't necessarily have to come in the form of an official program, either. Stocking the vending machines with healthy snacks, subsidizing gym memberships and even promoting use of the stairs are simple ways to encourage healthy living. "Some companies we've worked with even pipe music into the stairwell and paint it a soothing color to make them more appealing than the elevator," Sauer adds.
When creating a wellness plan, determine any financial incentives that can be offered to encourage participation. "Some organizations implement a reduction on their health-insurance premiums, deposit money into a health savings account or give vacation days," Sauer explains.
Once your wellness plan is in place, you need a way to measure its success. Often this is done through a health risk assessment, which participants take at the start of the program and every year thereafter. "With that data, an employer can see what the company's risk looks like and whether the program is effective in reducing health risks," Sauer says.
In the Care Management department, Sauer and a staff of 275 are tasked with improving the health of Medical Mutual members. "We are constantly identifying new opportunities to educate our members on staying healthy," she says. "That, in turn, reduces risk and costs associated with their medical coverage."
Sauer says she's seen a huge spike in the number of Medical Mutual members who have implemented wellness programs into the workplace. "Most of the time, companies need our help in communicating their program to employees and encouraging participation," she says. "We have dedicated health and wellness coordinators who do nothing but work with employers to help them establish and manage these programs. For many organizations, it's an important element in managing health-care costs."