Does your Company provide a Wellness Program?
SNAPPOLL PAGE 39
MARCH 4, 2016
ROCHESTER BUSINESS JOURNAL
Most favor employee wellness programs
Fitness, weight control, nutrition education top list of programs readers like
More than 80 percent of respondents to this week’s RBJ
Daily Report Snap Poll say employers should offer workplace
wellness programs. Though just over half—51 percent—say
there is an employee wellness program at their workplace.
The majority of respondents favor
incentives to motivate workers
to participate in wellness programs
but oppose penalties such
as high premiums if they opt out.
Roughly 70 percent of respondents
said employees should be
offered incentives to participate
in a wellness program. Slightly
fewer readers—68 percent—say
companies shouldn’t require employees
to pay higher premiums
if they don’t participate in a wellness program.
Preventive health and wellness benefi ts increasingly are
seen by employers as a key strategy to boost productivity, reduce
absenteeism and curb health care benefi ts costs. A 2015
research report by the Society for Human Resource Management
found 70 percent of companies now offer wellness programs,
up from 58 percent seven years earlier.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
workplace wellness programs and policies are “designed to
support healthy behaviors and improve health outcomes while
at work.” These programs consist of activities such as health
education and coaching, weight control programs, medical
screenings, stress management and on-site fitness programs.
Fitness, weight control and
nutrition education were the top
vote-getters for activities in which
respondents say they would participate
in as part of an employee
wellness program.
Views differ on the effectiveness
of workplace
wellness efforts. A Kaiser
Family Foundation survey
found nearly three-quarters
of companies think employee
wellness programs are effective, but other researchers
say the return on employers’ investment is not clear.
For the past decade, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield,
Rochester Region, and the Rochester Business Journal
have presented the Wealth of Health Awards to recognize employers’
health initiatives. The deadline to nominate is March
18; go to wealthofhealthawards.com. The event is June 8.
Nearly 475 readers participated in this week’s poll, conducted
Feb. 29 and March 1.
In your view, should employers offer workplace wellness programs?
Yes No
81% 19%
Currently, is there an employee wellness program at your place of work?
Yes No
51% 49%
Should employees be offered incentives to participate in a wellness program?
Yes No
71% 29%
Should companies require employees to pay higher premiums if they do not participate in a wellness program?
Yes No
32% 68%