Organizations that implement employee health management and wellness programs that incorporate evidence-based best practices slow the growth of their medical costs, according to a recent report.
The report was released by the Health Enhancement Research Organization, based in Edina, Minn., and New York City-based consulting firm Mercer.
HERO's Employee Health Management Best Practices Scorecard includes the results of six workplace wellness program studies conducted over the past two years.
The results of the research analyzed in the Scorecard report support the notion that health improvement is accomplished through strong leadership and workplace culture, according to Steven Noeldner, PhD, Mercer partner and chair of the HERO Research Study Subcommittee.
"Data continues to show that the most effective wellness programs are those that combine strategies which encourage people to take the first step toward improving health, along with the cultural and leadership support to make those positive changes last," said Dr. Noeldner.
The report also found that organizations that did well on the Scorecard for their wellness programs experienced a reduction of roughly 1.6 percent over three years in inflation-adjusted healthcare costs, compared with "low" scorers whose cost trend remained stable.
Additional findings from the report — which includes data from 2013 and 2014 — are highlighted below:
- Sixty percent of employers make healthy food choices available in the workplace.
- Roughly 57 percent of employers have implemented tobacco-free workplace policies.
- Nearly half (46 percent) of employers use tracking devices and wearables, such as pedometers, glucometers and automated scales to transmit biometric data directly to a data repository for people with conditions like congestive heart failure, obesity and diabetes.
- Forty-four percent of employers use some sort of social media or social challenge to increase engagement and participation in health management programs.
- Approximately 39 percent of employers enable employees to engage with the workplace wellness program using their smartphone or mobile device.
- More than one third (36 percent) of employers allow employees to take time away from work during the day for physical activity.
- Twenty-eight percent of employers allow employees to take time during the workday to reduce stress.