This document discusses employer uncertainty regarding implementing worksite wellness programs. While employees spend most of their time at work, making it a sensible place to promote health, many employers are reluctant to establish wellness programs. This reluctance stems from factors like perceived costs, views of obesity as a personal issue, and concerns about recouping investments. However, research shows wellness programs can reduce absenteeism and healthcare costs associated with obesity-related diseases. Both large employers and employees generally support wellness programs more than small employers. Further investigation is still needed to fully understand employer uncertainties around the value of worksite wellness initiatives.

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Uncertainty Revealed: The Value of Worksite Wellness Programs
Christine Gulledge

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Abstract
The goal of any worksite wellness program is to promote physical activity and lifetime fitness
through various people, programs, and policies. Employed adults spend the majority of their time
at work, so creating a healthy environment for employees seems like a sensible plan. Despite this
knowledge, many employers are reluctant to incorporate a worksite wellness program into their
firm. Research concerning the effectiveness of a wellness program is widespread, but needs to be
investigated further. In order to address increasing health care costs associated with obesity, the
various attitudes of employers concerning health beliefs, food choices, as well as individual
responsibility must be examined. Each of these factors affects employer uncertainty with regard
to implementing a wellness program in the work place. A combination of various studies will
examine the true value of providing a wellness program in the workplace.

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Uncertainty Revealed: The Value of Worksite Wellness Programs
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, employed adults spend a quarter of their lives at
work (2012). Because employees spend the majority of their time at work, creating a healthy
environment for workers seems like a rational thing to do. Despite this knowledge, many
employers are still very reluctant to incorporate a worksite wellness program into their firm. The
goal of any worksite wellness program aims to address this overarching issue of employer
reluctance. Through the use of plausible research and knowledge, wellness programs promote
physical activity and lifetime fitness through various people, programs, and policies. Research
concerning the effectiveness of a wellness program is prevalent, but needs to be investigated
further. In order to address increasing health care costs associated with obesity, the various
attitudes of employers concerning health beliefs, food choices, as well as individual
responsibility must be examined. The combination of these factors each contributes to employer
uncertainties as they pertain to the true value of wellness programs in the work place.
About two of every three adults today are either overweight or obese (Osilla, 2012). The
American Heart Association has established the link between obesity and the accompanying
diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Despite the palpable notion that
obesity and the diseases associated with it result in more frequent employee absenteeism, there
are additional implications to consider. A study that measured the relationship between
utilization of care as it pertains to obesity and company cost found an expected positive
correlation. Worksites with a high rate of obesity had 348.4 more episodes of care of any kind
per 1000 employees. This translates into $1250 greater cost per employee (Colombi, 2011).
Essentially, worksites with greater obesity prevalence rates were associated with numerically
more frequent and more expensive episodes of care than worksites with low obesity prevalence.

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Implementing a worksite wellness program seems like a sensible solution to reduce the costly
effects caused by obesity. When given the statistical research, most employers agree that obesity
ultimately leads to increased company expenditures. According to recent data, 65 percent of
employers that offered health benefits in 2011 have turned to employee wellness programs to
fight the rising cost of healthcare. Wellness programs do have significant effects on reducing
absenteeism, increase in work productivity, and improved worker morale and loyalty (Stone,
2012).The International Communications Research (ICR) conducted a survey questioning
employer’s perceived effectiveness of weight management. They found that Seventy-one percent
of employers and 92 percent of jumbo employers (with 5,000 or more workers) agreed that “it is
an appropriate role for an employer to include a range of obesity-related services and benefits for
employees” (Osilla, 2012). Thus, most employers realize that healthy workplaces promote the
concept of positive lifestyle behaviors and facilitate organizational development (Colombi,
2011). However, the numbers alone are not always enough to convince an employer that a
wellness program is the solution.
Some employers believe the issue of obesity is a personal responsibility of the employee.
Poor lifestyle decisions or lack of willpower is unrelated to the workplace environment.
Employers believe that workers are going to continue their poor eating and exercise habits
regardless of their work environment. This notion may be why only a minority of firms are
willing to pay higher premiums for more obesity prevention or treatment benefits. Employees, in
contrast, are willing to contribute more for their premiums to pay for these programs. For
example, only 2 percent of employers strongly support paying higher health insurance premiums
for more obesity prevention benefits, while 31percent somewhat support doing so (Gabel, 2011).

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Thus, employees seem to recognize this need for a worksite wellness program more so than their
employers.
Likewise, a study measuring environmental factors at the workplace found that a number
of workplace factors affected employee eating and exercise habits. Specifically, fifty-seven
percent of employees believed time constraints prevented them from eating healthy food while
59% believed it affected their exercise habits. The same study found that the majority of
employees (59%) believed the quality of food at the workplace influenced their eating habits.
Similarly, sixty-five percent of employees believed the lack of a worksite gymnasium prevented
them from getting enough exercise at the workplace (Colombi, 2011). Despite this information,
the reluctance to adopt a wellness program more likely stems from the perceived length of time it
would take for employers to “recoup their investment” in the form of lower premiums.
Employers most commonly saw obesity management programs as needing to pay for themselves
within a three-year period (Freedman, 2010). Firms that believe the issue of obesity is a personal
responsibility are generally small in size and are impatient with regards to recouping their
investment. Conversely, larger employers accept the workplace as an appropriate venue for
addressing these problems. Many large employers have already recognized that obesity is a
disease that requires a holistic company approach (Gabel, 2011).
Obesity increases the risk of chronic disease, including cardiovascular disease, type 2
diabetes, as well as numerous other social and physical comorbidities (Freedman, 2010). These
diseases, in turn, reduce workforce productivity. The goal of any wellness program is to promote
healthy lifestyles and prevent disease with educational and motivational approaches. As
discussed, the significance of wellness programs is dependent on a range of secondary factors
that relate to obesity in the workplace. Factors such as company costs, employer perceptions,

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individual responsibility, as well as food and beverage consumption all contribute to the true
value of establishing a wellness program in the workplace.

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References
Colombi, A.M., & Wood, G. (2011). Obesity in the Workplace: Impact on
Cardiovascular Disease, Cost, and Utilization of Care. American Health & Drug
Benefits, 4(5), 271-277.
Freedman, M. R., & Rubinstein, R. J. (2010). Obesity and food choices among faculty and staff
at a large urban university. Journal Of American College Health, 59(3), 205-210.
Gabel, J.R., Whitmore, H., Pickreign, J., Freguson, C.C., Jain, A., Shova, K.C., & Scherer, H.
(2011). Obesity And The Workplace: Current Programs And Attitudes Among
Employers And Employees. Health Affairs, 28(1), 46-56.
Osilla, K.< Van Busum, K., Schyner, C., Wozar Larkin, J., Eibner, C., & Mattke, S. (2012).
Systematic Review of the Impact of Worksite Wellness Programs. American Journal Of
Managed Care, 18(2), e68-e81.
Stone, K. N. (2012). EMERGING VOICES: LIMITATIONS & LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF
EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAMS. Labor Law Journal, 63(1), 72-76.