Companies should stress that protecting employee privacy and health information confidentiality is their top priority in all wellness program communications. Program managers should continuously emphasize this message and involve employees in the program design process to build trust that the program has their best interests in mind and not just the employer's. There can be cultural differences in views on personal privacy versus employer rights between societies, so understanding the target audience is important.

1. Question #10: Many employees are
hesitant to join wellness programs because
they worry about revealing personal health
information. Do wellness programs protect
employee privacy? How can patient privacy
be guaranteed?

2. Protecting Employee Privacy
2
• Companies should stress in all program communications that
confidentiality of health information is of paramount concern
− This should be reinforced in all activities, including
workshops and medical health checks. Program managers
and senior leadership should continually underscore the
message
• There is great variability in how different societies draw the
line between personal privacy and the employer’s “right to
interfere.” The norm in one country may differ from another
and knowing one’s target audience is critical
• Building employee trust in the desired outcomes and
motivations behind the wellness program is important. The
best way to do this is engage employees in program
design, so they are part of the process from the bottom-up
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