By Monique Boulet, RD, CDN, CPT
Although it’s been decades since the start
of the first workplace wellness programs
in the country, their popularity has really
sparked a growing trend in enormous numbers
within all types of industries, product
or service based, small or large, within the
last several years.
Some employers have yet to jump on the
healthy wave and want to know the hows and
whys of why it’s desirable to conform with
the healthy trend. While there are still those
who are simply looking at the initial costs
and are unaware of the end results, there
are now studies providing the breakdown
of the benefits that a wellness program can
make on the employer/employee structure,
the connections in and outside of the facility,
the effect on the final product/ service
provided, and therefore the client supporting
the business.
In my experience, the most effective
component of a successful wellness program
is to first find a competent licensed health
professional who has experience in pulling
together an individualized program that
meets the needs of the group they will be
working closely with.
If you are working with a health professional,
and they have a standard program in
place, I would be cautious. I have yet to use
the same wellness program twice in almost
two decades of being a dietitian, fitness
trainer and health coach. In other words,
there should be flexibility in conforming a
program that works specifically within each
groups dynamics.
This can only really be effective with a
thorough information-gathering phase to
determine the perceptions of the group in
relation to the importance of good health.
It’s about taking a strategic approach to
finding out what your employees want,
need, and the time they are willing to invest
within a solid, supportive setting. Providing
an encouraging and supportive setting will
eliminate fear of time restraints, limited
resources, or the inability to reach individual
goals.
A great way to get your feet wet without
jumping in fully with a wellness program or
health professional that may not be a good
fit would be to hold a Health and Wellness
Day at your site, allowing employees to
observe various wellness professionals, ask
questions, have health screenings such as
blood pressure or cholesterol, and have a
health risk assessment done.
Another option is to have a health professional
provide a presentation on a topic
interesting to the group during a “lunch and learn” event. This provides an opportunity
to experience the energy and execution of
the presenter’s style, without locking into
the cost of an extended program.
I have been asked why the shift toward
corporate and small business wellness programs?
The benefits across the board that
corporations are experiencing include improved
health and morale of the employee;
reduced absenteeism, sick days and medical
visits; wellness that extends to employees’
families; and cost savings to the employer
via a reduction in insurance premiums.
Medical costs fall about $3.27 per dollar
spent on wellness programs and absentee
day costs fall by about $2.73 per dollar spent,
according to a recent Harvard University
study. Other studies reveal similar results.
In addition, studies go beyond health care
dollar savings and show there is a significant
increase in productivity and service of the
business as a whole, which results in a happier
customer base.
In the past decade, about 95 percent–or
$2 trillion–of the nation’s healthcare dollars
were spent directly on medical services.
And even though an estimated 60-70 percent
of all diseases may be linked to preventable
health risks, only about 5 percent of those
funds were being allocated to preventing
disease and promoting health.
Increasingly, companies are wanting to
take a preventative, proactive approach,
knowing that the end result of a small initial
investment is worth the risk of all the
setbacks of not having one, and in the end,
the direct and indirect financial gains are
incomparable.
Boulet is owner of Organique by Monique
in Saratoga Springs.
Photo Courtesy Monique Boutlet