1. Employee Wellness
Perspectives on Wellness:
– Physical – fitness, nutrition, medical self-care
– Emotional – stress management, depression, crisis
care
– Social – community, family, friends, co-workers
– Intellectual – educational, career development,
achievement
– Spiritual – love, hope, charity
– Occupational – safe, nurturing worksite environment
Source: Am.J of Health Promotion & National Wellness
Institute
2. Wellness: definitions
• Wellness: “An intentional choice of a lifestyle characterized by
personal responsibility, moderation, and maximum personal
enhancement of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.”
• Worksite Wellness Program: “An organized program in the
worksite that is intended to assist employees and their family
members (and/or retirees) in making voluntary behavior changes
which reduce their health and injury risks, improve their health
consumer skills, and enhance their individual productivity and
well-being”.
The purpose of worksite wellness programs is to
improve the health and productivity of the staff
and reduce health-related costs by helping to
change towards a healthy lifestyle.
Source: Larry Chapman, WebMD Health Services
3. Some sobering facts….
The relationship between modifiable health risks and
health care expenditures:
Staff who are/have:
Depressed have 70% higher annual health plan costs.
Stressed have 46% higher annual health plan costs.
Elevated blood sugar have 35% higher annual health plan
costs.
Obesity have 21% higher annual health plan costs.
Smokers have 20% higher annual health plan costs.
High Blood pressure have 12% higher annual health plan
costs.
Not exercising have 10% higher annual health plan costs.
Source: Goetzel RZ, et.al (1998, October). The relationship between modifiable health risks and
health care expenditures: An analysis of the multi-employer HERO health risk and cost
database JOEM, 40(10):843-54.
4. More sobering facts….
Sick Leave Absenteeism – impact of behavioral health
risks (n=34,451)
– Mental health related sick leave results in a 150% higher
absenteeism
– Back Pain – 140% higher
– Stress – 131% higher
– No exercise – 118% higher
– Obesity – 116% higher
Source: Serxner, S., et al., (2001). The impact of behavioral health risks on
worker absenteeism. JOEM, 43(4), 347-354.
5. And more…
Workers Comp (WC) Costs are higher for increased
health risks (n= 3,338)
– Low Overall Wellness Score – 1989% higher annual
WC costs
– Smoking – 1243% higher
– Poor health – 836% higher
– No exercise – 556% higher
– Low life satisfaction – 255% higher
Multiple health risks multiply WC cost
– Low health risks = $106 average annual WC cost
– High (multiple) health risks = $1241 average annual
WC cost
6. More
Percent of Working Adults with Major (Preventable) Risk Factors
• Poor Nutrition – 71%
• Little or no Exercise – 63%
• Stressed – 61%
• Cholesterol – 54%
• Back Care – 44%
• Driving related (seat belt use, speeding, DUI, texting/cell
phone)– 32%
• Smoking – 22%
• High Blood Pressure – 21%
• Alcohol Use – 16%
What is your organization’s “fingerprint” of health risks?
7. Costs….
Estimated 2004 Median Health Cost per Employee -
$18,538
N=46,000 + x 3 years
Health Claims - $7,465
Turnover - $5,908
Absenteeism - $1,296
Disability - $820
WC - $496
Presenteeism - $2,554
Source: Goetzel RZ, et.al (1998, October). The relationship
between modifiable health risks and health care
expenditures: An analysis of the multi-employer HERO
health risk and cost database JOEM, 40(10):843-54.
8. Where to start
Plan on Addressing
• Physical activity
• Tobacco use
• Stress
• Weight Management
• Blood pressure
• Cholesterol
• Nutrition
• Medical self-care
• Back care
• Injury prevention
9. Top management support
Challenges
• To make a case for a wellness program – a clear economic
rationale
• To demonstrate importance in reducing health costs
• To propose a model program and evaluation plan that best fits your
organization
• To propose a reasonable budget that will achieve your program
goals.
• To identify a senior level wellness champion
• To show that prevention can result in a return on
investment within as little as one year
• Implement an annual evaluation and regularly
report progress and results.
It is also the right thing to do for your employees!
10. For Planning a Wellness Program,
look at:
• Historical data (if any)
• Demographic data
• Employee Wellness Interest Survey
• Focus groups
• Design team
• Medical claims data
For Evaluation of your program, look at:
• Medical claims
• Prescriptions claims
• Workers Comp
• Sick leave
• Disability
• Presenteeism
11. Wellness models (Scott & White)
Quality of Worklife Model
– The fun approach, morale-building
– A good fit with smaller work-sites (< 1,000 employees)
– ROI is a low priority
– New to wellness
– Limited follow-through capability
This model may have:
– Group activities
– Fun and social events
– Awareness-oriented
– Light focus
– Limited biometric testing
– No spouses served
12. Quality of worklife model
Primary Wellness Targets: fun events, stress relief, nutrition, community
service, general wellness and health information
Typical Activities: health fairs, lunch and learn, wellness event, free
fruit, chair massages, nutritious pot lucks, movie events, company
games
Participation: 15% to 35% of staff
Approximate cost / EE / Yr: < $45
Likely ROI: < 1:1.0
13. Traditional approach
Traditional Approach Model
– A good fit for medium sized or larger worksites (>1,000 and > 10,000)
– ROI is a moderate priority
– 2-10 years of wellness
– Some follow-through capability
– Follows corporate direction
This model may have:
– Both group and individual activities
– More health emphasis
– Education-oriented
– Mixed focus
– Moderate biometric testing
– Knowledge building
– Spouses served
14. Traditional model
Primary Wellness Targets: In addition to the Quality of Work Life Model, plus the
overall wellness score, cholesterol, BP, tobacco use, obesity, medical self-care,
physical activity
Typical Activities in addition to QWL: Health risk assessment (HRA), biometric
testing option, fitness club memberships/facility, weight management program,
smoking cessation, web-based health info, healthy cafeteria/vending options,
preventive medical benefit coverage, wellness newsletter, short-term incentive
program
Participation: 28% to 58% of staff
Approximate cost / EE / Yr: $46 - $150
Likely ROI: 1:1.5 to 1:3.0
15. Population Health Management
Population Health Management model
– A good fit with larger work forces (> 10,000)
– ROI a very high priority
– Very mature wellness
– Prepared to educate staff
– Strong follow-through capability
– Strong virtual corporate and site-driven
This model is:
– Mostly individual based
– More risk emphasis
– Behavior-oriented
– Serious focus
– Heavy biometric testing
– Skill building
– Most spouses served
16. Population Health Model
Primary Wellness Targets: In addition to the
Traditional Model, plus productivity, injuries, HC
utilization, presenteeism, health consumerism,
Typical Activities in addition to Traditional: HRA
(incented and used for targeting with 80%
minimum), risk stratification and incented
interventions, telephonic coaching, medical self-
care and consumer workshops, injury prevention,
benefit linked incentive, wellness achievement
incentives, resiliency initiative for productivity,
spouses also served
Participation: 65% to 95% of staff
Approximate cost / EE / Yr: $250 - $450
(this cost does not include staffing and incentive
costs)
Likely ROI: 1:2.5 to 1:6.5
17. Wellness Infrastructure
Virtual –based program infrastructure:
• On-line Health risk assessment (HRA)
• Incentives for Wellness (track on-line)
• Wellness newsletter
• Email and messaging
• Health guides
• Welcome kit
• Telephone/on-line coaching
Site-based program infrastructure:
• On-site programs, facilities such as yoga class, gyms, tobacco cessation classes,
massage therapy, challenges, etc.
A good wellness program will have an infrastructure that includes both virtual and site-
based!
18. Administrative infrastructure
Brand your program!
– Program Name
– Logo
– Tag line
– Art style
Internal program staff
Vendor staff (HRA, lifestyle management, coaching,
incentive program)
Form a Wellness Team with good employee representation
Program proposal and work plan
Program goals/objectives
Program budget
Program evaluation plan
Develop a strong communication plan!!
