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1. What is a workplace wellness program?

Workplace wellness is an organizational commitment to activities or programs that support healthy behavior in the workplace which in turn improve the health outcomes of employees.

Workplace wellness programs are as unique as the organization. Programs can consist of a variety of activities such as:

• Health fairs
• Health education
• Medical screenings
• Health coaching
• Weight management programs
• Wellness newsletters
• Subsidized memberships to fitness centers
• On-site fitness programs
• Tobacco cessation programs and other health education programs

Workplace wellness programs can also include organizational policies designed to facilitate employee health including allowing flex time for exercise, providing on-site kitchen and eating areas, offering healthy food options in vending machines, holding “walk and talk” meetings, and offering financial and other incentives for participation. Generally workplace wellness encompasses the overall creation of a “culture of health” within the work site.

2. Why is a workplace wellness program important?

Employee lifestyles count for the vast majority of health care clam costs. Studies have shown that 87.5% of health care claims costs are due to an individual’s lifestyle. Source: Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne (IPFW) Study, 2006.

Investing in workplace wellness programs reduces employer’s costs. A review of scores of published studies on work site wellness found that the Return on Investment is $3.48:1 due to reduced medical costs and $5.82:1 due to reduced absenteeism. Source: The Center for Work and Health, 2003.