Prior to 1970s

Minimal effort Lack of interest Lack of knowledge

1970s
Push toward wellness (OSH, WHP, LFL) Cultural change & increased knowledge

1980s
Focus of mental well-being Survey by Worksite Health Promotion Activities:
82.2% of industries focused on stress management 39% offered individual counseling 58% offered group classes or workshops

Still continued focus on physical as well

1990s
Survey by Worksite Health Promotion Activities:
80% 44% 30% 74% offer level one education offer activities and facilities for fitness health risk appraisals (assess and motivate) screen for health risks

Use of incentives to boost programs Overall growing knowledge

2000s
Increased push from employers
Discounts/memberships to local gyms Increase in facilities provided

Bigger cultural push to be fit Greater knowledge for more programs

Smoking cessation programs & nutrition program increase

Overall, 88% of large companies, half of small companies involved in wellness initiative programs

Cultural shift toward a more fit self Increased involvement from outside forces
Promotion from OSH & WHP

Sets good example for clients & employees

Looks good throughout community

Promote employee satisfaction & cost savings

80% of health costs for chronic illness Prevention is key

Cost savings, Cost savings, Cost savings

Less mobile population, complex disease base, increase in health care expenditures = employers paying 30% of national health care bill. Reduction in insurance claims & sick days
Lowers premium

Cost of prevention vs. cost of treatment

Gov. offered health promotion services Effects on economy

Health care account for 12% of GNP
Increase to 14% when medical costs hit 900 billion. Over half of 900 paid by employers Twice what we spend on education or nat. defense at that time (Early 90s)

Government Regulations
Federal Laws State Laws Health Care Reform

Federal Laws
HIPPA
Prohibits discrimination against similar individuals Five specific conditions

GINA
Title 1: Prohibits collecting genetic info for underwriting purposes Title 2: Unlawful to discriminate based on genetic information given

ADA
Protects those with disabilities from discrimination

State Laws
Vary from State to State
Include smoking Other legal activities

Tax Issues
Rewards from programs may be taxable Consult with accountants to determine taxable status of rewards

Health Care Reform

Grant program to assist eligible employers
Fewer than 100 employees; work 25 hours per week $200 million in program as of March 2010 All eligible employers required to apply

Expands HIPPAs exemption to allow incentives up to 30%

Today 90% of employers offer some sort of wellness incentives to employees who work towards a healthy lifestyle
Survey from Fidelity

Since 2009 wellness programs have increased 59% and the perks are worth more to employees. In 2009 the perks per employee were $260 compared to $521 in 2013.

Educational/Awareness Incentives
Offers rewards for employees taking assessments of their personal health.
Filling out questionnaires about family history Diet and fitness routines Biometric screening for blood pressure

Annual value for employees: $120-130 for screenings Pros: Easy way to show employees how healthy they are and companies can use data to figure out workers needs Cons: Telling people about their health doesn't mean they will take action to improve it. Example- employees have premiums reduced

Objective for employees: take action by joining a gym, and weight management programs by earning points

Pros: Motivates employees to show them they have the power to become even healthier Cons: Once the incentive and program is over employees can lose motivation Example- employees having to pay a fee

Objective: The harder the task the more points employees earn Pros: Gives employees the freedom to choose they health activities they want to do Cons: Too many options can make employees overwhelmed and end up costing employers more money

Ex: Completing an Ironman

Objective: Let employees take baby steps to hit benchmarks for cholesterol, blood pressure and weight. Pros: Employees are financially motivated to improve health Cons: Employees may progress to slow and may not take it seriously

Objectives: Employers help employees create a personalized wellness program and incentive Pros: By personalizing it boots participation among those who will benefit the most Cons: Employees can feel their personalized wellness program can be intrusive.

Research has found that employee health directly affects work performance, attendance and productivity. Because of this, many companies are now implementing employee wellness programs to encourage individuals to take measures to lead healthier lifestyles and to prevent the onset or worsening of a disease. Employee wellness programs are an investment into your companys most important asset: your workers. Showing employees that you care about their wellness boosts employee morale and productivity.

60% of plan sponsors say wellness programs are most important influence on healthcare cost Medical costs fall $3.27 for every dollar spent on wellness programs Congress is considering providing tax credits to those who offer wellness programs

Incentives would be necessary to keep employees engaged 14% increase when there is an incentive Everyone needs to benefit from top-down to have the program succeed

From a study of a single employer and 185 employees 57% of high risk heart disease dropped to low-risk in 6 months Medical claims declined by $1,421 per participant Participants tend to stay with their company longer

Help to prevent health issues in the future Employees will be healthier Will help lower cost to companies under the new health reform Chronic heart problems are about 75 percent of health care costs

Helps lower absenteeism, increase productivity, and reduce health care costs 56 percent of members doing program quit smoking 95 percent get better at managing diabetes 65 percent see improvements in personal health

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcCYiKkV bIA

https://www.bcbsm.com/content/microsites/inn ovate/en/workplace-wellness/workplacewellness.html http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2 873731/ http://hbr.org/2010/12/whats-the-hardreturn-on-employee-wellness-programs/ar/1 Reardon, J. 1998. "The history and impact of worksite wellness." Nursing Economic$ 16, no. 3: 117-121. CINAHL Plus with Full Text, EBSCOhost.